5 ways to live the commuter lifestyle and survive! – words Al Woods
To the utmost dismay of urban dwellers, commutes are getting ever longer and more tedious. Time wasted every day adds up quickly and amounts to a big chunk of your life. To make it worse, 25% of commuters in UK experience nuisances like train delays.
All of this has detrimental effects on personal and societal well-being. On a brighter note, we are not without ways to mitigate them. Here is how to get from point A to point B every time and live to tell the tale.
Put travel apps to good use
Whether you drive a car or take public transportation, you should make the most of mobile travel apps. You can use them to buy tickets in advance and check whether there are any delays, traffic jams, road works, and route changes. Citymapper, for instance, allows you to get through the maze of buses and rails, as well as to determine the most efficient biking, walking, and Uber routes. And in case you just want to shut down the noise of the world, download Headspace, a meditation app that helps you how to achieve peace and calm.
Mind the etiquette
Our next golden rule is to be nice to people. Eating and drinking on public transport is a matter of hot public debate and depending on whom you ask, is a deadly sin or totally fine. One thing to avoid is making passengers angry with smelly foods. So, do everyone a favour and don’t eat these on public transport. If you see signs banning consumption, refrain from eating. This rule is rarely enforced, but you can certainly avoid unpleasant situations. And when you do munch, try not to produce noise and pick up your debris.
Overcoming hurdles with ease
Furthermore, learn to deal with delays and annoying passengers the healthy way. Even if a commuter does something like use yoga on a train for 20 minutes, keep your cool. When faced with a substantial delay, simply make a complaint to the service operator. Discuss the issue via official channels — that is often the fastest way to get a reply. Finally, relieve your built-in anger regularly. If you spot OJO’s frustration station outside a train/bus station, get ready to unleash a flurry of blows on a giant punch bag. You can also blow off some steam at the gym.
Preparation is the key
Be well-prepared for your travel by organising in advance. Double-check you have everything the night before, so you don’t need to return for work access pass, ID, wallet, etc. Have a backup battery pack for your smartphone, especially if you are working en route or using e-tickets. Shop around for the best portable chargers and you will never run out of juice. You will also be able to focus on what successful people do on commutes: check email, listen to podcasts, set weekly goals, network, read, etc.
Immerse in it
Instead of resenting it, embrace the experience of travel. Adjusting to a long commute is often the best way to deal with it. Greet fellow passengers with a smile and chat with them. Look not just through the window, but also towards the horizon of the near future. Namely, future commuting options such as Elon Musk’s Hyperloop have been successfully tested and are expected to take us on SF-like, over-1000km/h journeys. Along the similar lines, we are poised to see more and more self-driving cars and e-bikes on roads. These means of transportation pose a nice alternative to usual trains, buses, and the like.
Beating the daily grind
Commutes are inevitable yet bothersome part of our daily reality. There is no going around this necessary evil, but you can at least escape that dreaded feeling of being trapped amidst hustle and bustle. To make it happen, get organised and leave nothing to chance. Use all the tools at your disposal to alleviate the ill-effects of long commutes and melt away the stress. Change the mental tape and navigate the urban jungle as right as rain. You might even have some fun along the way.
5 ways to live the commuter lifestyle and survive! – words Al Woods
