Whether you’re riding with a friend, you’re taking the bus, or you have called an Uber, you want your driver to focus on the road. Especially when driving on congested and crowded roads, as it can increase your chances of experiencing an accident.

However, if you’re a passenger and not the driver, there’s no reason for you to focus so closely on what’s happening on the road! Use the time you spend as a passenger in someone else’s vehicle to do one of the productive things on this list.

Catch up on Your Email

One of the quickest, easiest, and most satisfying things you can do while you’re a passenger is catch up on your email. If you do it on your way to work or at some point during the weekend, you can get started as soon as you get to the office instead of starting your workday by combing through your emails.

You can simply go through your email, deleting messages, and filing others away for later, but sitting in a car is a good opportunity to go through some of those other emails you haven’t addressed yet. Answer that email that’s been sitting in your inbox for a week or finally unsubscribe to all those newsletters you get that you don’t want.

The one email task you may want to avoid while you’re a passenger is answering weighty messages, unless they only require a few words’ worth of a response. Typing out a lengthy message on a cell phone can be a pain, while a bumpy ride can make typing on a laptop difficult.

Make a To-Do List

Riding along as a passenger is a good time to do some of the things that you may put off during the day, like writing a to-do list.

When you’re busy, it’s easier to fly by the seat of your pants, but that’s a surefire way to get to the end of the day and realize there’s something you forgot to do.

Sitting in a car or the bus gives you a chance to focus and think about what exactly it is that you need to get done personally and professionally. Because you have the time, you’ll find you’re able to make a better to-do list, and you’ll be able to better prepare for a busy day if you’ve got one ahead of you.

Post on Social Media

Have a social media account with a sizeable following? Or maybe you’re in charge of marketing a product or a service? Consider posting while you’re riding!

Quick updates are easy to type into platforms like Facebook and Twitter, but you may also want to consider taking a video. A lot of TikTockers and YouTube stars like to record videos inside cars. Not only does it provide you with a relatively quiet atmosphere to record, it’s also an everyday activity that your followers will connect with. Talk about the traffic, interview the other passengers you’re riding with, or simply catch your followers up on what’s going on in your life.

Learn Something New

Learning can happen anywhere at any time, but at no more time in history has that been more true than now. There are many remote classes you can take online, enabling you to earn your degree on the go. That’s not all! There’s plenty you can learn on YouTube too!

Just a few things you can learn while sitting in the car include how to:

  • Speed read
  • Say hello in any language
  • Tie a tie
  • Survive a shark attack
  • Improve your handwriting
  • Whistle with your fingers
  • And much more!

Talk to Your Driver

Don’t make the mistake of thinking the only way to be productive is to get a head start on your work for the day. Consider talking to your driver!

If a friend or family member is driving you, talking to them could help keep them awake and alert, providing you with a safer ride. If you’re riding in an Uber, Lyft, or inside a cab, you can talk too. It doesn’t have to be small talk either. There are some great topics you can bring up that will enable you to have a great conversation with someone you just met.

Talking to someone can be a great way to pass the time, but it can be enlightening too. You could learn something new, you could make a new professional connection, and you could simply make a new friend!

Call and Catch up With Someone Else

If you’re on a long trip or if you’re on the subway and don’t have a driver to talk to, you can call and talk to someone else.

Most of us have at least one phone call we have been putting off. Whether we haven’t caught up with a parent in a while or there’s a friend you have been meaning to call, doing it while you’re a passenger is a great way to kill some time while checking something off of your to-do list.

Do a Little Daydreaming

Most people don’t consider daydreaming productive. Nothing could be further from the truth!

There are some wonderful benefits associated with daydreaming that include:

  • Boosting your creativity
  • Practicing certain emotions, like open mindedness
  • Working on your memory skills
  • Reducing levels of stress and anxiety
  • Exercising different areas of your brain

Daydreaming also provides you with the ability to unplug from your everyday life. When you daydream regularly, you can actually return to your normal life activities with more passion and focus. Because you can daydream about anything and everything, it’s likely to make you happier too!

If you spend a lot of time riding in a car or a bus, don’t let that time go to waste. Whether you’re riding with a friend, taking an Uber, or you’re on the subway, there are many different things you can do that will help you get a leg up at work, bust stress, feel connected, and more!