In this post:
- Commuting is a sad fact of life
- How to deal with your long commute
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Commuting is a sad fact of life
Did you know that the average commute time in America is 25.4 minutes? Wait, I think a few major cities, particularly on the West Coast, must have been left out of this survey because my commute is nearly an hour and a half BOTH ways. I always used to, in a way, scoff at people who complained that their commute was 45 minutes, an hour, an hour and 10, a jaw dropping hour and a half… To me, the answer seemed so simple in my younger, more carefree days: move closer or get another job. Problem solved!
Well, living and working is a lot more complicated than that, as I quickly found out in my transition to corporate America. Living close to your job isn’t always feasible. The area may be less than desirable to live in, or alternatively, it may be astronomically expensive. Or, there may not be any decent housing nearby. And if you have a significant other you live with, they may be commuting in the entirely opposite direction from you, so you somehow end up in the middle between the two workplaces (although you secretly resent the fact that you’re a couple miles closer to his work than yours).
Commuting sucks, and there’s no sugar coating it. Hm. Speaking of sugar, did you know that driving over 10 miles each way to and from work is associated with higher blood sugar? And that’s not the only thing that rises. Cholesterol, risk of depression, and anxiety have all been found to be positively correlated with a longer commute. Conversely, your happiness and life satisfaction have been found to decline with more time spent in the car. Sad, huh? And lastly, and probably the effect that I experience the most frequently, is that it negatively affects your sleeping patterns. Compared to my days of shorter commutes, my sleep is much more fitful and restless.
Given this sad report from this Negative Nancy, you’re probably thinking that my next piece of advice is to “Duh! Quit your job already!” Well, I wish it were that simple and that it was an actually viable solution for everyone. But alas, long commutes are the reality of our day and age.
So, the good news? There are actually several ways to combat the negative effects of a too-long commute. Below are a few ways that I’ve made the most of my time spent in the car.
How to deal with your long commute
Use it as a time to catch up with family or friends. This is one of the best time fillers and pick me ups that I’ve found, as well, particularly after a stressful day at work. Though my family and friends live hundreds of miles away from me, I am in regular contact with all of them. I make it a point to talk to at least one family member every night on my way home from work, as well as a good friend. This way, I know that despite the miles and the stress of my job, I’m keeping my relationships strong, and that’s always a positive note to end on every day.
Listen to podcasts. I’ve only recently gotten into podcasts, but they’re pretty awesome in making the most of a dull, bumper-to-bumper drive. I have a bit more exploring to do yet, but my favorites include TED Talks Daily (of course), the Hidden Brain (super eye opening to listen to, especially in the morning when I’m still trying to wake up), and for when I need a laugh? Anna Faris is Unqualified.
Listen to Audiobooks. I’ve “read” a number of books this way, thanks to audiobooks. Although I would prefer to read an actual book, this is definitely the next best thing. The books I’ve read recently include The Nightingale (made me shamelessly bawl, and yes, while driving), The Zookeeper’s Wife (beautifully written and also made me cry), and Finding Rebecca. Clearly, I enjoy reading war era books.
