If you don’t get to work from home every day, this means you likely have to deal with a commute to work. Depending on how far away your job is, you could be spending a considerable amount of time either in your car or on public transportation. After doing this for days and weeks, you’ll likely find yourself growing bored or annoyed with your morning commute. This is an unpleasant way to start the day so you should look to adjust it whenever you can.

Below, we’ll outline some simple ideas that may help you make your morning commute to the office a little more enjoyable.

Get Personalized Music Recommendations

Most people like to listen to music while they drive. However, whether you’re listening to the radio or your own playlist, eventually you’ll tire of hearing the same songs and artists all the time. A good way to get out of this is through personalized music recommendations. Of course, apps like Pandora and Spotify lead the charge here.

This is a great way to discover new music and to hear songs you haven’t heard in a long time. You can even save the songs to a playlist and add them into your rotation, adding in some variety. If you’re tired of listening to the same music every morning, try getting some personalized recommendations to change things up.

Listen to Podcasts

Another popular morning listen option is podcasts. There are now thousands of podcasts available covering all sorts of topics. You can find podcasts about current events, history, sports, comedy, music, and much more.

Podcasts are a great way to pass the time, as you get to learn something new or listen to an entertaining conversation while you commute. Best of all, most podcasts are completely free to listen to. All you need is a device you can listen to them on – such as your smartphone. If you’re on a limited data plan, we recommend downloading episodes at home on your WiFi before you leave to save yourself some data. To get started, here is a list of some of the best podcasts currently available.

Upgrade Your Vehicle

If you drive to work, one thing that could be leading to you not enjoying your commute is the condition of your vehicle. In older cars, things don’t work as well and they don’t have the latest technology. Maybe you’re stuck listening to local radio stations or your AC no longer cools the car down that well. Whatever the cause, looking to make some upgrades to your vehicle can make your commute better.

For example, let’s say you don’t have the ability to connect your smartphone to your car and play music. To fix this, you could install a new center console in your car. This can be a relatively simple process. You just need to figure out what size you need, make sure the unit is compatible with your vehicle, then get a unit that can connect with your smartphone.

For example, you may need a single DIN Apple Carplay unit. Think about what would make your car more enjoyable to drive each morning, then look to make that upgrade. If it will make each of your mornings better, it’s likely worth the investment.

Avoid Traffic

Lastly, nothing makes a drive more annoying than sitting in traffic. An easy way to make your commute more bearable is by avoiding traffic whenever you can.

There are two main ways to do this. First, try altering what time you leave in the morning. Sometimes leaving even just 10 minutes early can make a big difference in how much traffic there is. The other thing to explore is the way you get to work. If you don’t already, download an app that analyzes traffic in real-time and provides directions. This can alert you if there is a faster way, such as taking backroads if there is an accident on the highway.

Don’t Suffer Through a Bad Commute

Whether you drive, take the subway or sit on a bus, you don’t need to suffer through a bad commute. There are some simple things you can do that will make your commute a little more enjoyable. Start by finding better things to entertain yourself, such as new music or podcasts, then be sure you have a good way to listen to them. From there, it’s just a matter of optimizing your route, either by upgrading your vehicle, leaving at a different time, or taking a different route.

Try out a few different things and hopefully you’ll find that it’s easy to make your mornings better.