I live in Washington D.C., or at least the surrounding area of D.C.—the home of the World Series Champions, the Washington Nationals (champs bb!). I drive to and from work every day, since both my apartment and job have a parking garage, but another form of transportation I use to get around is the Metro and Uber! Ubers and simple, yes—I just took a simple Uber to the train station and it cost less than $15. It’s simple and practical. But the Metro is also simple and practical if you’re commuting every day into the city and parking is nonexistent for you. Whether you live in D.C. or another huge city with a metro system, there are multiple things that you can get done on the train without even opening up your Instagram app.

Read that book you’ve been putting off.

Of course, the obvious one. Bring a book in your work bag and pull it out when you step on the train. No matter how long your train ride is, you can always get in a chapter or two. It passes the time and you get ahold of your TBR list! To see what I read in December, check out this post here.

Listen to a long podcast.

Podcasts are trending nowadays—and most of them happen to be 45 minutes or longer. They’re perfect for that long commute, or just that short commute to and from and you can pick back up when you go home. To read the podcasts I listen to on a daily basis, read this post here.

Write in your journal—bullet journal or otherwise.

I’ve started to get into bullet journaling, or just journaling in general. It’s one of my 2020 resolutions. It’s therapeutic—it helps with anxiety and stress and just gets the unnecessary tension out of your system.

Watch a show or learn a new skill on YouTube or Skillshare.

This requires looking at your phone, but it’s not mindless! Download the app Skillshare where you can learn a multitude of skills: writing, blogging, knitting, crochet, graphic design…literally anything! You can also go to YouTube and catch up on videos. Some of my favorite YouTubers are Brooke Miccio, Danielle Carolan, Michelle Reed, Michelle and Aline Dufflocq, and Katy Bellotte.

Plug in your earphones, let your iPhone screen go dark, and stare out the window.

When you’ve had a long day, sometimes all you want to do is listen to your favorite playlist and stare out the window. I do this on my drive home from work—it’s no shame! Sometimes all you need is a little peace. While some people sleep, and you for sure can, sometimes you can miss your stop. If you know your regularly-scheduled stops, set an alarm if you do. Turn on some Niall Horan and rest. You deserve it.