Monday, June 5, 2017

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR MORNING COMMUTE




Happy Monday, friends!

In today's post, I wanted to introduce a new series to my blog called the "Office Hour" series. This summer I am working full time as a buying intern for an apparel company, so I am getting a taste of what it is like to work in the "real world". Since I am also a senior in college, I will also begin my transition out of college and into full adulthood (actually scary...!) So I thought it would be fun to start transitioning my content to include topics involving that new aspect of my life! Of course I don't know everything/much at all, but I figured it would still be fun to share what I know and maybe y'all can share tips & tricks you have in the comments, too!

For today's post, I wanted to begin with something that begins my workday this summer -- a commute. My commute is currently about 30 minutes there and back, so a total of almost one hour of my day. I decided upon accepting this job that I wanted to use this time to be productive as much as I could, since my 8-5 job is now a 7:10-5:45 job when you count the driving time! Today I am sharing some of my best tips and what I like to do during my driving time.





1. PREP BEFORE.
This is something I find to be super important -- making sure I am prepared beforehand. This means that I usually make sure my outfit and work bag are laid out the night before near the door to my room so that I know where everything is, and it is ready to go in the morning! I also pack my lunch the night before. I hate being rushed, and taking the extra five minutes to get my life together the night before makes the morning go so much smoother.

2. TAKE IT SLOW.
I love mornings because I have realized that if I give myself enough time to get what I need to get done, it is calming and relaxing. If I have time to enjoy my coffee, get ready, and eat something before I leave the house, as well as giving myself a little buffer time to avoid traffic, I am much happier and my commute is less stressful!





3. SET GOALS/MAKE TO DO LISTS.
Driving can be therapeutic, and a lot of the times I get a lot of thinking done during this time! It might not be safe to make to do lists as you drive, but you can always have self-reflection and think about different things, and make mental lists and write them down later. I like having this time to process the day or whatever is on my mind!

4. LISTEN TO MOTIVATIONAL PLAYLISTS.
I love Spotify and making playlists, as well as discovering new music or other people's playlists! Creating or finding the perfect mix of music to get you excited for the day will make your drive even more enjoyable. 

5. CALL A LOVED ONE.
Another great way to use this time is to call my mom or bestie or whomever I want to catch up with! You're already stuck in the car alone, so you might as well give someone a call and catch up. This might be one of my favorite ways to pass the time!





6. WORSHIP/PRAY.
If I didn't have time to have a quiet time before work (because it can be hard when I have to leave the house sooo early to do it in the mornings) I also love to listen to a worship playlist on Spotify or pray as I drive. I call it my "Jesus Hour"! Spending time listening to music, worshipping or praying is the best way to start my morning and it always makes the rest of the day go smoothly. 

7. LISTEN TO A PODCAST.
I also love listening to podcasts because you can find all kinds of interesting things to learn about! Rather than just listening to unwholesome music, taking that time to learn something interesting or listen to a motivational speaker can be a good use of your time. Here are some that I like and some that are on my list to listen to!

Girl Boss series by Sophia Amoruso 
Jesus Calling Podcast
The Runner's World Show
Balanced Bites: Modern Paleo Living
The Influencer Podcast by Julie Solomon
Convicted Podcast 
True Crime Garage Podcast



I hope you all enjoyed this post! If you have a commute, what do you do to make it more enjoyable + worthwhile? Leave a comment down below!

"No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us." 
Romans 8:37

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