What if your daily commute could set the tone for a more focused, confident, and productive day? Not in the vague, self-help sense, but in the very real, tangible way that changes how you walk into a room, how you feel about your time, and how much mental energy you have left by 6 pm.
It’s not just about avoiding traffic or squeezing in an audiobook. It’s about taking control of that slice of your day that so often gets written off as “just travel time.” The most successful people treat every part of their routine with intention. The commute is no different.
Reframe How You See the Commute
The first step is ditching the mindset that the commute is a necessary evil. That kind of thinking turns your morning into a countdown to stress. When you treat that time as disposable, you’re basically giving away up to two hours of your day without any return.
Instead, think of it as your personal transition zone. This is your space to set boundaries, reset your mindset, and prepare yourself for the demands ahead, or unwind before stepping back into personal life. That shift alone can make your mornings and evenings feel less like a drain and more like a reset button.
Get Intentional With Your Time
This doesn’t mean you need to cram your commute full of productivity hacks. It’s about choosing how you want to spend it, rather than defaulting to doom-scrolling or staring blankly out the window.
You could use that time to:
- Reflect – Think through your priorities for the day or decompress from meetings and decisions.
- Listen – A curated playlist, a podcast that inspires you, or even silence—choose what supports your mood.
- Learn – If your energy allows, this could be the time to explore a topic you’ve been wanting to dig into.
- Reset – Close your eyes (as a passenger), focus on your breathing, and let the outside noise melt away.
The point isn’t to squeeze productivity into every minute. It’s to be deliberate about how that time serves you.
Why CEOs Often Choose Chauffeurs
Here’s something you’ll notice among high-level professionals: they rarely drive themselves during work-related travel unless they have to. Instead, they use chauffeurs, and it’s not about status; it’s about efficiency, energy, and clarity.
Hiring a chauffeur changes the dynamic of the commute completely. It gives you back time, but more than that, it reduces the mental load. You’re not thinking about directions, parking, or other drivers. You’re free to think, read, reply, prepare, or rest.
This isn’t just for the boardroom crowd. Even if you’re early in your career or running a solo venture, bringing in a chauffeur for specific days (think important meetings, long days, or trips where you need to arrive fresh) can have a major impact. It’s one of those things that feels like a luxury, but functions like a strategy.
You wouldn’t expect a surgeon to arrive in theatre already drained from navigating traffic. So why should you show up to an important pitch or decision-making session in that state?
Create a Consistent Routine
The beauty of commuting like a CEO is that it removes unnecessary decisions. The more predictable and well-structured your routine, the more headspace you save for the work that actually matters.
That might mean:
- Leaving at the same time every day to avoid variability in traffic or train schedules
- Having a go-to outfit or uniform for commuting comfort and confidence
- Setting up your bag, water bottle, headphones, and charger the night before
- Knowing where you’ll stop for coffee or whether you’re having breakfast before you go
These small things reduce friction. When your routine runs smoothly, your brain is freed up to focus on priorities, not logistics.
Protect Your Headspace
Let’s not ignore the emotional part of commuting. The transition between your personal life and work life is often a crash landing if you’re not careful.
Being squashed on a train or stuck behind roadworks can spike your stress before your day has even begun. One way CEOs buffer themselves from that chaos is by building protective rituals around the journey.
This could look like:
- A short breathing exercise as soon as you sit down
- A “no work email until I’m 10 minutes from the office” rule
- A certain track or playlist that helps shift your mindset from home to work (and back again)
You don’t have to be running a company to protect your mental state like one. These kinds of boundaries help you stay centred, instead of carrying the noise of the commute into the rest of your day.
When Public Transport Is Part of the Plan
If your commute involves trains, tubes, or buses, that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. You can still elevate how you approach it.
Noise-cancelling headphones, a good book, and a seat near the window can go a long way. You might even build a ritual of journaling on your notes app or mapping out your top three priorities for the day.
Even walking between connections can become intentional. Instead of rushing, slow your pace slightly and use those steps as time to prepare mentally or wind down after a packed workday.
The key is not where you are, but how you show up in that moment.
Start Small, Stay Sharp
You don’t need a blacked-out car and full-time driver to start commuting like a CEO. What matters is how you approach the time.
Even making one small shift, like choosing to listen to something nourishing instead of default noise, or experimenting with a once-a-week chauffeur, can make a big difference in your clarity and calm.
Over time, these habits compound. You arrive more grounded. More ready. More in control.
And the best part? You don’t have to wait until you’re a CEO to start moving like one. It begins with a decision, and it starts the next time you step out of your front door.
