COMMUTERRIFIC: Part 4: Remember Makeup?
streamline
live more. do less.
The way I see it, if you are saddled with a long commute--as I am--you have to either find a way out of it or find a way to make it work for you. The last few posts have dealt with the ways that I've found to make the time on the commute work for me, and here's one last one: I use my commute to do some small tasks that I can't seem to find any other time to do: I brush my hair, I call the washing machine repair company, I listen to a good book.
We've all seen the woman careening down the road while applying her mascara. Don't be that woman. If you choose to take this approach to use your commute time, try to keep things in perspective. (I'm preaching to myself here, too.) It can be too easy to feel like you're adept at driving 70 mph, while answering a text message and slurping a Starbucks coffee. But I'm not and you're not. No one is. I try very hard to save dialing phones, opening the compact, and returning texts for stoplights. This approach is safer--the worst that can happen is that an impatient driver honks at you if you don't hit the gas soon enough--but it also makes you less frustrated about those stoplights. It's amazing how SHORT stoplights feel when I'm trying to get something done! Just make sure to keep your foot firmly on the brakes.
stoplights
otherwise known as: "The only time I can brush my hair"
COLLABORATE
They say that if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Applied to commuting, I would say this looks like checking out rideshare options like carpooling, Uber, Lyft or public van shares in your area. My workplace is so rural and so far that no one is going that way, and hiring a driver would be at least $100 a day (I've considered signing up to be a Lyft driver as a second job!). But for many people, ridesharing is a great option. Some rideshare companies now have services specifically for commuters, such as Lyft's Lyft Line and Uber's Uberpool
share the burden
use ridesharing or public transportation to commute
OPT OUT
If your job has any flexibility, consider talking to your supervisor about working from home one or two days a week. Even the most reluctant bosses might consider starting on a trial basis. Use virtual meeting platforms like Google Hangouts, Webex or Blue Jeans to be "present" for collective discussions even when you're not in the building (Hangouts gets extra points for being free). If working from home is not on the table, considering discussing alternative hours with your supervisor. Personally, if I can drive in at 6:15, my commute is smooth sailing as the sun comes up. An hour later, it's gridlock and gritted teeth. Could you come in a little earlier (or later) and leave a little earlier (or later) and avoid the worst traffic? Your drive might not take any less time, but you might be in a better state of mind when you arrive.
opt out
negotiate a work from home day
BREAK UP THE DRIVE
After a recent move, we had a difficult childcare situation that necessitated driving about forty minutes out of my way to drop my child at daycare until he was old enough to start a new one closer to our house. ind you, this 40 minutes was on top of my hour-plus commute. As the deadline for his first birthday approached, I anxiously awaited the time when this detour and extra time would be cut from my commute. But a funny thing happened. He started his new school and my commute seemed longer. Why?
In the morning, I had the comfort of my baby son snoozing in the back seat. But in the afternoon, he often cried the whole way home. What could be longer than a rush hour commute with a screaming baby?
I realized that the break from driving--where I got out of the car, snuggled my son and spoke to his teachers--actually made my drive seem shorter because it split it into two shorter drives. A commute can feel arduous because you're bored and physically tired. Your eyes are weary and your back is sore.
break up the drive
coffee solves everything
Now, I occasionally stop along the way to pick up a coffee or run a quick errand. This breaks up the drive and gives me a break (or a treat) that helps me get through the rest of the long road ahead. Other options might include stopping to hike a beautiful trail on your commute home or visiting a gym on the way home to work out.
Do you have tips for making the most of a long commute? Please share them in the Comments section!