I have a 35-40 minute commute from home to work each day. That adds up to over an hour in the car with each round trip (I just did the math in my head).
Now let me say right up front that the priority of my drive time is driving. There’s too many distractions that keep people from concentrating on the road. I’m a big believer in not texting (or tweeting) while driving. But these restrictions don’t keep me from using this valuable time in a productive way.
Since I do this drive most everyday, I thought I’d share my drive time tactics.
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iPod Learning
My iPod is full of audiobooks, podcasts, and lectures. If you haven’t already tapped into the ginormous amount of free resources on iTunes, you’re missing out. Free podcasts and lectures at iTunesU are great sources of learning. iTunesU gives you access to complete courses that are offered at some of the most prestigious Universities in the country.
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XM Radio
I love satellite radio. I have access to all kinds of music genres, great news stations, and live sporting events. This one costs money. You have to purchase a monthly subscription, as well as a satellite radio receiver. Since I spend a lot of time in the car it’s a good investment.
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Podcast
I’ve started making my own audio recordings on my way to work. I’m alone in the car and it’s easy to do. I simply talk into a digital recorder. If you’ve ever thought of creating your own podcast or just want to capture your ideas while driving, I would recommend a recording device. I can also do this on my iPhone. Here’s one of my recordings that I made available in a previous post.
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Think
Driving gives me time to think and reflect. Sometimes I’ll get an idea and record it. Sometimes I just need to process a decision. Spending over an hour in the car gives me a chance to slow down and let my mind analyze and contemplate situations.
What do you do to make the most of your drive times?
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