When I am a passenger on road trips, I can’t just sit in my seat and look out the window. For me I have to be productive on road trips or else I will be bored out of mind unless we are going through a State Park or it warrants me to look out the window. But if we are just on the interstate driving, I will literally be bored out of my mind.
I have had a few unplanned road trips this year that required me to be in the car for extended periods of time. A few times I was unprepared on things to do while in the car. If you are like me and need to be productive or constantly doing something here are some things that have worked for me.
Prepare Before the Trip
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Gotta love the cliche saying BUT it’s so true. For me, if I don’t have some sort of idea on what I want to work on I’ll just mindlessly scroll or do just about anything else. Recently, I have become obsessed with the pomorodo time management method. It’s 25 minutes of work followed by 5 minutes rest. Continue for 4 rounds, and on the last round take a longer break.
On my most recent trip I planned out almost all of the pomorodos before I left. I accomplished more than I thought I would because things didn’t take as long as I thought they would. Which is GREAT, but I had to fill something with time. My backup plan was writing! I love to write, and my to do list is getting longer.
Audiobooks/Podcasts
I use this a lot if when I am traveling by myself. Since moving back to the midwest, I have made several trips to Iowa to see friends and family. It’s a quick 4 hour drive, but I have made this drive so much it can get super boring super quick! I try to plan what I want to listen to ahead of time, but sometimes things change. Recenlty, I have been listening to Ady and Kait’s InstaPaid & InstaGrowth program. I can’t recommend this enough because they give practical examples and ways to implement immediately. I love both of these ladies because they believe that there’s enough room at the table for everyone.
When I was selling Zyia, one of my favorites was Kristen Boss. When I was moving from California to Illinois, I listened to ALOT of podcasts. I was on a mission to learn as much as possible while driving. A fun podcast to listen to was Scamanda. It’s about a blogger who scammed millions of people claiming she had cancer.
I use to listen to audiobooks a lot but lately I can’t get into it. It also depends on the type of book, because if is a book about self development I will want to underline and write. One of my favorite audiobooks Julianna Zobriest.
Work on your side businesses
I feel like everyone these days have more than one way of bring income into the house. Personally, I have 3 ways right now that I make extra money. One of my most profitable ways when I was doing constantly was selling clothes on Poshmark and Mercari. I have also done surveys which is fun but don’t expect to make a lot of money quickly. I have this space on and off for 10+ years. There are so many ways to make an extra income. I recommend finding something that you are passionate or have an interest in. If you don’t have an interest in it, you won’t make time for it.
Work on yourself
There are so many different ways that you can work on yourself. This can be writing out your goals if your the passenger. If you are driving and I have done this is use voice memo on your phone or watch. You can work on creating your personal brand. This could also be listening to mediation apps – my personal favorite is Balance.
Reach out to friends/family
I have gotten better about liking to drive, but in the past I HATED to drive. If I had to drive anywhere I have a list of people I would call and touch base with. Some people I knew I could talk with them a long time. Another option would be reach out to someone you haven’t talked to you in a while.
Listen to the Radio
This can be a variety of different things. It can be listening to music or talk radio. I do both it depends on my mood. Sometimes I’ll listen to my road trip jams playlist on spotify. Or I’ve even listened to music I typically wouldn’t have listen to just mix things up. I found new songs for workouts and my playlist. Sirius XM Radio has been a constant when I am in the car. Sports radio is one of my favorites because it’s either talking about an upcoming game or broadcasting a game.
Play a Game
There are so many games you can play with friends or family while in the car. On a recent trip to Florida, we played the license plate game. We saw all but 8 states on that trip. One of them was Montana. I wanted to see one so bad. It wasn’t until the DAY AFTER we got back that I saw a Montana plate. I was so annoyed. ABC game is another fun game to play. Everyone always recommends I Spy but I hate that game because if you pass it you’re not going guess it. I remember as a kid we had bingo cards. I recently saw them again at Wally’s. Mad Libs is another one that’s fun to do because it’s a fill in the blank. I remember doing this with friends on a trip. We all took turns filling in the blank. The story was CRAZY WEIRD.
Stay Hydrated
We all know we don’t drink enough water. Staying hydrated is important no matter if you are the driver or passenger. If you are properly hydrated you’ll be more alert. I love mixing different flavors with my water. My favorite is pedialyte and liquid iv with crush ice and water. It’s like drinking a snowcone. I can’t remember her name but there is a lady that videos of different combinations. When I saw her set up, I was AMAZED and OVERWHELMED at the options.
Overview
There are so many ways to keep your entertained and productive on the road trip. For me, it’s all about doing the most of preparation before I even leave. Everyone is different, and it’s all about finding what works for you. Also, having your essentials is important too. How do you stay productive on road trips?
