If you still work in the office on a full-time or hybrid basis, there are ways of getting the best out of what could otherwise be ‘lost’ time, writes Tamir Davies.
For those who commute long distances by bus or train, commuting can be incorporated into the working day. Here are a few ways we can pass our time productively.
Get ahead by mulling over your meeting agendas, doing any pre-reading that has been requested and jotting down ideas to offer up. Doing so will mark you out as well prepared and help you to get more out of the interactions.
A staggering number of emails clutter our inboxes on a daily basis. Often, we deal with the urgent messages, leaving others unopened. Eventually, emails that may offer some insightful or important information become lost. Use a few minutes of your commute to check through the previous day’s messages for anything valuable you might have missed.
Juggling meetings, appointments and your own deadlines and responsibilities can be challenging. It’s easy to drop the ball when there are so many tasks that need to be completed or addressed.
Checking the appointments you have for the day means you can note any clashes in advance and reschedule where necessary. Set alerts on your phone or laptop where there are things you may still find yourself overlooking.
By keeping on top of current affairs, you are able to draw on up-to-date information in all of your subsequent interactions. This will enable you to shape an informed opinion on matters that may be relevant to your company. It further builds on your ability to engage others in interesting discussions and make the inevitable small talk we all have to engage in.
You might also set aside this time to do some work-related reading or listen to a relevant podcast. Ongoing learning and development is a vital part of future-proofing our careers.
One of the biggest unspoken social faux pas appears to be the act of speaking to other commuters on the train. But – in our increasingly virtual world – human interaction can be as stimulating as a morning coffee. You’ll be surprised who you meet, what you end up discussing and how good it feels to connect. It’s a sad fact that any regular commuters see the same people every day but never acknowledge one another.