It happens to nearly all of us. Driving to and from work can instantly become a nightmare when traffic backs up. Most of the time you have no other choice but to sit and wait. Taking an alternate route usually takes more time than your normal route, even with the traffic slow down.
As commuting times go in North America it appears most people face a 30 minute commute each way.
Toronto commuters have it the worst in Canada; according to a survey released by Statistics Canada. The average commute time Greater Toronto Area residents face is 33 minutes, slightly longer than the 31 minutes faced by those in the Montreal area. Commuters in the New York City area face a 38 minute trip to work on average, which is the longest in the States.
Based on this information it appears that most people spend at minimum 7 hours each week commuting. So how do most people choose to use this time? I think the 2 most common options would be listening to the radio or talking on a cell phone. Do these activities add value to your day? Likely not and talking on a cell phone can actually be harmful even causing accidents.
My personal commute is much longer than the average and I love it, even when traffic slows down. I have found a way to add value to the time I spend in the car every day.
This simple discovery happened when I was complaining to my wife one evening about how particularly horrible the traffic had been that day. You have been there too…..don’t lie. She listened patiently as she always does. When I had run out of adjectives to describe my commute she made a short and simple suggestion. “Why don’t you listen to audio books in the car?” My initial reaction was “that was not a good idea” because I was still heated.
Then I really thought about it, what did I have to lose? The time I currently spent in the car already sucked. I didn’t believe listening to a book would make it any worse. The next day I went to the library and picked out a few audio books on CD to give it a try. Wow! My wife’s suggestion has totally changed how I view my commute and I am far more productive than ever before.
The reason for this is simple; I am exercising my brain by listening to motivational and professional development topics twice a day. Each book runs approximately 7 hours; in my world that is 2-3 days of commuting. I am listening to 2-3 books a week! I have recaptured time that was previously lost to inactivity.
My frustration in spending hours in the car has completely gone. Now I see my commute as an investment in my professional development. I have more ideas at work now. I think more creatively due to the flow of new ideas I allow into my life now.
I strongly suggest anyone who commutes to work to start listening to audio or e-books. Most publishers offer books on CD as well as downloadable books for iPods.
You have nothing to lose….give it a try and I know you will thank me.
Your feedback is important to me:
1. Do you currently see your commuting time as value-added to your career?
2. Best audio book you have heard?
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