Hours spent between flights, when all you want is to be at your destination, do not need to feel wasteful. While long layovers offer a few hours or more to explore a bit of the city, this is not an option for shorter layovers. Here is what you can do instead.

If you are smack dab in the middle of a long day of travel, using a short layover to grab something to eat from the airport is a good use of time. If you only have a couple minutes to make it to your gate, grab a pre-made sandwich from a kiosk. If you have a little more time, your options open up considerably.

If eating is not on your list of priorities, find your departure gate. Once all settled in, use the time to charge your electronic devices for your next flight. This is also a good time to download any apps you might need over the next few hours. Airline apps offer in-flight entertainment and travel apps for arrival updates and anything else you might need during the flight should be downloaded before boarding.

Use your remaining time to be productive. You can catch up on work emails, hammer out a draft of your next short story or read a book to pass the time. If you’re really aching for something to do, grab a newspaper and catch up on current events. Before you know it, you will be in the air and on your way.