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A growing number of savvy Brits are starting to use their daily commute to be more productive in their job. Working on the move is a smart and efficient way of using time that would otherwise be spent sleeping or chatting to increase productivity and improve the work-life balance. <br />
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Balancing a career and a busy home life can be a daunting task, and many Brits do so by arriving at the office early and staying late. But why spend more time away from home than is strictly necessary? Today, many “super commuters” are spending their time wisely – working on the commute to avoid having to burn the midnight oil at the office.<br />
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The new daily commute</h2>
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According to a research survey conducted by Randstad, the number of individuals that actually work during their commute has increased to 7.5% this year from 4.8% in 2008. The study included more than 2,000 British workers. This jump in productive time during the commute is likely due to the development of tablets and smartphones that make it easy to get the job done while in transit.<br />
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“Many commuters choose to relax and unwind from work while travelling in order to maximise their work/life balance, however, a growing number of savvy Brits are using their commute to extend their working day and become more productive,” explains Mark Bull, Randstad’s UK CEO.<br />
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“In a tough economic environment, employees are under pressure to demonstrate their value to their employer and committed high-flyers are out to impress,” he continues. “The growth of new technologies such as smartphones and tablets means it’s easier than ever to work around the clock.”<br />
<h2>Making the most of the commute</h2>
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On average, a British worker has a total of 41 minutes to and from work, covering about 17 miles. In many cases, the nature of the job determines the distance and time of the trip, with automotive workers travelling just 22 minutes and accountants traveling for 76. In recent years, the number of extreme commuters has increased by about 50% - these individuals spend about 90 minutes each way. <br />
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For those on longer journeys who may travel to and from a major town or city to get into the office, using this time productively has obvious benefits in terms of managing workload. It's an excellent time to address those 'fringe jobs' that don't get the attention they deserve and can be incorporated into the working day without taking too much time away from more essential tasks. Working from a passenger seat in a car as part of sharing arrangement can be equally beneficial in this regard. <br />
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Individuals can use technology to their advantage and use the time to answer emails, work on proposal drafts, and other tasks that can easily be done from a laptop, smartphone, or tablet. The commute is also a good time to take care of things that might otherwise eat into the working day, such as checking in on social media, making quick phone calls to family and friends, and reading. The more productive time individuals can put into their commute translates to more time that they are able to spend with family and friends during non-working hours.