Ideally, everyone would live near their place of work but that isn’t always the case. Whether it is a lack of affordable property nearby, family needs, or some other factor, many people have to resign themselves to a long commute. However, there are some ways you can improve the journey no matter how long it might take. Let’s take a look at some of them now.
Wake Up Earlier
Stumbling out of bed and into your car is going to do nothing for both your physical and mental health. Instead, try to get up even just half an hour earlier than you do just now. This enables you to get everything you would normally do out of the way so you can get in the car fully awake.
See if you can hop in the shower and do some light exercise as both of these can help you to feel more switched on. The more you can do to prepare yourself for a drive, the better.
Carpool
If you don’t want to drive every day of the week, you should consider carpooling. With enough people, you can easily cut down your time in the driver’s seat. This will allow you to sit back and get some extra shut-eye if you need.
Carpooling is also great for the environmental benefits. Instead of up to five people all driving in separate cars, you are all together in one. The carbon costs of such a trip are going to be much lower than if you were all driving. Go one step further and get a fuel-efficient car like a Toyota Prius. These hybrid cars are brilliant as they cut your emissions even further and make something like a long commute not as bad for the environment as it could be.
Make Sure Your Seat is Set Up Properly
Is your driver’s seat set up properly? Many of us are happy to drive around not knowing that our seats are actually in the incorrect position, risking back pain and other maladies. Take maybe half an hour to sit down and work out the most comfortable position for the seat to be in. You will then need to adjust the mirrors so you can still see clearly.
It might be necessary to completely switch up the way you have been driving. If this happens, you should take a drive at the weekend so you can get used to the new driving position. You don’t want your first time behind the wheel to be when you are trying to get to work.
A long commute can feel like a drain unless you are willing to approach it positively. With some small changes and a little forward-thinking, you can easily turn your long commute into a time which flies past each and every time you drive it. Look into the benefits of schemes like carpooling and get ready for an altogether more positive approach to your morning and evening journeys. It won’t be long before you are seeing the benefits.
