Many of those who commute to work - particularly to and from hectic, urban areas - can spend hours on the road or on the subway each day, and more and more, we find that listening to the same old music with the same old beat just isn’t cutting it.
Many people find themselves bored in what can feel like an endless routine of going here and there, and are aching to be more productive on their daily routes.
Shaking up the routine energizes the mind and can even help boost your mood at the beginning or end of the workday. Listening to your most-played playlist isn’t your only option.
Check out the list of ideas we have compiled to make your commute a more enjoyable, and perhaps even educational, experience.
1. Audiobooks with Audible
Audible is a monthly audiobooks subscription service that has made a substantial splash as a digital database that features over 425,000 audiobooks and other audio content. Users can dive into the latest new releases by big and lesser-known authors, scour the database for older favorites and classics, and check out audio shows and other original content available to stream through the exclusive service.
Audible offers users a free one-month trial, at the end of which users can choose to either continue the service, or spontaneously decide that they actually hate learning and reading.
After the no-cost trial, the standard monthly subscription fee for Audible users starts at $14.95. This Audible guide by Self Development Secrets lays out the basics of the service pretty well.
If you are a voracious reader that has previously bemoaned the lost time you’ve spent commuting that you could have spent with a book in hand, bemoan no more. Feed your intellectual curiosity with Audible.
2. Podcasts That Make You Think
Like audiobooks, podcasts are another latest craze to hit the cultural scene. Podcasts fall within a broad range of categories, including those that - like books - can teach you a thing or two about either things you are already interested in or had maybe never given much thought to.
And what better way to wake your brain up than tune into a podcast that makes you really think?
There are podcasts that share industry-specific work skills voiced by others in the fields, business management tips, life skills, as well as stories and deep dives into events and concepts that have impacted our world in both the past and present.
Here are some considerations that have become top-rated by podcast listeners:
● Invisibilia
● This American Life
● TED Talks
● Stuff You Didn’t Learn in History Class
● Still Processing
3. Podcasts for the TV Drama Enthusiasts
Maybe you’re just not in the mood to learn. After a long day at work, sometimes you just want to be entertained.
Good news: there are podcasts for that, too! Fictionalized dramas have also garnered their fair share of listens and downloads, serving as something like your favorite hit TV dramas in audio form.
Ready to sit on the edge of your seat? Check out:
● S-Town
● Welcome to Night Vale
● Serial
● Lore
● Atlanta Monster
● Alice Isn’t Dead
4. Themed Playlists on Spotify
Tired of listening to the same old music? Switch it up by starting or ending your day with a customized Spotify playlist.
With Spotify, you can either create playlists of songs yourself or listen to playlists created by others. Pick a mood, a genre, or a general vibe that you want to get from your musical playlist, and make it happen. Or, search the service’s database to see if someone else has already done the work for you.
Spotify is available for free on your mobile or tablet, or you can pay for their premium plan each month to avoid ads and listen offline.
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