How To Make The Work Commute More Comfortable, Enjoyable, And Productive 

The dreaded work commute. Some of us like it, some of us hate it, and some of us are indifferent. Whatever opinion you have, if you have to take the car or public transport to and from the office, the journey can be one to dread, rather than enjoy.

While of course, most of us don’t smile at the idea of a long work commute, there are things you can do during your journey which can set you up for a great day ahead. Whether you’re a 10-minute drive away from work or an hour-long train ride, here are some ways on how to make your work commute more comfortable and enjoyable.

 

Listen to Calming Music

If you have to take public transport to get to work, especially during rush hour, you’ll know only too well how cramped and stuffy it can be. Even if you’re lucky to grab a seat, that’s not to say you won’t have dozens of people standing upright by you. Understandably, this can be quite an unpleasant atmosphere to be in. Therefore, doing anything you can to make the trip more comfortable and enjoyable is key. One of which being listening to calming music. If you stick your headphones in and put something soothing on, you can shut your eyes and take yourself off to another place.

Listening to calming music can instantly reduce stress and help set you up for a productive day at work. Whether you’ve only got a chance to listen to a song or two, or you can enjoy a whole playlist, having some relaxing music playing in your ears will definitely make a difference.

 

Practice Deep Breathing

You’ll have a hard time finding anyone that enjoys the rush hour commute. If you’ve got a long-distance ahead and want to zone out from what’s going on around you, practicing deep breathing techniques can be a big help. The good thing about these techniques is you can do them just about anywhere, even if you’re stood up.

Some of the best deep breathing methods for stress relief include equal breathing, pursed-lip breathing, and breath focus. If there’s lots of noise on the bus or train and you’re finding it difficult to concentrate on your deep breathing, you may benefit from putting on some noise-canceling headphones.

 

Play Games

If you can nab a seat on public transport, why not take out your smartphone and play on some games during your commute? Not only will doing so make the time pass by quicker, but you may also learn a thing or two along the way. If you opt for a brain teaser game, this can get your mind ready and raring to go for another day at the office.

Alternatively, you may enjoy playing online casino titles. If this is the case, Online Casinos can help you find the best one in the UK. When you check out their reviews, you can sign up for a platform that has excellent graphics, visuals, and jackpot prizes. Just make sure you don’t get too caught up in your game as you may miss your stop and arrive late for work!

 

Have a Snack

You’ll be forgiven if you hit the snooze button over and over before climbing out of bed for work. If this sounds like you, finding time for breakfast may be impossible. However, if you’ve got some time to kill during your commute, why not bring along a few morning snacks for the ride? Eating healthy snacks can fuel your mind and body for the day ahead and help you be more productive and efficient.

If you’re heading on a train journey, there may be a coffee shop you can head to before climbing on board. You can grab a cup of coffee and a snack which you can enjoy as you travel to work. Having some coffee can boost metabolism, support brain function, and increase energy and work performance.

 

Take In the Scenery

With so many of us on the go and never having a chance to sit still, when you’re on your work commute, use this time to your advantage. If you’re not behind the steering wheel and on public transport instead, something as simple as looking out the window and watching the world go by can be a brilliant way to keep calm and relaxed throughout the journey.

Whether it’s beating down with rain or the sun is shining, there are lots of wonderful sights to feast your eyes on as you travel to work. Sure, you may go off into a daydream, but if it takes your mind off your commute and helps you stay relaxed, it can only be a good thing.

 

Stick a Podcast On

Podcasts are rising in popularity, and understandably so. There are many reasons for this. Podcasts can help cut down on screen time, keep storytelling alive, and enable you to learn unique topics from experts directly.

There are even meditation podcasts that cause the release of dopamine that will soothe you. Whatever tickles your fancy, sticking on a podcast can be a wonderful way to make the time go quicker and give you something to concentrate on. Make sure you put your headphones in, though. The last thing any other commuter needs is someone blaring a podcast full blast in the carriage! Simply head onto platforms like Spotify who have an extensive collection of podcasts to pick from.

When you arrive at the office, you’ll want to sit at your desk full of productivity and ready to get stuck in, rather than stressed and anxious about what awaits. The morning commute is never fun, but there are certain things you can do that can make the experience more enjoyable and comfortable.

Whether you put some tunes on, take in the scenery, or play online games to keep you entertained, try and see the commute as a chance for some ‘me’ time rather than the dreaded journey to a long day at work.

 

How Common Are Bus Accidents (and What Can You Do to Stay Safe?)

City driving is becoming more challenging as the number of cars on American roadways keeps rising. As a result, most people now consider taking a bus as the most efficient mode of intercity travel.

While buses are among the safest transportation modes, bus crashes are not unlikely. According to data from FMCSA, more than 250 people lost their lives while approximately 25,000 others were injured in bus crashes in 2019 alone.

But what’s the major cause of bus accidents?

 

Common Causes of Bus Accidents

1. Bus Company Negligence

The bus company is responsible for ensuring that the bus’s maintenance is up to date. Any accident resulting from poor bus maintenance will see the bus company liable for resulting damages.

 

The bus company will also carry liability for accidents resulting from the negligence of their drivers under the respondeat superior doctrine. This doctrine holds an employer accountable for damages resulting from the action of their employees. Situations that put the driver at the risk of causing an accident include inadequate training, distracted driving, and poor decision-making.

 

2. Adverse Weather

Adverse weather makes driving relatively dangerous for all drivers. The risk is even higher for buses because of their design. While bus drivers go through extensive training to ensure that they can safely operate the bus in any weather, the chance of getting into an accident is relatively higher.

 

The law requires drivers to drive carefully based on weather conditions, meaning the bus company may be held liable for accidents occurring in adverse weather.

 

3. Commuter or Other Road Users Error

There are situations where the commuter could be to blame for a bus accident. For example, if a commuter was standing while the bus was moving and fell, hurting themselves, the bus driver of the company cannot be liable for resulting damages.

 

The same applies if someone outside the bus, like a car driver, was at fault. Under such circumstances, injuries suffered in the accident will see the other party liable for damages.

 

What to Do in an Accident

No matter how cautious you could be on the road, negligent actions of other people, such as the bus driver or company, can cause an accident. If you suffer harm from such an accident, you may be eligible to recover compensation through a personal injury claim or lawsuit.

 

However, the dynamics of a bus accident lawsuit are relatively different from other types of accidents. That means a general car accident lawyer may not be the best person to handle your case.

 

Instead, you need to hire a bus accident lawyer with a record of securing fair compensation for their clients. Fair compensation for a bus accident claim should be enough to cover all medical bills, lost wages, and other non-economic damages resulting from the accident.

 

Avoiding Bus Accidents

Your role in preventing a bus accident will depend on whether you are the bus driver, commuter, or driving another vehicle.

Tips for avoiding bus accidents for bus drivers and bus companies

● Ensuring that all drivers have the prerequisite training
● Keeping off all possible distractions
● Inspecting buses thoroughly and regularly.
● Ensuring that a passenger gets to their seat before accelerating gradually
● Ensuring you leave an adequate following distance between you and the leading vehicle while accounting for weather conditions and the weight of the bus

 

Tips for other drivers

● Stay out of the buses no zones or blind spots
● Maintain a safe following distance to avoid sliding under the bus if it stops suddenly, which can be fatal
● Anticipate wide turns

 

Tips for commuters

● Ensure that you always stay seated until you reach your stop
● Do not create a distraction for the driver

No, I Do Not Regret Not Moving Away For College

Growing up, I always saw myself graduating high school and moving away for college. I could not wait to be out on my own and away from my hometown for school. Growing up where I did there was a stigma around staying at home and going to our hometown university after graduating high school. There was the idea that those who stayed at home for college would regret it and that they were not living up to their full potential or getting the true college experience. This made me want out of my hometown; I swore up and down that I would never go to the college in my hometown. But here I am, living at home and going into my junior year of college at that hometown school I swore I would never go to. Do I regret it? Not even the slightest. Do I think I am missing out on the college experience or not living up to my potential? Not at all.

I am going to a college in the same town I was born in. The same town where I was raised, went to school, and graduated high school. I remember meeting new people at orientation. The high level of nervousness and awkwardness made all interactions more like a game of twenty questions; the most popular one being “so, where are you from?” While all the kids around me were usually from at least an hour drive away, I was the only person in my orientation group who answered, “Here… I’m from here.” Apparently, no one was expecting a townie to actually stay in his or her town.

Now, I am not the only person from my graduating class to stay in our home town, there is actually quite a lot of us who did and I’m sure we all heard the same comments about our decision to stay. I am so happy for all of my classmates that have moved away for college, who are experiencing new things, but I would like to say that my life is just as full of new experiences as yours is. The only thing I lack is a change of scenery.

Even though I have lived fifteen minutes from this university my entire life, every time I step on campus I experience something new. I meet a new person, I take part in campus activities, and I learn something new. I do not feel like I am missing out on the “college experience,” I just feel like the one I have is a different kind. My story will probably never be made into a movie, and I am fine with that. Sure, I don’t live on campus with a dorm mate because I opted to stay in my own home, and no, I don’t have to take a shuttle bus to get groceries, but I still get lost looking for buildings or rooms. Most of my close friends moved away to go to a different school, so I have been searching for new friends just like everyone else.

I always told myself that when I graduated high school I would get as far away from this town as possible, but that idea started to not make a lot of sense the older I got. I will complain about this small town for the rest of my life, but the truth is that deep down I love this town. Every memory, good and bad, was created all over this place. Every friend, every enemy. There are so many people in this town who inspire me to live to my full potential, and as cheesy as that sounds, it is true. I love living close to my old high school because I get to continue to watch the clubs and activities I was in grow. I get to visit my friends who are still in high school. Old teachers, coworkers, and community members are all here to support me on my journey.

In addition, my knowledge of this town has even helped me make new friends at school. Those who are away from home and don’t know anything about the new town they are in love to friend us locals and have a tour guide, friend, and house to crash at all in one when their roommate drives them nuts. So no, I did not get to experience all the emotions of packing up and leaving for college, but I still feel happy with my choice every day. By staying at home, I saved money too; I chose a cheaper university and saved on room and board as well. I also do not have to worry about missing moments with my family because I am too far away to come home. I have yet to miss a holiday or birthday since my college life has started and I know this would not be true if I had moved away. I was here when my niece was born and got to hold her in my arms, I got asked to coach in my town because I was one of the few athletes who stuck around, I don’t have to worry about missing my fur babies when I am gone and I don’t have the fear of hating my roommate for an entire year.

I might not live here for the rest of my life, but I am glad that I chose to stay for a little while longer.

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