5 Things To Do While Commuting Instead Of Scrolling On Your Phone

Right now, while writing these words, I am commuting to my office.

Let me look at the people around me and tell you what they are doing…

The guy in front of me is scrolling on Instagram.

A guy beside me on the right row (I’m sitting in the left row) is listening to music and playing a video game at the same time.

One uncle is watching a movie.

A couple is flirting.

A girl is wandering (and she is kinda cute.)

And me…writing.

I was not able to come up with an idea to write about today.

So, I opened Medium and saw a title:

5 Things To Do In The Evening Instead Of Watching Netflix.

That’s what inspired this article.

Why am I telling you this?

Because most people who read my articles are new writers, and they struggle to come up with ideas to write about every day.

If you are one of them, this technique might help you.

Anyway, let’s get to the point.

In this article, I am gonna share with you 5 things you can do while commuting.

If you spend hours commuting every day and you waste those hours scrolling, listening to music, flirting, watching movies, and playing video games, then this article is a must-read for you.

Because those hours can be used in a way that can help you increase your knowledge, acquire new skills, build a side-hustle, or even quit your job.

Most people who work a 9–5 complain they don’t have the time to do all those things.

It’s a big lie.

After being jobless for 7 months, I finally got a job, and to be honest, there is time.

But most people would rather binge-watch Netflix than work on their dreams.

Yes, it’s tiring, but there is time.

Early morning.

Home to office commute.

Office break hours and lunch hours.

Office to home travel.

Before bedtime.

You have the time, but you don’t have the discipline to do the work.

Enough of my rant.

Let me get into the topic.

Here are the 5 things you can do:

1) Write:

If you think writing on the bus is not possible. Think again.

Because I am doing it…right now.

Here’s what I do once I get into the bus:

• I take the middle seat. Because the back seat jumps too much.
• I put on my noise-cancellation headphones.
• Play meditative music.
• Open my Google notes.
• And start writing.

Yes, sometimes, I will have no idea what to write.

When that happens, I do what I shared with you in the beginning.

2) Read:

Reading is the second-best thing you can do after writing.

Make reading a habit while commuting. It can completely transform your life.

The benefits of reading compound over time. You’ll not be the same person you are now after consistently reading for a year.

Here is the best thing:

• You don’t need a laptop to write.
• You don’t need a book to read.

You can do both with your phone alone.

Write in a note-taking app.

Read on your phone.

Here is what I do:

If I want to read a book, I download a free PDF of that book from a website called libgen.is

I have the Adobe PDF app on my phone.

I download the book, open it in my Adobe PDF, put it in read mode, and start reading. (I will have my noise cancellation headphones with meditative music.)

It feels great. Try it.

3) Course:

I don’t like working a 9–5.

That’s why I am building online.

I spend the money I earn from working a 9–5 to buy courses and acquire skills.

I don’t always have the time to go through the course materials other than on weekends.

So, I use my commuting time to go over the course materials sometimes when I’m not in the mood to write.

The fourth thing you can do is…

4) Podcast:

Instead of listening to music.

Listen to a podcast.

If you don’t like reading, start listening to podcasts.

It’s one of the easiest ways to expand your knowledge. You’ll learn a lot of things that you didn’t know before.

The truth is, you’re stuck in this position in life because you don’t know some key pieces of information. 

Consuming high-quality podcasts and books is one of the fastest ways to find them and change your life.

My recommendations are:

• Huberman Lab
• The Diary Of A CEO
• Modern Wisdom
• Joe Rogan Experience

5) Wander, Meditate, Visualization, Gratitude:

I have a philosophy.

If you are not in the mood to do anything productive, do nothing.

— Abbas Ali (@TheAbbasAli_) April 25, 2025

If you are not in the mood to do any of the above 4 things.

Just sit and wander.

• Focus on your breath.
• Think about your life.
• Visualize your dream life. (Don’t daydream.)
• Feel gratitude for everything you already have.

But don’t scroll and waste your time doing things that add no value to your life.

That’s it for today.

Hope it was helpful.

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P.S. Please, don’t scroll.