As house prices in the capital continue to spiral, it’s no secret people are spending more time than ever getting to work. If you’re one of the millions who commute daily for two hours or more, perhaps travelling from Cambridge to London Kings Cross, or even further afield, there are a few things you can do to make your train journey less stressful.
Invest in Quality Headphones
If you’re going to be spending what amounts to a full day of work a week commuting, you’ll want to invest in some quality headphones. The noise cancelling type, ideally with Bluetooth connectivity, this will avoid the added stress of untangling the wires before every journey.
External Battery Pack
While phone batteries may have come a long way in recent years – although none come close to the Nokia 3210 – the last thing you want is a long commute without the ability to listen to enlightening self-affirming podcasts (or you know, scroll through Instagram), so a compact external battery pack that will last you a few days without having to recharge it is a must.
Join a Library
Time spent commuting is also prime reading time. Avoid the added expense of purchasing books at the train station’s Waterstone’s, and instead, join a good old fashioned library. You’ll also be saving the planet too!
Grab Yourself a Loyalty Card
Whilst Railcards are useful – a Boots card and a Sparks card are the real cards you want to be flashing. Every time you buy a drink or a meal on the hoof, use your card to collect the points – the points from that miniature bottle of wine you enjoy on a Friday will soon start adding up. Whilst Sparks points give you extra savings on some of your favourite items, as well as early sale access, Boots points can be redeemed against purchases.
Think about Alighting
Instead of thinking about where’s convenient to get on the train, think ahead to the end of the journey. Choose a spot that’s convenient for getting off. So, if your exit is towards the front of the train, choose a seat at the front. It might take a few days of trial and error, but once you’ve found the sweet spot, you’ll never look back.
Stow you Baggage
Unless you need your bag for your journey, it’s better to put it in the overhead shelf above your seat – in doing so, you’ll gain a precious few extra inches of legroom. Which, when you’re potentially sitting in a confined space for hours can make all the difference.
