Making the most of traffic time

Illogically long commutes thanks to Dhaka traffic is nothing new for us. No matter what we do (pray, curse, voodoo), traffic jams aren't going away any time soon. Most of us moan and groan about how Dhaka has become unfit to live in, but the smart ones make use of this idle time and make it as productive as any working hour at the desk. In fact, armed with smartphones and mobile data, you need nothing more than a little willpower to make those excruciating hours worthwhile. Below are a few ways to make your time on the road more productive. 

Tele-meetings/Conference calls

I know several busy executives who schedule work in such a way that most lengthy phone calls, teleconferences can be done during commute. This lets them make best use of idle time and allocate desk time to functional activities. Few prerequisites like privacy, no or little noise disruption do apply, but it's not impossible unless you drive yourself.

Virtual socialising

Used intelligently, Facebook can be a great tool for business networking, product promotion, brand activation, etc. However, if you're looking for sites tailored to corporate themes, there's LinkedIn.com. It's been years since Linkedin.com has established itself as the networking cum job hunting joint in corporate world. There's also Ello.com, a zero-ad social networking site launched in 2014. Whatever your preference, there are dedicated apps to help you network through these sites today.

Learn a new language

Knowing an extra language goes a long way from just having an extra line in your resume. It broadens your mindset and gives you fresh, new perspectives. Fortunately these days you can learn a new language while you're stuck in that mile-long tailback. Smartphone apps like Duolingo are very easy to use and can cater to rookies and advanced users alike. Offering mostly European languages, Duolingo has many incremental levels, which can be modified according to time and learning speed. And the best part, it's free. Even, Bill Gates used it. There are other apps too like Rosetta Stone, Buusuu, ChineseSkills, Memrise etc. Take your pick.

Earn a degree

Yes, you've read it right. Now you can earn a university degree right from your smartphone. Sites and apps like Coursera.org, let you enroll, attend and complete (with semester credits) courses ranging from literature, robotics to entrepreneurship from top universities around the world. There are lectures, quizzes, assignments and even final tests just like attending a physical university. If your focus is not earning a degree, there's Khan Academy, Udemy, Alison, 360training.com based on different aspects of learning. And yes, most of these are free.

Read

Reading is the most significant workout you can give your brain on a daily basis. We all know this and most of us list reading as a favorite pastime. However, we also complain that we hardly get anytime to indulge in this hobby. So next time you are stuck in Farmgate or Banani, dive right into your favourite fiction, documentary or articles. No need to carry books anymore, your phone in fact is a better alternative. There are electronic editions (epub, mobi, pdf and audiobooks) of almost all popular bestsellers, which you can download from directly from the internet onto your phone. Those who still complain that reading on the go makes them nauseous can install TTS+ (a text to speech plugin), this will read the book to you in your preferred voice, speed, pitch and accent.

Good news is that this list covers only the tiniest portion of tasks that can be achieved through the combination of smartphone, internet and time. As newer and better technologies emerge there are even better ways to equip ourselves with latest knowledge and skills. So next time you notice traffic at a standstill, you know how to make the precious minutes count.

The writer works in the Supply Chain Department of Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd. He can be reached at ibrahim.rizwan@gmail.com