6 Fun Things to Do When You are Stuck in Heavy Traffic

I live in Nigeria and stay in a region that is known for one of the worse traffic in the world.; you could literarily be stuck in it up to six hours as you commute to and fro the office.

Initially, I would join other commuters to grumble or sleep when we got into the heart of the traffic, but after a while, I realised grumbling wasn't achieving anything as the traffic still continued. I decided to be more productive instead and try to do things that are fun instead.

I came up with a few and they have literarily changed my life for the better.

That said, here are

1. Make Money

It seemed funny that I could make money while stuck in traffic, but I discovered thus was possible and have been making money (even if it isn't such a huge amount) every single month.

There are tons of ways to make money online and you will find a few that are to your taste and suited to your skill set if you searched.

Few weeks after starting a new job, I discovered a third-party site, Opera News Hub that paid writers for writing on the site. The beauty about this site is that, like hubpages, you get paid per click (view) and since it already is a known brand with millions of monthly viewership, this meant I could get several thousand clicks in a matter of days without breaking too much sweat.

Another thing that didn't hurt writing on the site is that you aren't required to write lengthy blog posts. Posts are capped at 150 words minimum, which means you can do several all within the time you are stuck in traffic.

Your earnings for the month get to your Opay account (which you get by downloading the Opay app from Google Play store and registering with your phone number). It really is a very simple way to earn a side income every month.

2. Read

If you love reading, you could also use this time to catch up on your reading.

There are tons of things you can read; from educational articles and entertaining blog post pieces, to romantic stories, the list is endless.

Whatever your taste, escape into the world created by the writer by searching out sites that offer such free reading.

Some good ones you can use include:

- Okadabooks
- Penpee
- Bookbub
- Book Riot
- Wattpad

3. Watch Some Videos

Another fun thing I do whenever I find myself stuck in traffic is go over to a movie app on my phone and binge watch on short movies.

Sometimes, I pre-download these movies so I never get hit with bad network that could disrupt the smooth flow of my movie.

This is actually my favourite way to kill time in traffic. I have tried them all and while I can vouch they all work great, movies seem to have the added advantage of completely shutting out the outside world. I usually have my earpiece with me and this blocks out any sound or disturbance from blaring horns or noisy passengers.

4. Start a Course

I have started and finished a few courses this way and yes, I also got the certifications to go with them.

Now, while I can't claim I did the entire course in traffic as I continued much later, especially on weekends, the bulk of these courses was done in traffic.

I did these courses online on a few sites and also via WhatsApp, all with the same amazing results.

5. Socialize

If you're bored, then you can turn your phone into a medium for socializing.

Since most of us are busy with work and other cares of life, utilizing this time in traffic to keep in touch with friends and family would be a good idea.

You can start chats, respond to those left during the course of the day or just put a call through to a friend you haven't spoken to in a long while, just ensure you keep the wheel of communication regularly oiled.

6. Start a Blog

If you have extensive knowledge on a subject and some idea of search engine optimization (seo), then you can start a blog, monetize it and get started making money on the side too.

The good news with blogging is that your income grows the more you work at it and soon, it could replace your main source of income.

You should know though, that while you can carry out your research and write these blog posts in traffic, it won't be an easy feat. However, if you are determined, it can be done.

Once you have a few great articles published, you should consider monetizing and make money off of your effort. A good way to earn from a new blog is to sign up for the Google Adsense programme. However, because this programme has a really strict acceptance policy, you want to make sire your blog meets all the criteria, a few of which include:

- Having at least 10 quality blog posts of reasonable lengths (you want to ensure they are 1,500 words long and above).

- Write on just one niche or idea.

- Have some few important pages like About Us, Contact Us and Privacy Policy set up.

- Ensure your blog design is attractive and the blog itself user-friendly.

- Ensure you remove ads of every other network from your blog.

- Publish posts frequently.

Once you have these criteria met, you should apply and wait for your site to be approved. It usually takes about three weeks to get approved or otherwise but could take longer.

Once you get in, you can continue to blog while you earn money from an effort done while stuck in traffic

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