Ideas to make a long commute more bearable

[Hobbes8]

I’ve just been offered a job that’s going to involve a long drive - 90ish minutes each way including a stretch of M25. I normally just have music in the car but fancy making better use of the time. Does anyone have any suggestions for good podcasts or anything else I could listen to? Is audible worth it? (and how much is it after the free trial finishes?). Are there any courses or things I could learn - languages or something?

I’m interested in politics (in a lefty social equality Polly Toynbee sort of a way) and feminism. I’ve done courses before in psychology. I like reading. But I’m also open to doing something completely different. Grateful for any suggestions.

[Daffodil2018]

Audible is totally worth it in my opinion. I listen to more books than I read these days.

The High Low is a good podcast that you'd probably enjoy.

[bollocksitshappenedagain]

Are you signed up to your local library? With mine you can borrow audio books free of charge.

[Cheerybigbottom]

My absolute favourite podcast is SYSK stuff you should know.

[JontyDoggle37]

Jason Graystone - Always Free. A really interesting look at money and it’s relationship in our lives

[CaptSkippy]

Your Are Not So Smart and Feminist Current are my favorite podcasts. I second PP's suggestions to get some audio books.

[CMOTDibbler]

I love Audible when I'm driving. I do the one credit a month which is £7.99, and you can get other books much cheaper if you've bought the kindle edition - so I have a list on Amazon of my books I want to read and check for them coming up on offer for 99p (more frequent than you'd think, and theres a daily email called kindofbook which tells you all the time limited discounts) and then get the Audible for a few quid.

The Audible free shows are very good

[DianaBlythe]

Ed Miliband - Reasons to be cheerful. Non party specific weekly discussion about political ideas. They usually have a really good selection of guests and then a comedian at the end. They’ve covered things like universal basic income, sortition, the role of private schools.

[Hobbes8]

Some awesome suggestions here! Thanks everyone.

[olderthanilookapparently]

Ok my podcast list an eclectic mix in no particular order......


Standard Issue
The guilty Feminist
Fortunately
This American Life
No such thing as a fish
Serial (start with season 1)
TED talks
Griefcast
Happy place
How to fail
Infinite Monkey Cage
Kitchen Cabinet
The Frank Skinner show
Woman's Hour
More or less
50 things
How I built this

[olderthanilookapparently]

Bugger promise they were in separate lines!!!

[Hobbes8]

They are in separate lines! Thanks - they should keep me going for a bit.

[ShadowKitty]

No Such Thing As a Fish is a great podcast by the 'QI Elves' - funny and really interesting. Audiobooks help my commute fly by too - a really gripping thriller has me looking forward to the drive home!

[chasingseagulls]

The Infinite Monkey Cage
Kermode and Mayo's Film review
Under the Skin (if you can stand Russell Brand, limited episodes because he's switched to a subscription platform now)
Revisionist History with Malcolm Gladwell
Feel Better Live More with Dr Chatterjee
Adam Buxton
Slow Burn
David Tennant Does a Podcast
RHLSTP with Richard Herring

[chasingseagulls]

I'm sort of jealous of the opportunity for 3hrs a day of uninterrupted listening, I adore podcasts and have learnt so much - and laughed a lot - since I started listening to them!

[KurriKawari]

If you have a kindle, then kindle unlimited includes audiobooks too.

[LadyMonicaBaddingham]

"All Killa No Filla" is a great podcast if you are interested in/fascinated by serial killers

[ShoeJunkie]

Other podcasts I enjoy that haven’t been mentioned yet;
Answer Me This
Stuff You Missed in History Class
Stuff Mom Never Told You

[ForalltheSaints]

Can you agree to one day a week working locally or at home? It would make it seem less of a chore.

[Hobbes8]

These are all brilliant suggestions, thank you!

chasingseagulls yes when I started job hunting further afield I was hoping for a train commute where I could get some decent reading done, so I’m hoping to recreate that feeling of making good use of the time.

KurriKawari I do have a kindle. I had a trial of kindle unlimited and then didn’t bother paying because I didn’t have enough tome to read, but I’ll definitely revisit this if I can get audio books. I can get a free trial of audible as well.

ForalltheSaints yes its quite normal in my field to work from home at least one day a week so that should break up the driving as well.

I was working pretty long hours in my last job with a 1 hour commute so I’m hoping the total time out of the house won’t be any worse.

Now I just have to figure out how to fit in some exercise. Is car yoga a thing? Should I invent it?