I’ve been commuting in and out of Boston for more than 10 years.  For a very long time, I did a very poor job of handling the 3 hour of commute I faced every day – but in the last few years, I’ve managed to do a 180 and I actually look forward to my time in transit!

Here are a few things that might/could help to improve your commute:

number one – SLEEP – take care of yourself and focus your energy on getting to bed such that you can have a real 7-8 hours of sleep every night. I fought this for years, I was actually angry that “my time” was such a narrow window compared to how much was committed to work and chores, and the COMMUTE! But the benefits from sleep are many!! The day will be easier… for me, it was seriously about the “crankies” and the instinct to make myself feel better by using food to salve my discomfort – you won’t be as tempted to snack on foods that are not the best choice or too much soda and/or coffee (I love coffee – not tryin’ to be a hater!).  So, do what you need to do to get to bed on time – so that you can get 7-8 hours! (This can be more complicated than initially seems – which leads right into #2, and this post that mentions PM Routines.)

number two – begin the night before with a solid “night time” routine… you don’t need to start with anything elaborate, just start by laying out your clothes – if you can do two days at a time, even better.  Have EVERYthing ready – down to undies, belt, and any other accessories.  If you find getting ready in the morning a PITA – there is a blog post I wrote on the topic that has some tips for easier outfit creation – on the cheap!  The key for me that makes the nighttime routine invaluable, is knowing that alternative.  That is, that I am not firing on all cylinders at 5.30 in the morning; I am not good with decisions when I am half-asleep… so better if they are made the night before when I am fully functioning and not trying to get out the door on time.

number three – find something nourishing (or even stimulating), for your brain for the time you are driving or sitting on a train.  For many on the train, this is reading (if driving, audio books!) – for me, I fall asleep (on the train) in the morning when reading a book, so I do better with projects, or sorting out my calendar (or working on blog posts!).  You could use car time to ready yourself for an event – are you giving a talk or presentation, or maybe you want to practice an elevator pitch..??  Back in college, when I was commuting about 45 minutes by car, I used the drive time to practice my voice exercises – this was especially perfect in the months leading to my mom’s wedding (I was singing for it)!   Right now, I am preparing for a stage event, so I practice my talk out loud whenever driving around town.  During my mile walk from the train to the office, I listen to podcasts – for me it’s the financial guru I like to hear – I find his stories inspirational.  You could listen to news, or NPR’s This American Life – the list goes on!  Of course, if you want to listen to music, but all means do.  I find that I arrive at work more ready for “work” when I have stimulated my myself with brainfood on my terms (before I turn to the needs of my employer!)…

What are keys to your commuting success?  I’d love to read about them in the comments below.  Your ideas could inspire another reader get out of a commuter rut!

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Linda Stacy, Productivity Speaker, Writer, and Coach inspires her clients to achieve increased fulfillment, engagement, and success by way of energy management and the *brass tacks* of healthy, efficient productivity and time management.