Thursday, January 12, 2012

Work-life balance: Commuting (for the ears)



Some days, especially in the evening,  I don't relish the nausea of trying to train myself to read. On those days, it's time for me to spend some quality time with my iPod. I've also discovered that it's easier for me to get into a groove with my work if I'm listening to music, so I have to make the most of my four gigs. Here's how I'm doing it so far.

1. Make special playlists.

Everything from a perky "Wake Up!" playlist to a calming end-of-the-day meditation mix could be finding a place in my collection of tunes soon. I also like lists for special occasions, from a dance recital to Hallowe'en.

2. Listen to a podcast.
I've downloaded one so far, and on Sunday I'll be searching through recordings of The Vinyl Cafe and Made of Fail. I'm also curious about The Moth, Grammar Girl, TEDThis American Life, 4PP, and QuackCast.

3. Storytime.
Audiobooks and short stories are another thing I want to try out. As Becca pointed out in the comments section, novels might be harder to follow than nonfiction. I'm starting with a short story by Neil Gaiman to see how I fare.

4. Learn a language.
Find language recordings to listen to, or...

5. Make friends.
Meet someone who speaks a foreign language! My "bus buddy" happens to be Egyptian, and I get to practise my Arabic a little bit. Bus buddies do not have to be all business, however. It's fun just to talk about your day or common interests.

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