Since I started working I’ve always had long commutes to work. My shortest commute was a 15 minute one way subway ride, my longest commute – 1.5 hours where I drove, took NJ Transit and Path trains to get to work. While long commutes are linked to higher stress levels, loss of productivity, and less overall happiness for commuters — I don’t disagree with any of these — there is one positive. Reading while commuting. If you’re a reader that is and I LOVE reading.
My first memories of reading are in the backseat of my parents Honda Civic during road trips that my family and family friends used to take in Texas. As you know from looking at a map of Texas everything is far away. Going from one town to another takes a few hours. I remember going to the Brownwood, Texas library to borrow library books. This was my first exposure to a library and the concept of borrowing books. I loved reading mystery books and my favorite series in 5th grade was The Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew. I remember reading aloud in the car squished in the backseat between my sister and friend. It would take some training for me to read quietly and grasp the meaning of the words at the same time.
From the days of reading in the backseat of my parents Honda Civic to now reading on NJ Transit and MARTA. In this last year alone I’ve read close to 10 books. Public transportation is not always reliable and there is quite a bit of down time as you wait for the bus or train or wait to transfer between lines or modes of transportation. I take a train and shuttle to work so there is plenty of time spent waiting. And what better way to make use of this time and ease some of the stress than read.
These days we are so attached to our phones and can access pretty much anything on a small device, but there is nothing that rivals reading a book. Our attention spans have gotten shorter from reading articles, memes, Instagram and Facebook posts but there is something to be said of reading a fictional novel that transports you to another world. Awakens your imagination. Appeals to the right side of the brain. Or take a non-fiction novel. You can learn so much more about the world in a well constructed argument. Imagine yourself wearing someone else’s shoes. Learn about a topic or experience that you would otherwise not have had. All while traveling to and from work.
Books I’ve read in the last year:
- Dreams of My Father by Barack Obama
- The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
- Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance
- Never be Lonely Again by Pat Love and Jon Carlson
- The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter
- Triptych by Karin Slaughter
- Fallen by Karin Slaughter
- Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
- My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor
The next time you’re traveling whether its to work or on vacation, don’t let the stress and frustration of public transportation get you down. It’s out of your control and as a result nothing you can do. Grab a book and start reading!