By the time this post goes live, I will have already made my 2-hour trek from Athens to Atlanta for the day. If you didn’t know, I’m interning with an organization in Atlanta every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday this semester, which means that I spend quite a bit of time in the car each week – 12 hours to be exact.
That’s a lot of time to spend driving, so it’s important that I feel like I’m getting the most out of my driving time. And it’s even more important that I keep myself entertained, because that keeps me alert and attentive. So I’m sharing some of my favorite things to listen to in the car, so that if you’re stuck on a long commute as well, you can use it productively!
1. Podcasts
I am such a podcast gal. I got into them this summer and am consistently finding more and more podcasts that I love. They’re a great way to keep up with things that you’re passionate about, listen to interviews with really interesting people, and generally find more inspiration.
A few of my favorites are…
- Girlboss Radio – I loved Sophia Amoruso’s book, so it’s totally expected that I’d fall in love with her podcast as well. She’s constantly interviewing amazing people (some recent ones were Rupi Kaur and Lilly Singh), and I love getting inspiration for my own personal #hustle. Plus, they just launched a new podcast called Self Service, which is all about different forms of self-care.
- Glowing Up – I just discovered this podcast a week or so ago, and I’m hooked. They bring in a ton of interesting guests to talk about a ton of beauty/health stuff.
- Harry Potter and the Sacred Text – The concept of this is actually so interesting. The podcasts hosts read Harry Potter like a “sacred text” – which basically means that they read through the chapter and attempt to glean any important life messages from it. So while the concept sounds kind of goofy, the podcast itself is incredibly enlightening. I’ve got the Harry Potter audiobooks, so I’ve been listening to a chapter of the books and then immediately listening to the accompanying podcast.
- Anything by Crooked Media – As a bit of a politics nerd, I love keeping up with current issues. Plus, the hosts of these shows are the type of people I want as my friends. They discuss domestic and international issues of importance, and I love being able to get a deeper understanding of these issues that I constantly see headlines about throughout my week.
2. Audiobooks
I honestly never thought I’d be the type of person to get into audiobooks. But they’re so helpful when you’re trying to use your car ride productively. I have a library card and check out my audiobooks from their digital database, but you can also get a subscription to Audible to get the same thing (plus, no waiting lists like you get with a library). If you’re like me and have a reading goal for the year, this is a great way to knock a few of those out.
3. TED Talks
This is kind of a spin-off of the podcast vibe, because you’re still learning about a topic that interests you, just in a one-off way instead of a repeated podcast show. I’m not committed enough to scientific topics to listen to a weekly show about them, but I do find some topics intriguing. For example, a really interesting TED talk on deep sleep. I’ve also been getting into some TED talks about leadership, since I’m getting a certificate from my college in Personal and Organizational Leadership.
A few of my recent favorites are…
- Dan Gartenberg: The brain benefits of deep sleep – and how to get more of it
- James Veitch: This is what happens when you reply to a spam email
- Dan Pink: The puzzle of motivation
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story
4. Music
Sometimes, listening to someone talking just doesn’t cut it. Maybe you’re a bit tired, or just feeling like you’re in a midday slump. That’s when I turn the music on, and turn my car ride into a full-blown karaoke session. To see what I’m currently jamming out to, check out my Spotify!
Happy driving!
xo, Taylor
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