Commuting is a natural part of routine for everyone who has to go to the office every morning or has other engagements outside of the house. However, when you live in urban areas like Jakarta, commuting might be a hassle when you don't plan properly. For example, time constraint and unpredictable traffic might hinder your efforts to arrive at the office on time. On this week's journal, we will be explaining a few tips that you can do to have a better morning commute. Read on!
1. Get enough sleep the night before
Most of the time, people tend to make up for commuting time by cutting back on healthy activities like sleep. However, chronic sleep deprivation may harm your health and hamper your work performance, as well as increases your risk of getting into an accident if you're driving. Therefore, set aside seven to eight hours of sleep each night and reduce other unnecessary activities, such as playing around with your gadget or watching TV.
2. Wake up earlier
If you're one of those people who can't really function under constant stress and time pressure, allowing more time to prepare yourself before heading out can be a good thing. When you have ample time, you can also avoid other unpredictable circumstances like packed bus or train, as well as traffic jams caused by road block or traffic accident. Therefore, try to leave the house earlier to give you more time and control, in order to help lessen your stress level while commuting.
3. Always eat breakfast before leaving home.
Allowing yourself to have plenty of time getting ready can also give you a chance to fuel up before heading to work. One of the best ways to ensure a more comfortable and enjoyable commute in the morning is to make sure your body is getting the nutrients and energy that it needs. Opt for a healthy breakfast that can help keep you full until lunch time and avoid sugary breakfasts.
4. Relax during your commute
One main advantage for commuters that take public transport is to have free to focus on something other than the road. This can give you extra time to unwind and condition your mind before arriving at your destination, and feel more relaxed.
Don't forget to bring water with you to sip on your commute. This is important to reduce your chances of getting dehydrated due to hot and humid weather, and making your commute harder to bare in result.
5. Use your commuting time to do something productive
Another great way to improve your morning commute is to simply make better use of your time. For example, consider passing your time on the train or bus by reading a book, watch videos, learning new things, or simply chatting with fellow commuters. Finding a positive way to pass your time like this can help to enjoy your commute more and not dreading the time you have to spend on your way to work.
If you drive to work, stay relaxed by listening to music or an audio book. These activities aren’t overly distracting for drivers compared to talking on the phone, texting or checking emails. Research have found that drivers who use gadgets or handheld devices are four times as likely to get into a crash serious enough to cause injury.
