Making the Most of your Daily Commute IM HIRED

Making the Most of your Daily Commute Learning to Enjoy Rush Hour The commute to work is an unavoidable activity, with 3.7 million of us spending at least 2 hours a day just getting to the 9 -5, there are plenty of reasons to despise the commute. The constant rush, the overfilled carriages or just simply the fact it feels like a lot of wasted and unproductive  time. But isn’t it time to make a change and take back all these misused hours and do something useful with the commute? So were going to be discussing 4 ways you can take back your commute and make it a more productive use of time. Learn Something New   If you’re looking to progress within your career, then  development and continuous learning is essential and a busy lifestyle can make it seem impossible to fit in additional training courses or opportunities to improve. But training doesn’t have to be in the capacity of formal classroom based learning. Whether you prefer to listen to an informative podcast, read educational books or an autobiography of a successful entrepreneur, there are an array of ways to developing new skills sets or bettering yourself. Even if you drive to work, link up your phone and pop on an e-book or listen to a Ted Talk and you’ll be well on your way to learning one new thing a day. Take Time to Relax We all deserve to switch off for 5 minutes now and then and honestly think when do you really get a chance to do absolutely nothing? Most of us are rushing between meetings, completing errands and trying to please friends, families and co-workers before we’re off to sleep to start all over again the next day. Whilst mediating on public transport may not be the most practical idea, it doesn’t mean you can’t just have a moment to yourself. Stress can affect us all and taking time to clear your mind can help you feel more refreshed and recharged ready for a big day at work. If sitting in silence doesn’t float your boat, get your earphones in and listen to your favourite tunes or update yourself with the latest celebrity gossip but try not to distract yourself with work emails or calls, work starts after the commute after all. _________________________ “Put yourself at the top of your to-do list every single day and the rest will fall into place.” -Unknown _________________________ Plan Your Day Get to work and your normally instantly bombarded with emails, calls or just requests by your colleagues meaning by the time youve managed to settle at your desk, make yourself a much need cuppa and look at planning a to do list your somehow youre already an hour into the day. Having a productivity day boils down to having a good start  and a killer plan of action so instead of getting distracted, get ahead of the game and plan on your commute. Get your calendar set, your to do list written and you’ll feel ready to take on the day and tackle that list. Don’t use limited Wi-Fi access as an excuse, use good old fashion pen and paper or drop a note on your phone and upload when you get to the office. Assess the Week Self-evaluation is key to improvement and why wait until your next 1-1 to pinpoint your work achievements or review how you could improve within your position. Especially if you’re looking to progress within your current role, you need to make time to set actions, assess outcomes and basically take valuable time to focus on your career. Consider new ideas and projects you can involve yourself within to advance your career. Even if you’re not enjoying your current position then use this time to explore and research employment opportunities, update your CV or apply for new positions.