How to Cope with a Long Commute
Posted July 6th, 2015
It may not come as a big shock to learn that long commutes to work can negatively impact your attitude and quality of life. Research is showing that commutes have impacts in a number of areas.
People with longer commutes experience a real sense of time wasted and activities that they are missing. They usually feel that they have to rush to get done the things they need to. Studies show, however, that people who were able to make time for physical activity, like going to the gym or running, were able to improve their sense of well being.
Studies also have shown that long commutes affect peoples’ health as well. Those who spent more time in the car were more likely to have cardiovascular problems, higher blood pressure, more stress, less energy, and to be overweight. This in part is due to the fact that they did not exercise regularly.
Longer commutes also affect social life. Those with longer commutes spend less time with friends and family. They participated less in social activities, were less likely to attend their children’s school events and eat dinner with the family. Those with commutes 90 minutes or longer suffered most in this area.
But, if you have a long commute, and little opportunity to make a change in the near future, there is still hope. You can derive some benefit from a longer commute depending on your attitude toward it, in other words, if you make some attempt to use the time constructively.
You can, for example, use the commute time to get yourself mentally ready for work in the morning and to decompress from work in the evening. On the way to work, you can mentally review in your mind what tasks you have for the day, what to prioritize, and how to approach them. On the way home, you can use the time to let your mind disassociate from work, to get some distance from work.
There are other ways to get some benefit from a commute as well. Listening to music is one way to counter stress. Many people also turn the commute into a learning experience by listening to books on tape.
If you are looking for work in the San Francisco Bay area, Bayside Solutions can help you find a job that is right for you. Bayside specializes in science and technology jobs, such as engineering and information technology. Give Bayside a call today and see how we can help you.
