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Ask HN: How can I spend my time on the bus productively?

5 points by notahappycamper ↗ HN
I am about to start a job where I will have to commute ~1.5hr each way to/from work whenever I can't work from home. I won't always have a seat, so being able to use a laptop isn't guaranteed. Is there anything other than reading I could do to improve my skills during this period? (Relevant areas are programming, security, machine learning)

7 comments

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Cypher
Audio books are great. I'd recommend finding a different subject, it gets you thinking differently. I discovered the joy of economic podcasts.
notahappycamper
Yeah I already listen to a bunch of audio content, especially podcasts (Planet Money, Freakonomics, EconTalk for economics). However now I am a recent graduate, and would like to apply this time more actively to improve my skills.
eucryphia
I occasionally drive 3.5 hours to an evening meeting, visit my brother overnight, return early in the morning.

If the meeting is pointless, I prescribe soothing classical music afterwards, Bach, Mozart, you'll need all the help you can get.

Otherwise podcasts. I recommend Russ Roberts EconTalk, not just about economics.

On a bus you'll need good noise cancelling earphones and a means to recharge or power it.

I find my best ideas randomly pop into my head when thinking about something completely different, so don't think it has to be relevant to what you're working on at the time.

notahappycamper
I do already listen to podcasts, including EconTalk. I have a lot of inactive downtime like walking to the bus stop, walking my dog, grocery shopping etc. I am trying to find a way to actively improve my skills as a recent grad since I am going to be forced to have this passive time since I am not driving.
hourislate
As others of said, download Podcasts, Youtube, Audio Books, etc. If you have a decent phone, download some books and read.

You can try meditating also.

notahappycamper
I do listen to a lot of audio content already, but I want a way to be actively productive during this time since I am not driving. I do have some books on my phone, but I'm not always in the mood for that
sn9
Podcasts and meditation are fine suggestions.

You could also enter things like foreign or programming languages or whatever else into your long-term memory with spaced-repetition software like Anki.

Like so: http://augmentingcognition.com/ltm.html