Fix your commute
It's more expensive than you think it is.
Why a full post on commuting? Well, it’s pretty bad. If your total commute per day is more than an hour, your odds of depression go up by 20%, your BMI is likely higher, and you will likely sleep less, which again affects willpower and all the other factors. Commute more than 1.5h per day, and your odds of divorce raise by 40%.
Also think of the time you spend traveling for work. Those “one-off commutes” can be even more disrupting to your health and relationships and in some jobs take more time than the commute itself.
How to fix it
Rethink your trade-off
In theory, we should be rational people who trade off commute time for higher salary so that in the end happiness is roughly the same. However it seems like that’s not true, and we’re consistently making bad trades, probably because we misjudge the costs of commuting.
Cost of your time: If you value your time at $50 per hour, and you commute for one hour each day, you spend more than $1k on commute per month assuming you commute ever day.
Time displacement: Your day only has 24 hours. If you spend 1-2 of those commuting, what else is getting cut? Sleep? Exercise? Seeing your friends? Time with your spouse?
Alternatives: Are there jobs closer to your home that might pay less but not as much as your commute cost? Can you move closer to your job? Travel less for work? Get paid more for the travel?
I travel to conferences a lot for work (marketing my startup). I’m realizing more and more that if I add up all the travel time around the events it’s probably not worth it. I’ll try doing the counterfactual math for the next one: What could I have done if I just worked all this time?
Christoph
Work remotely
For those with jobs that can be done remotely, often just cutting the commute entirely is easier. There is a perception that people working remotely are unhappier. People are happier working remote, as long as there are clear work-life boundaries and you have a social life outside of work.
Start small: I forgot the exact details but Tim Ferris had a manual for how to start working remotely in his 4-Hour Workweek book. It started by agreeing to a short remote work trial. In those trials, perform at your best, show that it works.
Build trust: By continuously showing that you get just as much or even more done from home, slowly build trust with your manager. You might even want to consider using tracking tools. It’s not about all-or-nothing, every day you save commuting you win back some of your time.
Consider a mini-commute: Commute is not all bad, it helps us shift gears mentally between work and life. If you work from home, consider going for a brief walk around the block or getting a co-working spot close to your house.
Make it better
Ok, so we tried to reduce commute as much as possible, what to do now about the commute that remains?
Bike: If you are lucky enough that the distance isn’t massive, consider taking your bike - you’ll get your daily exercise in without too much time lost. Win-win. Consider getting an e-bike for longer distances and less sweat.
Reduce stress: No matter how you are commuting, if you can take a route that’s slightly longer while much less stressful (e.g., less dangerous roads for cyclists, more predictable time for cars) that’s probably worth it.
Use the time: On your way to work, already think through your goals, structure your day mentally. On the way back, disengage from work by e.g., doing mindfulness exercises, listening to a podcast or calling a friend.
I try to take roads that are less busy for my commute. Reduces the risk from accidents and I arrive less stressed. Totally worth the few extra minutes it takes
Cameron
Small things to try
Do the math: How much time do you spend commuting? Include work travel.
Take one small step towards working more remotely
Think of one thing you could do to improve your commute
Try our new habit-building app
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