Next time you find yourself sitting bumper to bumper on the highway, try one of these things to do while stuck in traffic to prevent stress, boredom and anger toward the cars in front of you. It’s definitely crucial to keep your eyes on the road, but there are several hands-free things that you can do to make the time pass more quickly! Although a lot of your time might be spent behind the wheel, use this time wisely and your long commute can actually work in your favor. You can use this time to learn something new or actually begin to enjoy this alone time instead! Here are seven things to do while stuck in traffic that won’t want to make you pull your hair out!
1. LISTEN TO A TALK SHOW
One of my favorite things to do while stuck in traffic is listen to a good radio talk show. Lucky for me, during the time of my morning commute, there is a very popular radio show on the air (if you are in the Atlanta area, it’s Q100 – 99.7 FM)! The talk show hosts discuss things that I can relate to, keep my attention and make me laugh my entire ride into work! Scan your radio stations during your commute and find a talk show that interests you. There are even more options if you have radio!
2. LISTEN TO A PODCAST
Another thing that I like to do to pass the time if I am stuck in traffic is listen to a podcast. I have found two or three podcasts that update their shows regularly and provide awesome content to listen to during my commute. These podcasts not only teach me new things but they also engage my mind during the ride. While some podcasts are purely for entertainment purposes, I have found many that align with my career and teach me new things that I can actually apply once I arrive at work. There are so many great podcasts out there – search around and you will find one that you enjoy!
3. LISTEN TO CHURCH
As a spiritual person, a week without Godly wisdom makes for a long, hard week. On the weeks that I don’t make it to church, I like to listen to my pastor, Andy Stanley’s, sermon as I’m driving into work. I attend a huge church in the greater Atlanta area, North Point Community Church (northpoint.org), and am lucky in the fact that they broadcast the sermons not only live during the message but are also published to the internet the following day.
4. LISTEN TO AN AUDIOBOOK
One thing that can really make traffic actually enjoyable is a good audiobook. As long as the narrator has a pleasant voice, an audiobook can take you out of your current situation mentally and into an entire new world. By listening to an audiobook while sitting in traffic, you can calm your stress, enjoy the words and learn a thing or two as well!
5. WRITE A BLOG POST
Now, now, I’m not saying that you need to get out a pen and piece of paper and start writing long messages. Instead, if you are a blogger or any type of journaler, use the voice record feature on your smart phone to at least get your ideas down on “paper.” The busier I am, the more my writing goes by the wayside, but now that I learned this trick, meeting my deadlines, blogging and “writing” fit much more easily into my schedule. If I don’t write an entire post or article, I like to at least create my outline and get my ideas down, so that when I do go to write, I at least have a starting point and the task seems much less daunting! Again, making my time in the car work for me and not against me!
6. MAKE A TO-DO LIST
Again, not using a pen and paper but using an the record feature on your smart phone, sitting in traffic can be the perfect time to brainstorm your to-do list. I like to keep several running lists on my phone, that way when I think of something, I can easily jot it down or record it. I keep a work to-do list, a home to-do list, a grocery list, a list of my short term goals, a list of my long term goals, and several other lists right on my phone for easy access and updating.
7. CALL A FRIEND
Another way to easily pass the time while stuck in traffic is to call a friend that you have not talked to in a while. This might be one of the few times that you actually have plenty of time to ask all of the needed questions and listen intently to your friend’s life updates. Friendships and relationships are only as good as the effort that you put into them. If you never talk to your friends, how will you ever know what’s going on in their lives. Use the time behind the wheel to stay in touch with the people that you might not see every day but still care deeply about!
