Public Transportation 101: How to Use Bus Time Wisely
I love to read a book on the bus. Since many of the articles I write here on Associated Content are related to books that I read, the books that I read on the bus actually double as research for articles. Even if I don't write an article about a book that I read on the bus, I have still accomplished more on the bus than just staring out the window.
If you are currently in school a bus is a good time to review flashcards or class notes. I would often go to school early the morning of exams and I would use the time I spent on the bus to review my notes and flashcards rather than just sitting there getting tired as I waited for my stop to come up. Even if you don't have an exam to prepare for at the time, reviewing notes and flashcards is still a good use of bus time, especially if you do it every time you have to travel to and from school, then when your exams do come around you won't have to spend as much time cramming since the material will remain fresh in your mind.
On occasion, I have been known to write an article or write down some article ideas while on the bus. I don't like to break out my laptop on the bus unless I know that I am going to be riding for a long time, otherwise it isn't really worth the effort to get it out and put it away in a book bag. But, if I do want to get some work done for Associated Content while I am on the bus I always carry a notebook and pen with me so that I can jot down some article ideas. In fact, this article idea was one that I came up with while on the bus.
Journaling can be done on the bus if you have a steady hand. Many people don't like to write extensively while they are in a moving vehicle, but I find it kind of relaxing to journal on the bus. Every once in a while you might find yourself having to pause when the bus turns onto a bumpy road, but the bus is a lot smoother ride than a car, so it isn't too terribly difficult to journal while you are on the bus.
The bus is a great time to take care of the phone calls you need to make if you have a cell phone. I wouldn't recommend making highly personal calls while you are on the bus unless the bus is pretty empty and you can get a seat away from others, but if you need to return calls to your friends, or if you need to check your bank balance your time on the bus is a great time to make these calls. You can even use your time on the bus to pay your bills over the phone since most places allow you to punch in your account and card numbers rather than having to speak them.
If you don't have anything that you need to get done on the bus but you still don't just want to sit there and stare out the window than bring your music along for the ride. An MP3 or CD player is a great item to own if you are going to be spending a decent amount of time on the bus. I have also found that listening to music on the bus is also a great way to keep strangers from talking to you when you are not in the mood. But I'll write more about that later.
Not matter what lead to you having to rely on the bus to get from point A to point B, your time on the bus doesn't have to be a waste.
Published by Ainsley Patterson
Ainsley is a highly motivated individual, who never finds her hunger for knowledge satisfied. Ainsley enjoys researching and writing about a wide variety of topics. She especially enjoys, however, utilizing... View profile
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4 Comments
Post a CommentWow - was I surprised to find this article. I wrote an article when I first came to AC about living without a car. I still do not drive - I ride buses and light rail to get nearly everywhere. BUT - going one step further - I work for the transit company now fielding complaints. There is much to be said for using public transportation - good and bad! Great article! Write me for more transit material! Job-jeopardizing-conflict-of-interest for me to write them myself.
Time management is always good. Thanks for sharing.
Good suggestions! Though I have to confess: It annoys me whenever someone sitting nearby talks on the phone. For whatever reason, the speaking volume always seems to go up several notches.
Hmmm, Good thinking, how to maximize your time. You actually turn driving your own car into a negative and riding the bus a positive.