The morning commute. 

You sit there like a zombie, wishing you could be back in bed. It's just time you're never going to get back.

So don't waste it. Here are seven ways you can turn you daily commute into a productive and even (dare I say it?) enjoyable experience. 

1. Plan your day

Make a to do list for the day en route to work, so before you're even in the door you have one less thing to worry about. If you can, write down the things you need to get done for the day, because then you'll get that little hit of satisfaction as you cross off each task from the list.

2. Pay your bills

It's one of those things we tend to put off, but why leave it in the back of our minds when you could just get it out of the way? By doing it on your commute, you won't have to spend your precious free time dealing with this stuff.

3. Arrange plans for after work

The prospect of a day of work at the end of your commute is positively groan-inducing, so give yourself a little carrot on a stick to get through it by organising plans before work for after work. We all need a little something to look forward (especially on the first day back after a long weekend).

4. Catch up on reading

Use the time for intellectual growth, why don't ya. Read one of those novels that we're all supposed to read before we die, that's productive!

But if that sounds suspiciously like effort...

5. Listen to an audiobook

You can find tonnes of classic novels on YouTube channels like audiobooksfree, Greatest AudioBooks, and Macdui Audio Books. You can click here to listen to Moby Dick, and you'll never ever have to bother reading it. You're welcome.

6. Play games to sharpen your mind

Get your head in gear for the day with online brain training games. You can find free puzzles, maths problems, and word conundrums at the Mind Games website here.

7. Practice a second language

Download the Duolingo app and learn a new language. It currently offers 13 language courses including Spanish, German, Italian, and even Irish. And it's actually proven to work, with a recent independent study stating that using Duolingo for 34 hours is the equivalent of one university semester of language instruction.

To download the free app, click here.

READ NEXT: 17 Things You'll Recognise When You're An Irish Person Living Abroad