11 Fun And Productive Things To Do While Stuck In Traffic
2 min readTraffic. Bumper to bumper. Carmageddon. Carpocalypse. These words automatically trigger negativity in our systems. Traffic jam is inevitable, especially during the holidays.
Long commutes paired with heavy traffic are productivity killers and energy downers. But fret no more. Here is a list of things you can do to prevent heavy traffic from spoiling the holiday cheer.
Read: (With The MMDA’s New Traffic Measures In Effect, Has Your Travel Time Improved Yet?)
1. Write a to-do list. Plot your activities for the day or for the rest of the week. This will help you organize your time down to the minute and help you systematize your workloads and schedule.
2. Read a good book. Grab a good read and disappear in the utopia of what you’re reading. Doing so will titillate your imagination and will help you veer from the thought of traffic.
3. Listen to a podcast or audiobook. Podcasts will keep your brain engaged as you gain different insights. If you are not a fan of reading, audiobooks are a great alternative.
4. Listen to music. Plug in your earphones and play feel-good music. Listen to songs you haven’t heard in a while. Take this time to create new playlists on your music streaming app.
5. Watch a movie or series. Haven’t seen a movie lately? Did you miss an episode of your favorite series? Your commute hours are the perfect time to catch up on them.
6. Play games on your phone or tablet. Heavy traffic can spike your stress levels. Stimulate your inner gamer with fun games installed on your mobile phone.
7. Munch on your packed chows. Don’t let yourself starve in the middle of the traffic. Eat a sandwich, munch on peanuts, or whatever finger foods you can grab before your ride.
8. Learn a new language. Are you interested in learning French, German, or Spanish? You can utilize your idle time commuting by learning how to speak a foreign language. Get a book or download a language app and learn on your own.
9. Play crossword puzzle or Sudoku. Take the challenge of solving mind-boggling Sudoku or crossword puzzles in the newspaper. Puzzle compilations are also available in bookstores or you can download an app so you can play on your mobile phone.
10. Browse the web and social media. If you have an unlimited data subscription and long battery life, then this is a given thing to occupy yourself with. Look for office attire pegs, update your social media profiles, and see what your family and friends have been up to.
11. Do window shopping online. Traffic can consume a lot of your me-time, particularly your time for shopping. While stuck in the middle of the traffic, browse online catalogues and prices of the items on your shopping list to save time on deciding once you step inside the mall.
Read: (While You’re Stuck In Edsa Traffic: This Is What Rush Hour Looks Like In Different Parts Of The World)
Now here are a few more tips to keep your cool while moving at 10kph or less:
-
-
Spread some positive energy to other commuters to lessen the stress brought about by traffic.
-
It will only make your bad day worse. This will only result in unproductivity and irritability.
-
This will not better the situation at all. Keep your calm.
-
Avoid traffic by adjusting your time commuting. Do not brave the rush hours if you have a strict schedule to beat.
-
Take a hold of yourself, especially if you are driving. Do not be hot-headed to avoid fights and fender-bender incidents.
-