Talking yesterday to a friend who is a working mum was a chance to reflect on commuting.
The busier your life gets, the more you appreciate a chance to commute. You’re stuck for a period of time, doing something necessary (travelling to a destination), and you’re physically removed from a range of responsibilities (housework, child supervision). It’s a chance to accomplish something, however small, that you want to. Read a book. Watch a video. Sit quietly and think.
Even if the train is late or delayed, it is, for the most part, a great opportunity, not really worth getting upset over.
Perhaps the biggest threat to this time is a smartphone – it means that electronic distraction continues to spill over into the commute.
Something I’ve noticed about my commuting habits: I’m spending more time listening to podcasts and playing video games than I am on reading books and “creating content”.
So as the calendar ticked over to 2012, I deleted most of the games from my phone, and set myself up with more content to read. I’m hoping to get a little more benefit out of the opportunities afforded by commuting.
Do you have a new year’s resolution about how you spend time?