Zoning Out During Your Commute and Other 'In-Between' Times Is Actually Making You Less Happy Use these three strategies for making the most of buffer zones like commutes.

I used to think of my commute as an opportunity to fully disconnect — to do anything but work. I'd listen to music or podcasts or get my daily social media fix. I'd look out the window and daydream. Then, upon arriving at the office, I'd put on my productive work hat. The trouble was that there was no easy transition between the two mindscapes.

We often think of commuting and other "in-between" hours as dead zones that we can fill with leisurely activity, but, according to 2019 Harvard Business School research, doing purely pleasurable things on the way to the office actually makes it harder to transition into work mode and may ultimately leave you feeling gloomy about your job — and even more likely to quit!

In my role as CEO of Jotform, I've taken this data to heart, and come up with something of a life hack. Today, I treat those buffer zones as, at least ideally, akin to easing into a hot bath rather than plunging into a cold pool and have been witness to resulting differences in motivation and productivity.

Some strategies for using your commute and other in-between times to get a leg up on productivity — and feel better about your job.

Related: The Coolest Way to Commute Is Less Expensive Than Ever

Clarify priorities

It's no secret that commutes, at least generally, aren't tasks looked forward to. Those same Harvard Business School researchers found that one of the reasons people dislike commutes so much is "role ambiguity." They found that people are in limbo between their roles at home and the office on the way to work. With a lack of a clear objective, they have the uneasy feeling of being unsure of what to do.

This is where an established routine can come in handy. Whether I'm working in our Ankara or San Francisco office, my commute routine always starts with setting priorities for the day. The overarching goal is to do as much meaningful work as possible — projects and tasks that move the needle for my career and business — while minimizing busy work. This process requires being relentlessly selective about where I focus time and clarifying priorities to be more productive in ways that matter.

At Jotform, my big-picture goals are hiring great people, designing our vision and strategy and helping users work more productively. These goals inform daily priorities, too. If an activity falls outside these areas, I do my best to automate, delegate or eliminate it.

Related: Everyone Wants Meaningful Work. But What Does That Look Like, Really?

Create a map of the day

With these priorities in mind, take time to segment the workday. This will not only allow you to use time more efficiently, it might even boost your job satisfaction.

Those same Harvard Business School academicians looked at 443 participants who commuted an average of 52 minutes. Part of the study took the form of giving some of them a prompt to use travel time to focus on goals and make plans for the impending workday. The rest were told to do something they enjoyed, like listening to music or scrolling social media. The results were surprising: The first group reported significantly higher levels of job satisfaction and reduced intention of leaving their jobs.

If that isn't convincing enough, another study involving British and American workers found that spending at least some of their commutes planning in this way left them feeling more prepared, happier, more energetic and more productive.

First, I block out time for focused and creative tasks (usually as soon as I arrive at my desk), like collaboration and interviewing potential hires. Then, I factor in anticipated busy work (replying to emails, confirming meetings, etc.) and pencil that in between other and more important tasks.

Related: How to Navigate Challenging Times by Tapping Into Your Creativity

Break down big projects into smaller ones

One of the barriers to making headway on important projects is the perception that we need large swaths of time to accomplish them. In a perfect world, we'd be able to block out a day for writing an article or preparing a presentation, but in reality, urgent meetings pop up, and client issues can't be ignored. That's why it's important to squeeze in focused and uninterrupted work whenever possible.

One strategy for making headway during in-between time is to break down projects into more digestible chunks. Maybe you can't write the entirety of an article between meetings, but you can complete some of the research, or perhaps interview one of the sources. Once you tick items off a list, momentum is built, and an otherwise overwhelming task seems more attainable.

Related: Reach New Levels of Productivity By Treating Your Personal Life Like a Work Project