How To Use Your Smartphone To Stay Entertained On Long Trips

When you’ve set off on a long journey, perhaps for work or maybe just to see a friend, you naturally want to make the journey worthwhile. Instead of just killing time, you want to make your trip productive and enjoyable.

Luckily, with an iPhone in your hand, the possibilities are vast. Podcasts, e-books, music libraries and productivity tools all offer something to keep your mind occupied. If you’re getting stuck in with digital entertainment, here’s how to get things right while you’re on the move.

Curate a journey playlist

Making your own playlist and podcast queue for the journey will help you to get ready for the adventure – and enjoy it in a way that feels right to you.

Get organised ahead of time by downloading albums, audiobooks and podcast episodes so that you don’t need to rely on mobile network coverage. If you’re going on a road trip with friends and family, creating themed playlists (and switching between them) will allow you to set the tone.

Whether you’d rather create an exciting buzz, sing along to your favourite musical hits or simply chill to some lo-fi, it’s worth building a few options for the perfect soundtrack.

Make the time more productive

Having a phone with you can do so much more than just keep you entertained. You could use it to catch up on learning, especially if you can access pre-recorded lectures or log into language learning apps.

If you need something to keep your mind occupied, you could spend the time planning the rest of your trip and looking for great places to explore. These small bursts of productivity could lead to discoveries that you’ll be excited to share with your travel companions.

Just don’t forget to download any apps you use before you hit the road.

Take time to rest and relax

You should pause your journey every few hours to stay focused and content. With some smart timing, you can align smartphone-based entertainment with the rhythm of your journey.

During longer stops or rest breaks, you can make the downtime more engaging by playing a quick round of bingo using a smartphone app. These portable answers to entertainment make all the difference to help break up a longer journey.

Otherwise, why not use some noise-cancelling headphones and listen to some music or podcasts on your own for a while? Afterwards, you can go back to sharing the tunes with everyone else.

Balance connectivity with safety

Finally, it’s worth getting to grips with some key practicalities if you’ll be using the internet on the move. Whether you’re commuting or taking a road trip with friends, it’s worth staying safe and sensible.

Just a few ideas for seamless, connected travel might include:

Downloading offline maps – so that even if your signal drops out in a remote area, you can still reach your destination without stress.
Turning off notifications – constant sounds and pop-ups can distract you from the adventure. Enjoy the moment and switch off properly.
Stay hands-free – if you’re sharing the driving, make sure that you’ve got a safe and legal setup behind the wheel.

In the UK, the laws are very strict on using a phone while driving. Keeping it securely mounted is imperative, and if you need to use the screen at all, make sure to pull over in a safe place and turn off the engine.

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