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Observe human behavior mostly.
Kidding aside, 50% of the time I read the news on my iPad, 25% chat with my flatmates if we take the same train, 25% of the time Netflix (highly recommend, commute goes by really fast)
Sleep, read the news, listen to music, send emails, read work related materials, read WSO. Anything you want. Some people eat breakfast but I think it's looked down upon.
Duolingo
I actually work. My train ride is almost an hour and I can sit there comfortably at a table. I work in VC where there is always the next business plan to read, the next board meeting to prepare or the next memo to write. I basically walk to the station, jump on the train and start to work. I prefer to rest at home.
I don't understand how people have the luxury to spend 1hr+ driving into work, a complete waste in my view.
in 20 years (or less?) people will look back at commuting and wonder what the f people were thinking
As one of those people who is stuck commuting an hour plus by car--audiobooks. Non-fiction mostly: biographies, some history, investing related stuff (Market Wizards, what I learned losing a Million dollars, greatest trade ever, Snowball are a few recent selections).
lumosity, read books, etc..
I've had long and short train/subway commutes at various points. The Subway/Tube/T is pretty useless to try to get anything accomplished because you're packed in like a sardine. My London commute, which should have been short, was from only from Kensington to Mayfair and it took 45 minutes but it was useless because I was standing on the platform on the Central Line then packed in the Tube. It was only 5 or 6 stop but I couldn't get a thing done.
I've also had 15-20 minute train rides but they were too short to actually accomplish work so I'd catch up on the news and other BS. My most useful commutes have been the long ones. I did a >1 hr commute for about 1.5 years on a train that was actually comfortable with a table to put a lap top on. I thought I'd hate it but it was great because I could have a coffee, read and respond to emails, look over new deals, and other lighter things (it wasn't worth getting into legal docs that take real concentration for example) so that when I got into the office at the same time I would have even if I lived around the corner, I was that much further into my day and had done all the stupid stuff you tend to do for the first hour. And at the end instead of dicking around at my computer, I knew the train was leaving at, say, 7:15 so I'd get my ass out of the office and still know I was working until 8:15. If you ever do the longer commute though I'd make sure that you don't live or work too far from the train station on either end: you don't want to get to the city after an hour on the train only to have another 20 mins on the subway.
listen to music and nothing else
My commute is a ~20 minute walk. I listen to music. As Dingdong08 said, it's impossible to get any tangible work done on public transportation. You can only really do work if you are taking a train like the Amtrak or Metro North.
Look for hot chicks
My commute now is by car, but in the past I took a (over an hour at times) bus. Never did any work just played games, listen to the radio, and read the news.
~50 minute train ride..either read non-fiction or various newsletters on my phone. Find it hard to focus on work related material that requires strong attention to detail.
yeah definitely just sit back with the music and think about them ho's
40 minute bus ride. Read the wall street journal and whatever decks need to be read.
Podcasts. By the time I get on, there's no room to sit.
Audio books, chive FLBP
I listen to audio language courses, i learned basic german with it
I would work or study for the CFAs or even take a nap when I took the train. It was great even with an hour long commute. Then I did walking and the subway and it was miserable got nothing done and felt exhausted when I got home.
I will never commute via subway again. I would rather spend half of my free time on an Amtrak or commuter rail than deal with a long subway ride.
Read WSJ on my phone. It's not so crowded I can't do that on the A/C/E.
Pretty much this, down to the subway line.
Mostly read and read the news.
I used to have an hour and a half commute each way before I moved to be closer to work. But it helped turn me into a morning person--I listened to full albums the whole way through, read a ton of books, and did most of my writing for WSO and HOM during that time.
who cares what you do on the train. do what makes you happy dude
All jokes aside, I do whatever is not finance/work-related. Inclusive of SnapChat, listening to music on my iPod, reading books, sleeping. I REFUSE to look at my phone and respond to text messages and emails. Fortunately I'm still employed.
study for the CFA and nap
catch up on some glorious sleep
try not to get accosted by one of the other thousands of people crammed into the subway car.
I either read the Financial Times or watch a Simpsons episode.
What to do on long commute (Originally Posted: 06/14/2010)
So I'll be commuting around 45 min. on the train starting next week, before I was only commuting 20 min.... What do you guys do on your long commutes?
I get a paperback that fits in a pocket, an iPod, a paper or magazine. I bought a cell (Droid) and a netbook with 3g so I can go on youtube and here. You can elect to do work, review files etc. Consider a Kindle or Nook.
I have a similar commute, and got the iPad. I read, review emails, etc. Also, WSJ on the iPad is great as well as the Financial Times.
wow you think 45 mins is a long commute? ive done 1.5... its miserable
I'm down in college in FL and have to fly up to CT on a regular basis almost every other week, it's a 5 hour affair, thank god for elite status. 45 minutes is not horrible, also it's on the train, my high school was 30 minutes away this really isn't too bad.
I wish I had a 45 minute commute. It takes me 2 hours to get to work.
sorry to those of you with longer commutes, 45 min is long for me
It's true that some people enjoy reading on a long commute. I must rather shamefully admit that I too was part of the common herd. However, being a man of taste and refinement I prefer a slightly more sophisticated and discerning pursuit. Mostly just staring at people, originally just young women but a true connoisseur must expand his pallet.
Men, women, the young and old, they all twitch uncomfortable as I peer at them from behind my copy of the FT with a large, silver dollar sized hole in it. You can do this standing or sitting and in either case, once it becomes apparent that they've realized what you are doing, you must edge even closer and violate more of their personal space. Closer and closer until they begin to feel claustrophobic. It's important that no part of your body touches the subject. This a social and psychological exercise.
About once every two weeks, I'll be by the doors on my train and edge closer and closer so that the unlucky subject has to press his/her body against the doors, so stifled by the uncomfortable scrutiny of my gaze. I've found it's easier to do this to the old and the short while young and fat people make the hardest targets. There is actually no difference among the genders or races.
Anyway, by pursuing this exciting, new past-time, I believe you will look forward to each and every trip.
Sleep
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