***Quick disclaimer: if you’re totally at peace scrolling your phone or happily doing nothing on your commute, this might not be your vibe, and that’s completely fine. Feel free to skip this one. But if you’re someone who secretly feels like your commute is stealing a chunk of your life every day, then this is for you.
There’s a very specific kind of life that comes with being an auxiliar in Spain. You’re living in one place, working in another, and somehow your day starts and ends on a train, bus, or a very committed walk to the next connection. If you’ve ever had a long commute, you know it can easily feel like a daily time drain if you let it. But if you’re anything like me, you don’t really like “wasting time.” I love the in-between moments and those quiet transitions.
When I was living in Madrid and commuting about an hour + outside the city every day, I had to figure out how to stop feeling like I was losing time and start feeling like I was actually using it well, not in a strict, overwhelming way, but in a way that made my days feel more intentional.
Because I’ve learned that a commute can either feel like a slow drain or a surprisingly useful pocket of time, and I’m very much in the camp of trying to make it the second option. I’m not trying to turn it into a productivity bootcamp or anything dramatic, just making it a little less miserable and a lot more intentional.
So this blog is basically a peek into what I do to stay busy, inspired, and somewhat functional during long commutes. Think of it less like a strict routine and more like ideas you can borrow, steal, or completely ignore depending on your mood, your energy, and whatever your brain is doing that day.
Just to put things into perspective, my commute is usually about an hour and a half each way. So that’s three hours a day, five days a week, which adds up to roughly 15 hours a week. And if you zoom out even more, that’s a huge chunk of time every single month just spent in transit.
Think about what you could do with 15 hours. You could learn something new, stay consistent with a hobby, catch up on reading, listen to podcasts, plan your week, or, honestly, just have intentional downtime instead of doom-scrolling and blinking into the void. I’m really trying to maximize that time so when I get home, it actually feels like my life, not just recovery mode from my life.
By the time I do get home, I want that space to be for living, not just catching my breath from the day. And when you multiply those 15 hours by weeks and months, it really starts to add up. I’ll spare you the full math breakdown because math is not my strong suit.
But the main takeaway is this: I’m trying to help you enjoy your commute and romanticize your life abroad, not just tolerate it. Especially if you’re coming from the US like me, we’re used to driving ourselves everywhere, rushing, and treating commutes like a chore. Here, you get to sit back, relax, and actually look around. Mountains, small towns, maybe even the ocean if you’re lucky.
First: stop treating every commute the same
The biggest mistake people make is assuming their commute should look identical every day. It creates autopilot mode, and autopilot usually turns into mindless scrolling. Instead, try asking yourself: “What kind of brain mode do I want today?”
That one question changes everything. Because your commute isn’t just time, it’s a different mental environment every day. This is where the rotation system comes in.
The Commute Rotation System
Monday: Learning Mode
Start your week with input. Something that wakes your brain up and gives you momentum. Try:
- Duolingo, Babbel (especially useful if you’re in Spain)
- Educational podcasts like Stuff You Should Know, The Daily, or Hidden Brain
- Short YouTube lessons you’ve downloaded the night before
This is your “I’m becoming smarter this week” energy. It’s fresh, focused, and intentional. If you want to learn Spanish, read these blogs -> The 3 Cheapest Ways to Learn Spanish: (That Actually Work) or Your Library Card Did That: Free Spanish Courses Before You Move to Spain.
Tuesday: Podcast & Perspective Day
This is a softer learning day. No pressure to actively do anything, just absorb ideas while you move through your morning. Try:
- The Diary of a CEO
- On Purpose with Jay Shetty
- Modern Wisdom
This is the day for thinking. Let ideas land without forcing them, or maybe you can research a topic you’ve been wanting to learn about, and every week, you research something different. If you like to read, this could also be a good day to dive into a book/audiobook. Make sure to sign up for a library card in the US! You can then access free audiobooks through an app called Libby.
Wednesday: Brain Game Day
This is the underrated one. It wakes your mind up in a completely different way and is perfect for slow mornings. Try:
- NYT Crossword (or free crossword apps)
- Sudoku (Sudoku.com or Brainium Sudoku)
- Wordle, Spelling Bee, or Connections (NYT Games)
- Chess apps like Chess.com
- Brain training apps like Lumosity or Elevate
It sounds simple, but this is the kind of stimulation that makes your morning feel sharper instead of foggy.
Thursday: Creative Input Day
This is for inspiration, not productivity. Think of it as feeding your creative side. Try:
- Pinterest deep dives for travel, outfits, or inspiration
- Medium articles on lifestyle or personal essays
- Substack newsletters (travel, creativity, storytelling)
- Saving Instagram content intentionally instead of scrolling aimlessly
- Storytelling podcasts like The Moth
This is where ideas for your own life start quietly forming in the background. Since I’m a creative, I like weaving creativity into my schedule. But if you don’t naturally see yourself as “creative,” you can still make your Thursdays feel interesting and intentional with something like a “Teach Me Something Thursdays.” The idea is simple: pick a topic you’re curious about and turn it into a weekly deep dive. (That’s 30+ weeks!) It could be anything: travel, sports, history, philosophy, self-help, self-improvement, nutrition, or, honestly, anything that sparks your attention.
If you’re open to using AI, you can even ask ChatGPT or any similar tool to generate one topic for you each week. It can also give you guiding questions to research on Google or explore through podcasts, documentaries, YouTube videos, or newsletters.
It’s a really easy way to stay curious and keep your mind engaged, especially with things you’ve always wanted to explore but never really had the time for. Each week becomes its own little learning session, and over time, you end up with a pretty rich mix of knowledge and inspiration.
Template for Inspiration
“I want a new topic to research each week so I can build a weekly learning routine (one topic per week). [insert start and finish dates]
My interests include: [insert your interests, passions, hobbies, etc. here]
Please create a structured weekly list of topics I can explore over time. Each topic should be different, thought-provoking, and suitable for deep research. I want a mix of practical self-improvement, spiritual exploration, psychological insight, and historical or philosophical subjects. [this is changeable]
For each topic, include:
- A clear theme or title
- A brief explanation of what to explore
- Optional angles or questions I can research further
The goal is to expand my perspective, stay curious, and create a consistent weekly learning habit using documentaries, books, podcasts, videos, and articles.”
Friday: Freestyle It
You made it; this day is intentionally softer. Do whatever feels easy:
- Music only (make a commute playlist that gives main character energy)
- Mindless scrolling without guilt
- Daydreaming
- Download movies, TV shows, etc
Rest is part of the system, too.
Tools that make commuting easier
If you want to actually support this system, these apps help a lot:
- Notion → for journaling ideas and planning your week
- Substack → read articles and newsletters
- Pocket → save articles to read offline later
- Spotify / Apple Podcasts → organize your audio rotation
- Kindle app → books without carrying books
- Anki → flashcards for language learning (super effective if you stay consistent)
Some might call me extra for this, but if you actually know me, you know I’m intentional with my time, energy, and resources. I don’t move through life on autopilot. I move with purpose, even in the small stuff.
And honestly, living in Spain has only made that sharper in the best way. There’s something about the rhythm here that rewires you. You start respecting rest more, honoring slower moments like siesta, and then when it’s time to go, you really go. The days feel stretched in a way that makes you rethink what “being productive” even means. It’s not about rushing; it’s about living well inside your time.
One thing I’ve started doing is keeping what I call “train thoughts” in my notes app or sometimes in a journal. Just little snapshots of what I’m thinking while I’m moving through the day. Ideas, realizations, random observations, things I’m learning without even trying. It becomes this quiet little archive of who you were in that exact season. Call it silly if you want, but I kind of love it.
A small rule that changes everything
Try this: No mindless scrolling for the first 10-15 minutes of your commute. That’s it, just a small window of intention before autopilot kicks in. Because how you start your commute usually sets the tone for your entire morning.
Commuting Tips
- Also, always bring a portable charger because the last thing you want is a dead phone and nothing to keep you entertained or productive on the way.
- And if you’re trying to save data, a little hack I swear by is downloading everything ahead of time. Articles, newsletters, YouTube videos, podcasts, whatever you know you’ll want to get into during your commute. Do it while you’re on Wi-Fi so you’re not burning through your data on the train. I know it sounds like extra effort for something so small, but honestly, it makes the whole commute smoother.
- To really avoid falling into autopilot mode, I break my commute into two parts: my morning commute and my afternoon commute. This allows me to focus on different topics, hobbies, or interests throughout the day and keeps things feeling fresh.
Ultimately, how you spend your commute is entirely up to you. For me, taking this approach has completely changed the way I feel about commuting. Instead of seeing it as wasted time, I’ve turned it into dedicated time for learning, personal growth, and exploring topics that genuinely interest me. It has actually made me look forward to my commute because I know I’m investing in myself and becoming a more knowledgeable, well-rounded person in the process.
I know a lot of people dread long commutes, but sometimes it’s all about reframing your perspective. Rather than focusing on the time you’re losing, focus on the opportunities that time can create. Hopefully, this gives you a new way of looking at your commute and helps make those long journeys feel a little more meaningful.
Commuting doesn’t have to feel like wasted time or something you survive every day. It can become a rhythm or a quiet space where your life slowly comes together in motion. You don’t need to be productive every second. You just need a little more intention than autopilot. And honestly, who knows what could happen or what could blossom from your “train thoughts.”
Love always,
American Girl Meets World
