How to Make the Most of Peak Hour Traffic

Let’s face it. Peak hour traffic sucks. And the sad news is that it’s only getting worse. While we would love to come up with ways to reduce traffic in Australia, the truth is that our time is better spent working on realistic things, like finding ways to make the most of the unavoidable peak hour traffic.

Depending on your place of residence and work, you may be one of those lucky people that gets to spend up to two hours in traffic each way. Peak hour traffic is frustrating and can be infuriating especially if you witness inconsiderate drivers who block roads. Not only that, spending long periods of time in peak hour traffic can add a significant amount of stress to your day.

This is not going to change any time soon unless you move closer to your work or get a job that’s closer to your house. Spending each day experiencing the same kind of stress is then, really, just a waste of your time that is not doing your any good. So, let’s make the most out of the time spent every day stuck in your car. If you do some of these car and traffic-friendly activities for long enough, who knows, maybe you’ll even start to actually look forward to peak hour traffic!

Listen to podcasts.

A great way to kill time in traffic and also add some entertainment to your car rides is to listen to your favourite podcasts. It’s OK if you haven’t actually listened to podcasts before and don’t know what you might like. Check out these eight podcasts that are recommended by The Conversation for this year.

Learn a new language.

Learning a language is now more approachable than ever with audios and videos. With research suggesting that listening may be the best way to learn a new language, the time spent in peak hour traffic can be the gateway to becoming multilingual. Check out these five recommended audio programs for learning a language, recommended by FluentU.

Listen to an audio book.

If you’re a fan of reading books or a good story, then try listening to audio books on your way to and from work. Books can be great for adding some fun and excitement into your commute, as well as just leaving in the background. Browse over a thousand audio books here.

Listen to TED Talks.

Nobody can say no to a surge of inspiration first thing in the morning on the way to work. TED Talks are a great way to listen to amazing speeches by inspiring individuals all over the world and gain some knowledge. Try and pick out the ones you want to listen to the night before, so that you can choose your favourites as well as leave out any Talks that require you to pay attention to the visuals.

Do some Kegel exercises.

Kegel exercises are beneficial in preventing urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor problems. They’re not just beneficial for women as many people believe, and can be done discreetly. Nobody has to know while you’re contracting and releasing your pelvic floor muscles and getting healthier one car ride at a time!

Prepare for work.

Practice your presentation or a difficult conversation you’ll have to have with a colleague or other team members. Calm your nerves and mentally prepare yourself for the day’s work. On the way home after work, get a head start on the next day’s work by writing some mental notes. It will make you feel much more prepared the next day.

Record your ideas.

Once in a while, we all have amazing, potentially multi million-dollar ideas. And then we forget. When you’re driving alone and letting your mind explore concepts and ideas freely, try and think out loud and record yourself with your phone. If not for anything else, it will make you laugh when you replay yourself.

Be weird and have fun.

Pick your nose if you want! It’s bad enough that you have to spend over an hour in frustrating traffic, you don’t need to add discomfort to your car rides! Try to bring your stress levels down by relaxing your shoulders and just feeling comfortable. Sing along loudly to your favourite tunes on the radio, show off your moves at the lights and practice the lines from your favourite movies. Make it fun.

Be safe.

While all the above suggestions can spice up the otherwise boring and frustrating commute to and from work, remember that safety always comes first. If you find it hard to concentrate when multitasking while driving, don’t do any activities that take your focus away from the road.