Everyone dreads a long work commute as it can be really awful, tiring and draining. Yet some working moms take very long work commutes of as long as an hour and a half every day. It is a total of three hours per day used on the road which can have negative effects on your energy and productivity.
However, it does not need to be like this. There are many things a working mom can do during a long work commute especially on public transit to optimize the time. It is especially important when you are on public transit hence not doing the driving yourself.
Some ways working moms can effectively utilize a long work commute includes doing office work, studying, catch up with family and friends, research, self-care and indulging in your hobby to fight off the boredom.
How Working Moms can Spend Office Commute Time
1. Do Some Office Work
It may not sound ideal to be working on your way to work but long commute hours are a perfect time to finish off some office work. The time can be crucial for your work especially when you are running behind on your work projects. It will prevent you from getting bored on the bus or the train.
At the end of the day, this time does not count as lost time but actual work time as it allows you to leave work early as you have accomplished some of your work tasks off-site. Some simple office tasks you can do include reading and replying to emails, planning out for the day, writing and reading work documents among other kinds of work you can accomplish on the move.
The tasks may however depend on the kind of transport that you are using. Self-drive would not allow you to do most of the above tasks as they are hands-on. Otherwise public transit with the bus, or the train will allow you to use your commute time in the above ways with boredom.
2. Learn and Study during Commute Hours
I know of some moms who are working full-time and also studying and one of the biggest challenges has always been finding enough time to balance all three obligations at once. Fortunately, a long work commute can be a savior to many by allowing you to partake in your studies uninterrupted.
A long hour to and from the office is a great opportunity for a working mom to read course materials, catch up on new developments, write assignments, and generally any class-related work that can be accomplished on the move.
An hour or two every day to dedicate to learning means a lot to a full-time working mom who is also studying. Instead of getting tired and bored by just sitting on the bus or the train, studying is a very productive way of spending the long time to and from the office.
Read: How to Work Full-time, Parent and Study
3.Catch up with Family and Friends
Another thing you can do during your long work commute hours is catch up with your family and friends. You may find this very important as you may lack the time to do so during the day while you are in the office. You can easily fall back on your friendships and family relations when you are working because of time challenges.
Therefore take advantage of a long work commune and call your friends and family to find out what they are doing. You won’t feel bored when you have people to chat the time away during the time to and from the office.
If you find a call is not ideal in public transit, then you can message and chat as you travel. Social media is also a way of keeping in touch with your family, friends, and the world in general. You won’t be bored for the entire travel time.
4. Research/Find Out What Is Trending
The time during your long commute to and for work can be a good time to find out what is going on around the world. It is a good time to find out what is trending and generally keep yourself self-updated. There are always exciting things to keep you entertained and not bored.
It also includes doing some research and finding out about new developments in your field or line of work. You can do so by reading news articles, checking out social media, and reading online updates among others as a productive way of using your commute time.
5. Indulge in your Hobby to Avoid Getting Boredom
Before you get to the office, you can use this time to indulge in some of your hobbies. It includes hobbies such as listening to music, reading, writing a journal, watching videos. It is a very fun way of spending time before and after the office and keeps boredom off.
Read: Practical and Time Efficient Hobbies for Working Moms
6. Do Self-care during Commute Hours to the Office
You can as well use this time to do some personal self-care. Use commute time to unwind, decompress, and have alone time. While the number of self-care things is limited you can do some things such as listening to music, listening to a podcast, reading the bible, writing a journal, etc. When you get home, you can be fully present with your baby and enjoy your time together.
Read: Steps to Creating a Self Care Plan
Simple Tricks to Reducing a Long Work Commute
While a long commute can be effectively optimized, it also has its disadvantages, especially for a working mom. A long work commute every day cuts down on the amount of time you get to spend with your children and family. It is tiring and draining at the same time, further adding to your fatigue.
My advice therefore would be to find an option that cuts your work commute time. There are three options which include;
1. Move to a Job Closer to Home
If it is easier, consider switching employers and move close to your home. It will save you a lot of time that you can spend with the kids/family as well as for personal care. If you are highly likely to get a new fitting job near your home, then go for this option.
2. Move to a House Closer to your Job
If getting a new job is hard or you like your job and your employer, maybe you can consider keeping your job and moving house instead. It will bring you close to where you work and hence save a lot of time that you otherwise use for commuting.
3. Work from Home/Remotely
Working remotely will help kill two birds with one stone, literally. If your job and employer allows it, ask for some remote work arrangement, even if partially. You will find that working remotely saves you the entire work commute time you would have otherwise used and use the time with your kid/family.
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