How to Make the Best of Your Commute on Public Transportation

As gas prices climb, public transportation has become a more attractive option for many people. Not only can it save you money, by cutting down on your gas consumption and on wear and tear on your car, but it can also let you reclaim much of your commute time for yourself. Here are some tips to help you make the best of your commute on public transportation.

If you love to read, using public transportation is a great way to build more reading time into your day. You can spend your commute time being whisked away into your own private world of adventure, learning a new subject, or catching up on current events. You can use your gas savings to buy the newest book by your favorite author or save even more money by checking out your books from the library.

Listening to music or news is a pleasant way to pass your commute. Bring your portable CD player or radio and your headphones and spend your commute soothed by music. Just don't turn the volume up so high that everyone else can hear your music in spite of your headphones.

You can spend your time being productive. A train ride can be a good place to catch up on work so that you do not have to spend extra hours at your job. With a laptop and a cell phone, you have a virtual office right there. If you are a teacher, use the time to plan lessons or grade papers so that you will have more of your personal time to spend with your family. If you are working and going to school, use your commute time to study.

If you have a side business in addition to your regular job, this time is even more valuable. You can work on correspondence and other paperwork for your business. You can also work on the primary function of your business itself, if the type of work allows. Writers can write, web designers can work on web pages, and artists can sketch. You can hold a meeting with a partner or collaborator, either by cell phone or in person. Carry a bag or briefcase with your company's logo and name to squeeze in a little free advertising, too.

You might be able to work on a craft or hobby that does not require elaborate equipment, such as knitting or embroidery. Quilters might be able to piece together small parts of a quilt.