Dear Lifehacker,
I'm about to hit the road for to visit family. It's a really long trip, and since I won't be driving, I'd like to make the most of the time without going crazy from boredom. I could play video games or rip some movies, but that gets boring after a few hours. I want something that works my brain a little more. Do you have any tips?
Sincerely,
Backseat Boredom
Dear Backseat Boredom,
When most people are staring down a long drive, train ride, or flight, they consider it a time to catch up on sleep, do some reading, watch some movies or listen to music, or even play some new mobile games. Preparation for a long trip is key, and we've covered that before. Those are all great ways to pass the time, but they're not the only ways. Here are some suggestions that will turn your long, boring travel plans into something that energizes you, informs you, and keeps you entertained.
Catch Up on Podcasts
If you've been meaning to check out some new podcasts (like ours, for example) or you just have a backlog of podcasts to listen to or watch, a long trip is the best time to do it. Even better, choose some new podcasts that will teach you something new or help you get a new perspective on life. If you're looking for something new to watch or listen to, try looking for some interesting TED Talks, TWiT podcasts, 5by5 podcasts, or Revision3 shows. Each network likely has something to suit your tastes, whether you're looking for something entertaining to pass the time or something interesting and educational to spark your creativity or get you up to speed on current events. Best of all, if you have a long trip ahead, you have plenty of time to listen to multiple shows. Photo by Mingo Hagen.
Plan a Mini Curriculum of Online Classes and Go To School
If podcasts don't really suit you, now might be a great time to download some online courses and set up a little cirriculum of "classes" to take on your long trip. For your sanity's sake, we'd suggest avoiding anything that requires a lot of work, but a few video classes here or there and some downloadable exercises could turn a long and boring plane trip or backseat car ride into something that's educational and helps you learn a new skill or trade. Head over to Lifehacker U to scope out some great classes we've hand-picked, most of which are all-online, and many of which have video components and lessons you can download for offline viewing.
Learn a Specific New Skill for Work (or Play)
In the same vein as taking an online class, maybe those hours in one place are well suited to a good book or set of instructional videos that teach you a specific skill. If you've been meaning to learn a new programming language, study up on a new productivity technique, or maybe learn about a new tool that everyone is migrating to at work, a long trip is a good time to dive into a book or some reference material to get up to speed quickly. If you're traveling and will have internet access while you travel, you can even do your research online. Photo by Shiny Things.
Alternatively, if you want to learn something more for fun than for work, a long trip is a good time to do that as well. Set aside a few chunks of your travel time to really immerse yourself in learning it. You may not be able to break out an Arduino or a Raspberry Pi and get your DIY on while you're riding in the backseat of someone's car, but you can pick up some reading or download some articles to help you get started (like our guide to getting started with the Arduino, and some of our favorite Raspberry Pi hacks and tutorials.) Then you can walk away from your trip ready to get hands-on with the real thing.
Write a Short Story or Start a Blog
We've mentioned before that being a model Internet citizen requires more than just not trolling?contributing your own ideas and thoughts and creating something on your own is essential. If you have hours to kill on a train or plane, why not fire up your favorite text editor and start writing down all of those ideas for that blog you've been meaning to start. You could even write the first few posts just so you'll have something to put up when you build it. If you've read the news lately and have your own opinions, or think you can tackle a topic better?or at a different angle?than someone else did, write your thoughts down. Photo by James Whatley.
Similarly, if you've been meaning to write a short story or your NaNoWriMo entry is a little behind, now is a great time to make up for lost ground. Get your thoughts in order and start writing. If you don't have access to a computer, even brainstorming and outlining on pen and paper will do you a lot of good, and not just for the purpose of finishing a story or starting a blog, but also for turning otherwise boring time into an opportunity to keep your creative juices flowing.
Learn Enough of a New Language to Impress Everyone When You Arrive
Learning a new language will open up possibilities for you that you may never have had, but it also changes your worldview. Even a short trip is enough time to commit to memory enough words in a language you've always wanted to learn that you'll be able to impress your family at Thanksgiving (or at least give them something other than politics to talk about) and get your foot in the door learning something new that you've always wanted to. You can pick up a language-learning podcast from Open Culture or just learn the basics and start practicing, but either way even a few short hours in the back of a car is enough time to learn how to say things like "Hello, my name is," "What's your name?" "Do you speak English?" and "Where's the restroom, please?"
Teach Yourself to Meditate
If none of the above appeals to you, or you know that long trips wreak havoc on your attention span, perhaps a long trip is a good time to plug in your headphones, listen to some ambient music or nature sounds, and teach yourself to relax and meditate. We've discussed how meditation can improve your memory, focus, and productivity, but it can also help relieve stress and improve your health. Even if it's just two minutes of meditation, it can do wonders for you. Check out our guide to meditation for the rest of us for tips. At least on a long trip you won't be able to say you're too busy to meditate. If you need guidance on the go, we even have an app that can help. Photo by RelaxingMusic.
Hopefully we've offered up a few options beyond "read a good book" or "play video games" or "make a travel playlist," although all of those are great things to do on a long trip. They'll help you relax and de-stress, especially if the situation you're traveling to is a stressful one. At the same time however, consider dedicating some of your travel time to something that'll enrich your mind as well as relax your body, and maybe you'll look forward to that 12 hour flight or 6 hour drive a little more. Good luck!
Sincerely,
Lifehacker
Title photo made using Andrey Yurlov (Shutterstock) and Sweet November Studio (Shutterstock).
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