Getting to a destination requires a significant investment of time – rides to the airport or station, check-in procedures, immigration queues, security checks, boarding waiting time, and a whole lot of sitting.

It’s easy to feel that hours go to waste. But I reframe my perspective and rethink the situation. 

For a change, there are less distractions – no household chores to keep me busy, no friends to hang out with, and limited connectivity. These precious moments are great opportunities to have laser focus. 

One mindset that’s helpful is working with what I have. The circumstances are never ideal. But I’ll never get work done if I wait for the stars to align. 

Here are 5 activities I engage in to keep myself busy while in transit:

Writing for My Passion Project / Blog

I have a full-time job. I use every other opportunity to travel. But I also want to pursue writing. Unfortunately, I can’t create time. 

Granted, I prefer writing on a laptop. But what do I do when queueing? When it’s takeoff or taxi, my hands are tied. 

So I end up writing a lot on my phone. Whatever content comes out of my brain gets dumped on Notes. Where the subject matter requires a bit more research, I load my readings before the signal is completely lost. 

Catching Up on TV and Movies

My least favourite feeling is watching TV series or movies when I can be out in the world exploring places or meeting people. But neither are possible when I am up in the air.

That’s not to say I don’t enjoy binge watching. But timing is key. There is less opportunity cost when there aren’t a lot of options.

I finally caught up with the first and second season of the White Lotus and the third season of Succession during my recent travels. I’m behind everyone else. But better late than never. 

Journaling Gratitude

I need a desk. But I don’t need anything else besides a notebook and a pen. That’s quite helpful, especially when I end up in situations where I have zero internet. 

I was also advised that this practice helps with happiness. But the biggest practical benefit is knowing how little I can trust the mind, especially my memory.

All the things I’ve written helps put things in perspective. Occasionally, I use my notes for blog entries where I need to remember details from the past. 

Learning a Foreign Language

In this instance, opportunity and motivation move in the same direction. Time is available. Key conversational phrases are helpful in navigating my way around a foreign city. And this method is a good way of establishing some form of connect with the locals. 

I brush up on my DuoLingo during idle time. Since connectivity is required, I would do this whenever Internet is still available – generally before boarding. On a bus, I do this when signal is on my side (or I am not suffering from motion sickness).

Catching Up on Sleep

Chances are, if I sleep on a flight or a bus, my neck will hurt and I will bitch about my back the following day. But is the alternative of not getting any sleep better? The worst thing I could imagine is being too exhausted and end up spending an entire day sleeping instead of going out and seeing the world.

When the flight is long-haul, and the time zone difference is significant, I used to stay awake, just to help my body adjust immediately. I say to myself “Sacrifice the sleep now for a better quality one later.” 

This never works for me. So I’d rather bank the hours now and let subsequent days be a problem for tomorrow. I go for what is certain!

The biggest regret I had on my flight from the Netherlands to Australia was not sleeping. I thought I’ve outsmarted by body clock. “This would exhaust me into sleeping once I arrived.” Not only was my energy completely drained. But my body couldn’t recharge. 

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