Recently I started a job that involved me travelling to Helsinki from Tampere two times a week in the past month – September.
So if we’re counting, that’ll make it 8 hours of travelling each week and 32 hours stuck in a train carriage this month. Better think of better ways to make use of this time – rather than just trying to force yourself to focus on work. See what I achieved after 1 month of commuting:
Finished 2 books
Listened to 30+ podcasts on a variety of subjects
160 minutes of meditation
Getting to know 2 more people
Like the old-aged saying: it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey along the way.
But yeah, it’s not that easy. Sometimes I woke up and heard this little voice screaming “I hate trains”.
Fortunately, I’ve been practicing mediation and positive thinking enough to turn it around when these grumpy thoughts surface.
Honouring the theme of this blog, here’s what I’ve learnt about making the most of your daily commute.
1. Work out regularly
Waking up at around 6am doesn’t leave me feeling fresh and fully energized for the next day, even with the sponsorship of delicious delicious Vietnamese coffee.
This prompted me to reevaluate my physical condition – which is obviously in bad shape: I have not followed any regular exercises and my diet has been a mix of instant noodles and a lot of meat. From a lot of times when I got feelings of fatigue and burnout, I know that I need to do something, literally and well – figuratively.
So I started running again, sticking to the goal of running three times every week. It’s easy for me to implement because I love everything about running – the process, the feeling afterwards and the preparation for it, which is none.
You basically just put on your sneakers and sweat pants, storm outside in your favorite motivation tunes and start panting after one minute, then feel leg cramps the next day. It’s as simple as that.
In fact, the specific benefits of running to me personally are way more than its obvious ones. Running adds more balance on the other spectrum of my new lifestyle. I have more outdoor time, do more physical movements and get quiet alone time three days a week.
2. Mindfulness
Even though the physical activity is covered, I still can’t help feeling tired and sluggish from time to time – regardless of how many slurps of R-kioski coffee I took.
Well, life is not perfect, success is not linear. You thought doing only one thing would solve the multifaceted problem that you have.
No, no, no.
I once watched this wonderful animation of a Japanese animator Satoshi Kon, that depicts skillfully – and may I say- exactly how we get up in the morning: our brain is on autopilot, and your mind is still asleep in bed.
That’s what creates friction. That’s what grogginess feels like.But I’m way too sleepy to willingly trade 10 minutes of sleep for meditation #surprisenotsurprise. So I opt for a more feasible option: meditate in the train.
I’ve been using a mediation app called Headspace – they have this amazing pack for day to day exercise and work, which includes meditation sessions tailored for commute and business travel. Each one could last from 5 minutes to 15 minutes, up to you.
The exercise is simple. Settle into your seat. Breathe. Focus on your breath. Let go of thoughts and feelings. Bringing your sense to the present moments – the scents, the sound and the feel of the ride.
I think this is like a modified version of the “slow morning” approach that you may have seen your grandparents or successful figures talk about – get up earlier to give your mind and body time to fully awake before work.
And while I noticed the sound, smell and feel of the train ride, there are some random observations I’ve made:
Train carriages almost always smells like pee ?? Best to have perfume with you.
8am and 4pm train rides are full of commuters like me – laptop open, fingers tapping away at keyboard.
3. Making the most of the commute
If you’re trying to break some time-consuming entertainment habits, like binge-watching Youtube or Netflix, this is the best time and space for you to do that.
I’m trying to set up an environment in which I don’t feel the need to be entertained by video formats (aka Youtube). So I’m taking away that option to direct my mind to something else that is richer in information and more reliable in source, which is in my opinion, books and podcasts.
A list of podcasts I’ve been listening to recently (the links are for iOS, yeah I’m using an iPhone):
The TED Interview : one-hour interview with famous book authors and journalists, such as Elizabeth Gilbert, Tim Ferris, Yuval Noah Harari, etc.
Ted Talk Daily Podcast: a collection of curated Ted Talks and Tedx Talks around the world. Many of these topics are very eye-opening and great examples of public speaking.
B2B Growth: amazing discussion with marketing and sales leaders on business-related topics like lead generation, marketing and sales alignment. All good stuff.
The Science of Social Media: revolving around social media trends and tactics, Buffer team shares their latest insights and experiment results. Worth a try if you’re looking to dabble into social media marketing.
And my reading list
Do More Faster: TechStars Lessions to Accelerate Your Startup by David Cohen and Brad Feld
The Art of Possibility by Rosmund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
Seal Team Six by Howard E Wasdin and Stephen Templin
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight – this is a re-read but I enjoy Phil’s storytelling style and word choice that I could read it again and again.
I bring a Kindle with me and make sure it’s got a nice mix of reads, from light-weight business-related like Do More Faster to non-business genre like Seal Team Six.
Other times, I wrote. It could be journaling out thoughts, drafting new blog posts or structuring and editing old pieces.
And yes, small talking as well. That’s something unique about long-haul public transportation – you get to meet and talk with random people that you normally wouldn’t talk to.
Usually, you would have something in common, either traveling for work or living in the same city. Sometimes it’s much harder to strike a conversation and keep the ball rolling, but that’s fine.
It’s not awkward if you don’t consider it as awkward 🤓.
Talkable companion is a win-win situation, so it’s worth giving it a try. If you’re still so afraid, wait until half of the journey is over to start small talking. That way, you’d still respect people’s personal space while attempting at non-verbal interactions.
In conclusion, this is the time that is most likely uninterrupted, with no distraction. So, better use it to your advantage.
And enjoy the journey.
Stay strong and be kind,
