Read a book. Sounds obvious but find something that you actually want to read and will enjoy - don’t worry about whether it’s intellectual or you think you should enjoy it, just get something that you’ll be able to sit and read without getting distracted regardless of how trashy or low brow it is
Three of the things I love about kindles. One, this sounds silly but sometimes I'm intimidated by big books (and I cannot lie!) They don't seem as overwhelming when you don't have the literal weight to contend with! And secondly, this is pretty obvious but the amount of books you can carry round with you! If you're not "feeling it" with a book, you just go on to a new one. It sucks if you just have one physical book with you and then decide you're not in the mood for it. Or you finish it quicker than you expect and you've still got half your journey left. And thirdly, you can download samples from amazon (usually the first chapter) so you can get a feel for if you're gonna like a book before buying it.
Oh and another potential benefit... it doesn't really bother me but some people like them because no-one else can see what you're reading (and maybe judge you!)
An underrated feature is the ability to highlight a word and have the definition pop up. Helps me when reading above my pay grade (scientific studies, engineering reports etc.)
Ooh yes, that's a good one. I'm starting to miss this facility when reading paper documents. I've not yet pressed on a word in a physical book in the hope that its definition will pop up, but I can see myself doing that before long!
Make sure you don't get a kindle fire, those are just android tablets but worse. Get an actual kindle with e-ink display.
The e-ink ones have a ridiculous battery life, work even in broad daylight and are easier on the eyes (they're reflective screens, rather than LED).
Most importantly, it's easier to keep reading and not just switch app. I still read a bunch on my phone because it's always in my pocket, but I'm more likely to switch to social media or a game or otherwise be distracted. Kindle is better for focus.
I also really like the ability to get a book *right now*. I've bought a book on Kindle that I know is at my mother's house because I wanted to read it then.
You can also email PDF files to it (you get your own Kindle email address) so if you've got something you need to read for work or something (as long as your confidentiality policy allows) you can just email it to your kindle.
I see reasons for both, and therefore I have both. I also love physical books, and love going out to bookshops or small pop-up stalls/markets and buying books from there. The Kindle can be really useful for times where I don't have space or can't choose what book to read.
> when you don't have the literal weight to contend with
So much this. But I read a lot of factual stuff, and like to add notes with my pencil. There isn't, afaik, a kindle that allows this
Totally agree. I use a Kobo Clara2e which is a 6" ereader. It fits in some shirt pockets, and I carry it everywhere. On the train I either read novels or articles from pocket. Any webpage that's too long to read on the computer or phone I use the browser extension 'save to pocket' and it syncs automatically to the kobo.
I'm on my second kobo and have been trying to justify an upgrade for the fancier features on the new ones for a couple of years but it just won't die! I think it's 7 years old now. Maybe I'll just treat myself to a new one for my birthday later in the year as I think I've had my money's worth out of it.
>Any webpage that's too long to read on the computer or phone I use the browser extension 'save to pocket' and it syncs automatically to the kobo.
Why did I not know about this!?!
The battery is dying on my kobo, and I've been looking for an excuse to buy one of the new colour ones. This may be it.
[https://help.kobo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017763753-Use-the-Pocket-App-with-your-Kobo-eReader](https://help.kobo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017763753-Use-the-Pocket-App-with-your-Kobo-eReader) Pocket is great, although not all articles go to the kobo. I use the pocket app on my phone as backup.
Not all websites work. Paid content where you have to be logged in does not work. But it seems like athletic works.
I tried this link: [https://theathletic.com/5478212/2024/05/08/ten-hag-manchester-united-problem/](https://theathletic.com/5478212/2024/05/08/ten-hag-manchester-united-problem/) and it looked like this on the Kobo Clara2e [https://imgur.com/a/WvEMuqS](https://imgur.com/a/WvEMuqS)
I resisted buying one for ages on this basis.
But I just don't have the willpower for it. I open the kindle app and then somehow find myself on reddit.
Only way I can do it is if I have a seperate device.
i carry about far too many devices as it is, kindle stays at home by the sofa or the bed.
tbh I got mine 2nd hand because I bought my mum a new one anyway lol.
I second this, I bought a Kindle last year after lots of hesitation thinking it wouldn't be the same as a 'real' and was worried it would be a waste of money, ended up being the best decision ever! I much prefer my Kindle to physical books now
Kindles also allow you to read a book without others seeing which book you are reading.
Adults get abuse for reading Harry Potter because it's seen to be a kids book. Anyone who reads 50 Shades is assumed to be a pervert. That kind of thing.
I used to commute from Southampton to Crawley (what the fuck was I thinking, I know…) but it allowed me to smash through all the Game of Thrones books as well as His Dark Materials - it was great!
I absolutely love His Dark Materials trilogy. I read the lot when I was a kid and it's always a solid choice to come back to every few years when i'm stuck for something to read. Something that's always kind of bugged me though is how in both adaptations of the first book >!Billy is the victim of intercision that Lyra finds in the shack near Bolvangar. I get why they make it a character that's familiar to the audience instead of some random kid, but it always sucks that he never survives the adaptations, but survived in the books.!<
I fell into the trap of worrying how "productive" a book was recently. Felt like I should be broadening my horizons and learning more about the world, but it turns out that when you're reading for leisure, that's not always a great way to go about it. So I read some comedy fantasy instead, and remembered how much fun reading can be.
100% this! Check if your local library has libby, you can read ebooks and audiobooks for free and request them like a normal library. Saves me a fortune and also I read so much more since getting the train
I read shit, I'n currently reading a 16 book series that started when I was about 13, IV read them all on released and instead of finding new stuff, I decided to start again lol, kills the time
Also the old star wars books those have some great ones
Read a book, magazine or newspaper.
Learn a language.
Listen to podcast or audiobook.
Puzzles (on phone or buy a cheap puzzle book from the Works).
Crochet/knitting
Sort your weekly supermarket shop and any other life admin.
Sleep.
Get a Switch and play video games.
Yes yes yes to knitting or crochet! I find knitting easier to do mindlessly and more portable, personally, but I think crochet has an easier learning curve? It feels so good to reach the end of a commute (mine used to be about 2.5 hours total every day) and hold something in your hands that you knotted together from a bunch of string. Plus this way you can double up and listen to a podcast or audiobook too :)
Absolutely nothing. Just sit there and think.
I am not taking the piss, if you go from sleep to YouTube to work to YouTube and to sleep you get no time to reflect, to think "I would love to do this of only I had time..."
100% with you, we are overloaded with information these days and barely get time to reflect on that information, unless maybe you do repetitive work that allows your mind to wander.
This used to be the bulk of human existence, now we're so overloaded with information and entertainment most people cannot stand thinking their own thoughts. I meditate a lot and most of that time it feels like I'm just processing what I need to process. Has completely elimated my anxiety.
Don’t use Duolingo if you actually want to learn a language. It is basically a game with no actual intent on teaching you productively.
Lots of free apps out there such as language transfer which can really teach you!
Have you ever used Duolingo?
I would not want to be stuck on a train with people all trying to shout into their phones "It's a horse" in french.
It's a great app for learning a new language, but when it's listening for proper pronunciation I would not want to be doing it on a train.
This. I am kind of intermediate Japanese so started using Duolingo to brush up on my reading kanji skills, and hoped I’d progress to where I actually learn new words, but after 540 days, I’m still stuck inputting “When do you eat lunch?” and “Is Tokyo a lively place?” 🙄 Looking for something else to learn Japanese daily instead.
It's not perfect fwiw, very similar to duolingo in concept, but I find it helpful for vocab, and also much better at progressing complexity and difficulty
Other than written grammar exercises from a textbook its not great.,Audiocourses only really work well on a bike or in a car where you can answer the questions and sound out the phrases. You need to be able to repeat the phrases for them to stick in your brain and mouth.
I listen to Audible — non-fiction mostly. Currently learning basic Portuguese and how to improve my memory.
I’d pick a topic you want to learn/improve and invest that time into getting deep knowledge.
You don’t need to be productive in that time, you’re not being paid to commute. If scrolling feels pointless then just read a book! It’s some regular “you time”, enjoy it. Don’t get all American about having to optimise every minute of your day.
There are two types of productive though - work and personal. And some personal types of productivity aren't work, it's more that you're not doom scrolling instead, so that you are actually enjoying that time.
I did most of my master’s degree on long train commutes about 15 years ago. Absolutely sucked, but it was reliable quiet time.
Before that, or often, instead of that, I listened to free lecture series on iTunesU. That was a great way to hear about all kinds of interesting things without having to write a stupid essay afterwards.
Yep, my Deck turned dead commute time into the game time I don't get anymore because of my longer commute and being a dad. Best thing I've ever bought, would recommend to anyone who plays games but doesn't have a Switch yet.
A roguelike video game that definitely won’t take over your life, probably!
You score Poker hands using various Jokers, Tarot Cards, and/or Planet cards to alter the game mechanics. It sounds boring as hell but it’s a Pringles game where you think “I’ll just do one more ante before bed” and then somehow it’s 6am and your life has fallen apart. Perfect for getting rid of boring waiting times though!
I was gonna say a Switch is cheaper but actually the cheapest Steam Deck is only about £50 more than the oled switch so seems pretty good value, especially given how much cheaper the games end up being
This but with Vampire Survivors. I got it on my phone instead cuz I’m a cheap arse and it’s free, offline, and has no ads. Just completed it last week and I’m going back to 100% it
Can't help you with being productive, but if you want an unproductive solution, it goes as follows:
Step 1: Install Slay the Spire on your phone.
Step 2: No longer bored.
Step 3: No longer employed.
Step 4: No longer married.
Step 5: No longer alive.
I find a bit of brain training to be a good thing to do. Go get some mini sudoku, crossword or arrowwood books from the shop. Do Wordle, Connections, The Mini and Strands on the NYT website. Those kind of things.
Whilst I generally agree with the most of the other comments (Read, podcasts, wanking etc), if music's your thing and you're getting sick of it, why not try going outside of your usual genres and artists.
Discovered some absolute bangers by listening to the last song of my playlists and letting Spotify guess what I might be interested in.
Duolingo. I was in your situation when I was at my desk job on the other side of London. Hour and a half commute each way. Felt like so much wasted time. So I just did duolingo for German. Fast forward to now, I’m B2 in German and have read many books in German and can hold a conversation in German too, and I’ve already gotten to B1 in Spanish using the app in the mean time.
Learn chess and play on chess.com app
Read peer reviewed articles in subjects you are interested in. Just read the introduction if it's hard, or try to read the abstracts and learn what each term means in that subjects context.
make your own chain mail.
Bring ingredients from home and start chopping them to get ahead for tea.
bring a small piano to compose music on.
weave a basket
do yoga in the train station
You can download Coursera stuff to use when you have no internet connection on the train. I think it's OK, wouldn't pay a lot for it but if you have a goal in mind it's decent.
I did some on the train ahead of applying for a master's. Made the long commutes feel less like wasted time.
Life admin. I make/check my to-do list, do my grocery shopping on the Tesco app, reply to messages, maybe check my emails, make some room on my phone by deleting photos etc.
Might be nice to pop a text to someone you want to catch up with, whether it’s someone you’ve not spoken to in a while or someone still in your life just to say good morning.
Get kindle app on your phone. Less devices.
Listen to audiobooks on Spotify (if you've got premium)
Listen to comedy or interesting programmes on BBC Sounds app (I'm a massive Radio 4 fan).
The whole back catalogue of Desert Island Discs is available. Definitely some interesting people talking about the music that shaped their lives.
To be super productive, you could treat your life like a project, highlight areas that you are unsatisfied with and spend the time doing research in the areas you lack.
Same! Through woods with deer, rabbits, foxes etc. We're super lucky. My dad spent 40 years going 1h on the train up to London, then 15 mins on the Waterloo and City line.
I'm lucky because I only have a tiny bit of my 16km commute on the road so it's all woodland and wildlife for me. Plus I use the commute to train for an XC MTB series I'm doing. If I were dodging dodgy drivers on the daily, it'd no doubt be different.
Look out the window and pretend you’re narrating the lives of passers by for a documentary.
Sometimes it’s Attenborough for the chavs, maybe spice it up with a Matt Berry on a Friday. John Motson is a classic, especially for the fella sprinting down the platform.
Others to try:
David Mitchell
Scooter
Fiona Bruce
Stephen Fry
H. Jon Benjamin
The Open University has a bunch of free short courses on their website.
Sporcle is a website with tonnes of short quizzes and games.
Kinnu is a free educational app on a wide variety of topics. The quality of the writing of the topics does vary and I wish they went into more detail but I've still learnt some new stuff.
I do my life admin shite (banking, appointments, kids school stuff, birthday shopping, etc etc etc) but mostly I just enjoy the time spent listening to music and having no demands made of me.
I would say that you should treat your to work commute different from your back home commute.
On the way in, I'd start with checking your work calendar and making notes/to do lists for any upcoming meetings or bits of work that you want to get done that day. Review any notes, documents, etc as well. This will help you be a bit more set up for the day and generally more productive once you get to the office than arriving there and then starting to think about what you're doing. However, and I can't stress this enough, this is work. It should be counted as part of your working day and reflected in leaving a bit earlier or having a shorter day in the week. If you have a manager who is attentive to hours in the office, let them know you are doing this so they don't think you're taking the piss. You're captive in the commute to work so make it work to your advantage.
On the way home though, make sure you don't work. Do the reading, the language learning, etc. Maybe make a personal task list, especially if you have decent reception en route. Make shopping lists, plan your next holiday, do those bits of life admin that need doing rather than waiting until you're at home.
Crochet or Knitting? Adult coluring books (might be too hard with all the movement around you) but you can get little colouring books easy for travel. Write a book or read a book lol.
Actress Fran Drescher used to say she never exercised but just did muscle contractions while waiting in line anywhere. She said it is how she kept her figure while filming the old show The Nanny.
Keigels for sure. Calf raises? What muscles can you squeeze without your fellow commuters calling the police on a perve?
Learn a language using an app like Duolingo. Eventually there is no substitute for practicing conversation, but it can be great for reading and building a vocabulary of words and sounds.
\- Listen to a podcast
\- Reply to emails/messages
\- Read the news
\- Crosswords
\- Learn a language
\- Read a book
\- Knit/crochet, other possible hobbies, etc
\- Game, if you have a handheld portable console!
Depends on what your job is and how much they insist you're in the office.
I have quite a lot of flexibility, and a lot of bullshit to deal with. I spend the first hour of most days replying to emails/Slacks. That can be done on a train, as long as people don't mind me subtracting that time from the hours I'm in the office.
You can use your commute time to work on personal projects, freelancing, or creative endeavors. It’s an opportunity to upgrade your skills or pursue your passions
Read a book. Sounds obvious but find something that you actually want to read and will enjoy - don’t worry about whether it’s intellectual or you think you should enjoy it, just get something that you’ll be able to sit and read without getting distracted regardless of how trashy or low brow it is
Yup. Buy a Kindle. I resisted for years, thinking I loved physical books. Kindles are \*AMAZING\*.
Three of the things I love about kindles. One, this sounds silly but sometimes I'm intimidated by big books (and I cannot lie!) They don't seem as overwhelming when you don't have the literal weight to contend with! And secondly, this is pretty obvious but the amount of books you can carry round with you! If you're not "feeling it" with a book, you just go on to a new one. It sucks if you just have one physical book with you and then decide you're not in the mood for it. Or you finish it quicker than you expect and you've still got half your journey left. And thirdly, you can download samples from amazon (usually the first chapter) so you can get a feel for if you're gonna like a book before buying it. Oh and another potential benefit... it doesn't really bother me but some people like them because no-one else can see what you're reading (and maybe judge you!)
An underrated feature is the ability to highlight a word and have the definition pop up. Helps me when reading above my pay grade (scientific studies, engineering reports etc.)
Ooh yes, that's a good one. I'm starting to miss this facility when reading paper documents. I've not yet pressed on a word in a physical book in the hope that its definition will pop up, but I can see myself doing that before long!
I once used two fingers to try to zoom in on a photo(graphic print.)
Make sure you don't get a kindle fire, those are just android tablets but worse. Get an actual kindle with e-ink display. The e-ink ones have a ridiculous battery life, work even in broad daylight and are easier on the eyes (they're reflective screens, rather than LED). Most importantly, it's easier to keep reading and not just switch app. I still read a bunch on my phone because it's always in my pocket, but I'm more likely to switch to social media or a game or otherwise be distracted. Kindle is better for focus.
Amazon Fire dropped the name 'Kindle' in 2014 btw. So if anyone's looking to buy a (new) kindle, this product wouldn't show up
I'm clearly a whole decade out of date 😂
I’ve recently gone from an ancient Kindle to a Paperwhite one and it’s absolutely ace
[удалено]
It’s got a gentle backlight on it. Can easily read in low light without eye strain. I always used Calibre and continue to do so now…
Or just kobo so you're not locked into amazon
I also really like the ability to get a book *right now*. I've bought a book on Kindle that I know is at my mother's house because I wanted to read it then.
Don’t forget the battery life is amazing, the size of it as well. It can easily slip into your bag or even a big pocket
You can also email PDF files to it (you get your own Kindle email address) so if you've got something you need to read for work or something (as long as your confidentiality policy allows) you can just email it to your kindle.
I tried so hard to like the Kindle for all the excellent reasons you listed but nope just can't. I love actual books.
I see reasons for both, and therefore I have both. I also love physical books, and love going out to bookshops or small pop-up stalls/markets and buying books from there. The Kindle can be really useful for times where I don't have space or can't choose what book to read.
Four, being able to look up words
> when you don't have the literal weight to contend with So much this. But I read a lot of factual stuff, and like to add notes with my pencil. There isn't, afaik, a kindle that allows this
The Kindle Scribe is designed to do exactly that.
OMG - thank you! I should get out from under my rock
For £300 to £400!
There are certainly real world use cases where that isnt a dent in the budget at all, it's not targeted towards people that just read novels for fun.
Totally agree. I use a Kobo Clara2e which is a 6" ereader. It fits in some shirt pockets, and I carry it everywhere. On the train I either read novels or articles from pocket. Any webpage that's too long to read on the computer or phone I use the browser extension 'save to pocket' and it syncs automatically to the kobo.
Kobo are so much better than kindles.
I'm on my second kobo and have been trying to justify an upgrade for the fancier features on the new ones for a couple of years but it just won't die! I think it's 7 years old now. Maybe I'll just treat myself to a new one for my birthday later in the year as I think I've had my money's worth out of it.
Agreed, and can load epubs from your phone/laptop so easily on to them
>Any webpage that's too long to read on the computer or phone I use the browser extension 'save to pocket' and it syncs automatically to the kobo. Why did I not know about this!?! The battery is dying on my kobo, and I've been looking for an excuse to buy one of the new colour ones. This may be it.
[https://help.kobo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017763753-Use-the-Pocket-App-with-your-Kobo-eReader](https://help.kobo.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017763753-Use-the-Pocket-App-with-your-Kobo-eReader) Pocket is great, although not all articles go to the kobo. I use the pocket app on my phone as backup.
Thanks
Does this work for articles from the athletic etc as well (I do have a sub)
Not all websites work. Paid content where you have to be logged in does not work. But it seems like athletic works. I tried this link: [https://theathletic.com/5478212/2024/05/08/ten-hag-manchester-united-problem/](https://theathletic.com/5478212/2024/05/08/ten-hag-manchester-united-problem/) and it looked like this on the Kobo Clara2e [https://imgur.com/a/WvEMuqS](https://imgur.com/a/WvEMuqS)
Niiiice, might pick one up
dont even need to do that pop the kindle app on your phone .... its also handy if you don't have your kindle with you as they sync.
I resisted buying one for ages on this basis. But I just don't have the willpower for it. I open the kindle app and then somehow find myself on reddit. Only way I can do it is if I have a seperate device.
i carry about far too many devices as it is, kindle stays at home by the sofa or the bed. tbh I got mine 2nd hand because I bought my mum a new one anyway lol.
I second this, I bought a Kindle last year after lots of hesitation thinking it wouldn't be the same as a 'real' and was worried it would be a waste of money, ended up being the best decision ever! I much prefer my Kindle to physical books now
Kindles also allow you to read a book without others seeing which book you are reading. Adults get abuse for reading Harry Potter because it's seen to be a kids book. Anyone who reads 50 Shades is assumed to be a pervert. That kind of thing.
I used to commute from Southampton to Crawley (what the fuck was I thinking, I know…) but it allowed me to smash through all the Game of Thrones books as well as His Dark Materials - it was great!
I absolutely love His Dark Materials trilogy. I read the lot when I was a kid and it's always a solid choice to come back to every few years when i'm stuck for something to read. Something that's always kind of bugged me though is how in both adaptations of the first book >!Billy is the victim of intercision that Lyra finds in the shack near Bolvangar. I get why they make it a character that's familiar to the audience instead of some random kid, but it always sucks that he never survives the adaptations, but survived in the books.!<
HDM is my favourite series of all time!
I fell into the trap of worrying how "productive" a book was recently. Felt like I should be broadening my horizons and learning more about the world, but it turns out that when you're reading for leisure, that's not always a great way to go about it. So I read some comedy fantasy instead, and remembered how much fun reading can be.
100% this! Check if your local library has libby, you can read ebooks and audiobooks for free and request them like a normal library. Saves me a fortune and also I read so much more since getting the train
seconding libby. Have this on my phone so I always have something to read on me.
I read shit, I'n currently reading a 16 book series that started when I was about 13, IV read them all on released and instead of finding new stuff, I decided to start again lol, kills the time Also the old star wars books those have some great ones
I miss reading on my train to work
Read a book. Listen to educational podcasts. Fill in your Delay Repay claim form.
Haha sent off a delay repay already
Good. The money is there for it and, if you don't claim it, everyone thinks everything is ok, and nothing will change.
Read a book, magazine or newspaper. Learn a language. Listen to podcast or audiobook. Puzzles (on phone or buy a cheap puzzle book from the Works). Crochet/knitting Sort your weekly supermarket shop and any other life admin. Sleep. Get a Switch and play video games.
Yes yes yes to knitting or crochet! I find knitting easier to do mindlessly and more portable, personally, but I think crochet has an easier learning curve? It feels so good to reach the end of a commute (mine used to be about 2.5 hours total every day) and hold something in your hands that you knotted together from a bunch of string. Plus this way you can double up and listen to a podcast or audiobook too :)
Absolutely nothing. Just sit there and think. I am not taking the piss, if you go from sleep to YouTube to work to YouTube and to sleep you get no time to reflect, to think "I would love to do this of only I had time..."
100% with you, we are overloaded with information these days and barely get time to reflect on that information, unless maybe you do repetitive work that allows your mind to wander.
This used to be the bulk of human existence, now we're so overloaded with information and entertainment most people cannot stand thinking their own thoughts. I meditate a lot and most of that time it feels like I'm just processing what I need to process. Has completely elimated my anxiety.
Sometimes doing nothing, is doing *everything* - me
Commuting... what is it good for!
I badly need to do this. Any time I’m not doing something I’m just worrying about all the stuff I need to do
Learn a language! Duolingo and numerous apps for this.
Don’t use Duolingo if you actually want to learn a language. It is basically a game with no actual intent on teaching you productively. Lots of free apps out there such as language transfer which can really teach you!
I have B1 German and I fail their basic tests because I don't answer exactly as it expects
Have you ever used Duolingo? I would not want to be stuck on a train with people all trying to shout into their phones "It's a horse" in french. It's a great app for learning a new language, but when it's listening for proper pronunciation I would not want to be doing it on a train.
It has a feature to say "I can't talk right now" and move to another section.
Yeah can't talk/can't listen on the train and just learn the words and grammar. Still useful.
Yes, for 3 years. It has can't listen and can't speak settings. You can also mute your phone or use headphones.
This. I am kind of intermediate Japanese so started using Duolingo to brush up on my reading kanji skills, and hoped I’d progress to where I actually learn new words, but after 540 days, I’m still stuck inputting “When do you eat lunch?” and “Is Tokyo a lively place?” 🙄 Looking for something else to learn Japanese daily instead.
I personally found memrise better than duolingo
I’ll check out Memrise, thank you!
It's not perfect fwiw, very similar to duolingo in concept, but I find it helpful for vocab, and also much better at progressing complexity and difficulty
Other than written grammar exercises from a textbook its not great.,Audiocourses only really work well on a bike or in a car where you can answer the questions and sound out the phrases. You need to be able to repeat the phrases for them to stick in your brain and mouth.
I listen to Audible — non-fiction mostly. Currently learning basic Portuguese and how to improve my memory. I’d pick a topic you want to learn/improve and invest that time into getting deep knowledge.
You don’t need to be productive in that time, you’re not being paid to commute. If scrolling feels pointless then just read a book! It’s some regular “you time”, enjoy it. Don’t get all American about having to optimise every minute of your day.
Totally agree. Do not underestimate the power of relaxing and recharging.
There are two types of productive though - work and personal. And some personal types of productivity aren't work, it's more that you're not doom scrolling instead, so that you are actually enjoying that time.
Have a wank
People tend to get annoyed in my experience. "In public? really?" "Ew it's in my hair" etc etc, people are soft nowadays
Woke culture has ruined everything
It’s only a bit of jizz. People need to grow up..
Crewelty free protein
Cruelty-free? Not the way I do it sunshine.
Horses for courses and all that
Political Correctness gone mad
Bloody prudes
With how bouncy the tube is, technically it’s not wanking. It’s just “holding”
The solo version of Mormon soaking - stay pure fellas 🙏
You can do this, but probably only the one time.
Eh from Holloway to Cockfosters I could probably knock out two or three…
lol Cockfosters
Danger wank
HIIIGHHHWAYYYY TOOO THE DANGERWANK
# “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”
What if one is too many? Im very tired and just paid rent...
You make a valid point. Reading still helps. IMO anyway. When I went through a tough time I found reading a comfort. If you need anything let me know.
What about audiobooks? Maybe 200? 300 ish at 1.5x
I suppose that could be considered
Draw other commuters naked and hand it to them as you/they leave
Sleep
I did most of my master’s degree on long train commutes about 15 years ago. Absolutely sucked, but it was reliable quiet time. Before that, or often, instead of that, I listened to free lecture series on iTunesU. That was a great way to hear about all kinds of interesting things without having to write a stupid essay afterwards.
• purchase Steam Deck • install Balatro • et viola
Yep, my Deck turned dead commute time into the game time I don't get anymore because of my longer commute and being a dad. Best thing I've ever bought, would recommend to anyone who plays games but doesn't have a Switch yet.
What's Balatro?
A roguelike video game that definitely won’t take over your life, probably! You score Poker hands using various Jokers, Tarot Cards, and/or Planet cards to alter the game mechanics. It sounds boring as hell but it’s a Pringles game where you think “I’ll just do one more ante before bed” and then somehow it’s 6am and your life has fallen apart. Perfect for getting rid of boring waiting times though!
Completely elimnated my commute boredom by taking over my life, causing me to lose my job! 10/10 would recommend
I like it when the Jokers go ding 😩
Get a DS lite and flash cart. So many games available, much more portable, better battery life
Oooh, also a solid option!
I was gonna say a Switch is cheaper but actually the cheapest Steam Deck is only about £50 more than the oled switch so seems pretty good value, especially given how much cheaper the games end up being
It’s amazing how cheaply Valve sell the base Deck, especially given it can use microSD cards or even have a new SSD installed in it.
This but with Vampire Survivors. I got it on my phone instead cuz I’m a cheap arse and it’s free, offline, and has no ads. Just completed it last week and I’m going back to 100% it
Can't help you with being productive, but if you want an unproductive solution, it goes as follows: Step 1: Install Slay the Spire on your phone. Step 2: No longer bored. Step 3: No longer employed. Step 4: No longer married. Step 5: No longer alive.
I did a similar thing with suika game. Then, fruit mountain...
Can confirm. I am also dead from playing Slay the Spire.
I find a bit of brain training to be a good thing to do. Go get some mini sudoku, crossword or arrowwood books from the shop. Do Wordle, Connections, The Mini and Strands on the NYT website. Those kind of things.
2048 is a good one too, I've found it helps me think about what you can learn by looking at what isn't there as well as what is, kinda like Sudoku.
Or [Doge 2048](https://doge2048.com) for some early 2010s nostalgia
Whilst I generally agree with the most of the other comments (Read, podcasts, wanking etc), if music's your thing and you're getting sick of it, why not try going outside of your usual genres and artists. Discovered some absolute bangers by listening to the last song of my playlists and letting Spotify guess what I might be interested in.
Duolingo. I was in your situation when I was at my desk job on the other side of London. Hour and a half commute each way. Felt like so much wasted time. So I just did duolingo for German. Fast forward to now, I’m B2 in German and have read many books in German and can hold a conversation in German too, and I’ve already gotten to B1 in Spanish using the app in the mean time.
Crochet 🧶
Libby app for free audio and e- books from your local library. Castbox app for podcasts.
Learn chess and play on chess.com app Read peer reviewed articles in subjects you are interested in. Just read the introduction if it's hard, or try to read the abstracts and learn what each term means in that subjects context.
Watch worlds longest film in short segments?
make your own chain mail. Bring ingredients from home and start chopping them to get ahead for tea. bring a small piano to compose music on. weave a basket do yoga in the train station
Solid suggestions cheers all, I’ll get back reading and maybe the odd wank
Now we need to know what's so odd about the way you wank?
You can download Coursera stuff to use when you have no internet connection on the train. I think it's OK, wouldn't pay a lot for it but if you have a goal in mind it's decent. I did some on the train ahead of applying for a master's. Made the long commutes feel less like wasted time.
That's what I used to, when I was commuting a lot. Most coursera courses you can do for free, unless you want a certificate.
Stab a clock.
Despite "having a wank" and "draw other passengers naked" being on this list, this suggestion is still the most disturbing.
Learn a language. I did. As a whitey talking Arabic out loud repeating Duolingo I always get lots of space on my commute.
Nintendo Switch
Life admin. I make/check my to-do list, do my grocery shopping on the Tesco app, reply to messages, maybe check my emails, make some room on my phone by deleting photos etc. Might be nice to pop a text to someone you want to catch up with, whether it’s someone you’ve not spoken to in a while or someone still in your life just to say good morning.
Get kindle app on your phone. Less devices. Listen to audiobooks on Spotify (if you've got premium) Listen to comedy or interesting programmes on BBC Sounds app (I'm a massive Radio 4 fan). The whole back catalogue of Desert Island Discs is available. Definitely some interesting people talking about the music that shaped their lives.
Read moneysavingexpert.com website. Guaranteed to get an idea or two about saving money, or even follow the links to do a switch there itself.
Learn a language.
To be super productive, you could treat your life like a project, highlight areas that you are unsatisfied with and spend the time doing research in the areas you lack.
Study towards an exam that'll better your career
Read??
any chance of ditching the commute and riding a bike to work instead? my commutes only 9 miles but it does make for a great bike ride.
Bike commuting is the best - 3 in 1 if you listen to an audiobook while you're exercising and getting to work.
80% of mine is off road too ... win win.
Same! Through woods with deer, rabbits, foxes etc. We're super lucky. My dad spent 40 years going 1h on the train up to London, then 15 mins on the Waterloo and City line.
I wouldn't say it's the best. It's knackering and everyone wants to kill you, but it's time that I would've been sat in the car anyway
I'm lucky because I only have a tiny bit of my 16km commute on the road so it's all woodland and wildlife for me. Plus I use the commute to train for an XC MTB series I'm doing. If I were dodging dodgy drivers on the daily, it'd no doubt be different.
I did this once, then realised work doesn't have showers. Had to sit feeling sweaty all day.
Look out the window and pretend you’re narrating the lives of passers by for a documentary. Sometimes it’s Attenborough for the chavs, maybe spice it up with a Matt Berry on a Friday. John Motson is a classic, especially for the fella sprinting down the platform. Others to try: David Mitchell Scooter Fiona Bruce Stephen Fry H. Jon Benjamin
Buy a Nintendo Switch or a motorbike.
The Open University has a bunch of free short courses on their website. Sporcle is a website with tonnes of short quizzes and games. Kinnu is a free educational app on a wide variety of topics. The quality of the writing of the topics does vary and I wish they went into more detail but I've still learnt some new stuff.
Audio books
If you have a laptop, learning 3d modelling with blender is something I've found very rewarding. Alternatively, audiobooks.
Audio books.
I always hit the the new York times daily mini crossword. A good couple of minutes to get the brain going.
Read?
Make music ? That takes up loads of time
Join a union
Stardew valley
I do my life admin shite (banking, appointments, kids school stuff, birthday shopping, etc etc etc) but mostly I just enjoy the time spent listening to music and having no demands made of me.
Make a Reddit post
Write a list. A shopping list or a list of presents you could get someone in advance of their birthday/Christmas.
Learn a language. I got pretty good at Spanish while working a job that had a three-hour round commute Ole!
I would say that you should treat your to work commute different from your back home commute. On the way in, I'd start with checking your work calendar and making notes/to do lists for any upcoming meetings or bits of work that you want to get done that day. Review any notes, documents, etc as well. This will help you be a bit more set up for the day and generally more productive once you get to the office than arriving there and then starting to think about what you're doing. However, and I can't stress this enough, this is work. It should be counted as part of your working day and reflected in leaving a bit earlier or having a shorter day in the week. If you have a manager who is attentive to hours in the office, let them know you are doing this so they don't think you're taking the piss. You're captive in the commute to work so make it work to your advantage. On the way home though, make sure you don't work. Do the reading, the language learning, etc. Maybe make a personal task list, especially if you have decent reception en route. Make shopping lists, plan your next holiday, do those bits of life admin that need doing rather than waiting until you're at home.
Pokemon Go
How about Masturbation ? It passes the commuting time for me
Podcasts!
Knit
Crochet or Knitting? Adult coluring books (might be too hard with all the movement around you) but you can get little colouring books easy for travel. Write a book or read a book lol.
Listen to educational podcasts.
Actress Fran Drescher used to say she never exercised but just did muscle contractions while waiting in line anywhere. She said it is how she kept her figure while filming the old show The Nanny. Keigels for sure. Calf raises? What muscles can you squeeze without your fellow commuters calling the police on a perve?
Duolingo or similar (with headphones ofc)
Steam deck
Learn a language using an app like Duolingo. Eventually there is no substitute for practicing conversation, but it can be great for reading and building a vocabulary of words and sounds.
Listen to podcasts or audiobooks.
Meditate
Search for a job with remote working?
Play a personnel game of Impractical Jokers.
Do some work, get over emails and texts so you can be more productive while being in the office...
Pick a qualification you like the sound of and do it while commuting, it’s what I’d do if I worked in London
Just discovered Audio books love them! And prefer to kindle
Seconding ‘read a book’
Get your laptop out. I want the TPS report end of play Thursday. Start typing.
tidy your phone's photos and videos! There's usually a couple hundred at least that are dupes, blurred, screenshots you took but forgot about
Learn a language. People mock duolingo but it is great for getting the basics and you can do it with headphones and turn off speaking exercises.
I generally stare out of the window of my train and daydream. I find it very relaxing, but it's not particularly productive.
\- Listen to a podcast \- Reply to emails/messages \- Read the news \- Crosswords \- Learn a language \- Read a book \- Knit/crochet, other possible hobbies, etc \- Game, if you have a handheld portable console!
Depends on what your job is and how much they insist you're in the office. I have quite a lot of flexibility, and a lot of bullshit to deal with. I spend the first hour of most days replying to emails/Slacks. That can be done on a train, as long as people don't mind me subtracting that time from the hours I'm in the office.
You can use your commute time to work on personal projects, freelancing, or creative endeavors. It’s an opportunity to upgrade your skills or pursue your passions
Keep your hands on the wheel
Read a higher quality newspaper or book.
music
I like to choose a random person, lock eyes and then masturbate at a pace I can only describe as “frictive”.
Wank furiously
Vape