How to Turn Rush Hour into Quality Learning Time

Rush hour can make your smarter and make more money. Sound like a crazy statement. US Census Bureau reported the Average American spends 24.3 minutes driving to work. Totaling 48.6 minutes per day or 194.4 hours per year. Statistics like this remind me of a statement I once heard "music is chewing gum for the brain". I don't remember where I heard this but it certainly made an impression.

Knowledge has become the backbone of our economy. Employers are constantly asking questions like "What new skills have you learned?" and "How have you become more productive?" What would happen if you turned "drive time" into "learning time". Some of the ways we can do this include:

Audiobooks or Magazines
Many books and magazines are published in audio format. Magazine titles include The New Yorker, Harvard Business Review and Scientific American. Book titles include everything from Business to Self Help and Novels. Don't have a way to download an audiobook? No problem they can purchased on CD from bookstores everywhere.

Work on your Presentation
No we cannot work on the presentation itself. But, we can work on our deliver. Bring a tape recorder to your next presentation and record yourself. You can then playback this recording during your commute. Doing this allows you to work on many aspects of the presentation. You can hear how you sound to other people. Are you using the best words? Do you pause a lot? Are you too dry? You also can hear how the content itself comes across. Is it easy to follow? Are you losing your audience?

Study for a college course
Many colleges are now offering lectures and class notes in audio format. You can burn these either to a CD or to an MP3 player. Allowing you to prepare for a class while driving.

People are often reluctant to this train of thought. They make statements like "This is my only time to relax." or "I like my music." So why should you make this change? The average full length book lasts approximately 8 hours. Allowing you to finish 24 books a year. An expanded knowledge base can have profound changes on many aspects of our life.

Ward of Disease
Studies have shown that our brain cells are like muscles. If we don't use them we lose them. By adding to our knowledge, during the morning commute, we stimulate our brain cells. Keeping them healthy. As with any body part, keeping our brain cells healthy can help to prevent disease.

Relieve Stress
Work can be very stressful. Some days, driving can be very stressful. Listening to your favorite audiobook can help you relieve stress and leave your day, at the office. Relieving this stress before getting home, helps to ensure that you will not take it out on your family. This can reduce further stress with your spouse, children, and family.

America is quickly moving towards a knowledge based economy. Employers are not worried with what you did yesterday. Employers are more worried with what you know today. Your morning and evening commute is a great time to listen to audiobooks, rehearse upcoming presentations, and/or study for a college course. The commute can also help relieve stress and keep your brain cells sharp. No matter which option you choose, your morning and evening commute can become valuable learning time.

References
Americans Spend More Than 100 Hours Commuting to Work Each Year, Census Bureau Reports. March 2005. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on December 30, 2009 from http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/american_community_survey_acs/004489.html