Many people who take trains to work deal with hour-long commutes, sometimes they can even be longer. Once you have gotten used to public transit, you will start to realize that your long commute can be a time for immense productivity.
If you have to commute a distance, you will not have the convenience of running back by the house if you forget something. Keeping your bag filled with some essentials will help you stay ready for anything that may come your way. Long commutes do not have to be annoying. By carrying the right things, they can be a time for practically getting things done.
Here are some things you should carry with you when you have a long commute:
Bags for Organizing Little Things
When you are commuting, you may need to quickly find something or throw something back in your bag pretty quickly in order to jump off the train. In cases like these, it is useful to carry some smaller bags that you can stuff inside your larger bag.
It also helps to keep things organized. If you have some drawing gear, then keeping a small pencil bag with all of your gear in it might be a great way to keep everything together. In addition, if you do a lot of computer work, having a bag that you can fill with your computer gear (cables, cords, dongles, etc.) might be helpful to you.
Cable Organizing
In the same vain, if you have lots of computer gear, then you will want to invest in good cable management. Having computer cords, chargers, headphones, and any other gear with cables can get easily tangled in your bag if not secured properly.
Consider investing in some cable management tools, like reusable cable wraps. Reusable cable wraps can help to simply the footprint of all of your computer gear. It also helps in making it easier to get and find what you need without it being a tangled mess. Sometimes you will need to quickly grab something out of your bag, or quickly throw it back in. Taking the few extra seconds to properly wrap up your cables can save you a headache in the future.
Books
Start bringing a book with you on your commute. You have a great opportunity to start reading and learning about the many different topics that you have always been interested in, but never found the time. It is a much better alternative to playing mindless games on your phone.
Give yourself goals when it comes to reading and once you reach those goals treat yourself to something nice, like a special coffee or a nice bookmark. Reading is a good habit to get into, if you have a partner, try reading the same books as them so it gives you something different to talk about.
Reusable Water Bottle and Coffee Thermos
Right now more than ever it is important to be conscious of the waste that we make. Doing your part, no matter how small does make a difference. Instead of getting disposable cups for your coffee and your water, consider buying a reusable option.
There are tons of reusable water bottle and coffee thermoses available on the market. Take some time and do some research on the option that will be best for you. You may want to consider getting an option that does not leak. Having coffee or water spill on your computer is never fun, so getting one that has a secure seal is a smart option.
A Small Travel Umbrella
Sounds silly, but if you have ever gotten caught in the rain, you will know just how valuable it can be to have an umbrella with you. Especially if you are walking in a city, when the rain strikes, you may have no other option then to just get soaked. If you carry around a small umbrella with you, you can avoid getting drenched.
The Importance of Having What You Need on a Lengthy Commute
Being prepared is important, especially when you have a long commute. If you forget something or do not have what you need you could end up spending more money buying those things in the city, when you already may have them at home.
Keeping small bags to keep all of your gear organized makes a huge difference, especially when it comes to storing cables, reusable cable wraps, and other technological devices. It also helps to keep a reusable water bottle and coffee thermos on hand so that you do not need to waste money on constantly buying coffee.
