Get the Most Out of Your Daily Commute

If you have a fairly lengthy commute to work, or if you often spend time stuck in traffic, you may feel like you're wasting precious time trapped in your car. While you can't be at home taking care of laundry, or in the office answering emails, you can get a little more out of your daily commute. Here are some ideas for making the most out of your morning and afternoon commute.

Try books on CD. If you like to read, but often cannot find the time, try getting some books on tape or CD from your local library. You can spend your commute "reading" the latest novel or getting some great parenting information; whatever floats your boat.

Pray. If you pray, don't let the time spent in your car be a missed opportunity to have a great conversation with God. Don't worry about what others may think of you seemingly talking to yourself. Just enjoy that conversation and the very often neglected time of solitude with just you and God. You might even be less angry with the next driver that cuts you off!

Clean the car. Always keep car wipes (similar to disinfecting wipes for use at home) in your glove compartment. Then if you're completely stuck in standstill traffic, you can whip out a car wipe and clean the dashboard, steering wheel, and other accessible areas. You'll still be able to see when traffic starts moving again. Just don't try this one if you're actually driving!

Return phone calls. Using a cell phone in the traditional way while driving is never a good idea, but if you have voice activation and a Bluetooth headset, returning phone calls can be something you can do safely, particularly if you're stuck in that awful standstill traffic. Just don't return conversations that could become heated or stressful.

Review lectures. If you are taking college courses, try taping the course lectures so that you can listen to them again during your commute. You'll be learning what you need to know without taking any more valuable time out of your day.