#CareerCounsel: Don't dread your commute

Ah the work commute! When deciding on a new job, the commute is often taken into consideration before accepting the offer. Some of us might have a great commute, while others are so close to work they can walk ten minutes from door to door.

However, there might be a few out there who really dread their morning commute. What happens when you love your job, but hate the journey there? It can actually affect the rest of the day a lot more than you think it can if you let the rush hour get to you. #CareerCounsel is here to help!

A quick insight

We covered the topic of geography & travel in our 2015 ecommerce salary survey. We found that 46% of respondents had a commute of up to 45 minutes. That’s not a long time at all. However, a small yet significant 2% had a commute of more than 2 hours each way. We’re looking forward to seeing what has changed in this year’s survey, so please do take part and share your insights.

How to view your commute differently

If your commute is a less favoured part of your day, perhaps you’re allowing routine to take over. Here’s how to shake the routine up a little:

• Do you always grab a Metro in the morning for some reading material? It is a great distraction, but it’s well known we all have our habits when it comes to newspapers/magazines. There are some pages we actively seek out, and others we will always skip over. Simply read a page you might not usually, to learn a new fact for the day.
• Other reading material will be a good way to immerse yourself in something other than a crowded train or bus. Look around on your next commute for those reading a fiction novel and you’ll soon notice they are content with the distraction.
• A friend of the pandas gave us a very unique piece of advice when we were discussing the commute over a coffee. She explained that approaching the commute like a tourist will really open your eyes to the many differences in what you might see as a repetitive routine. Pay attention to different things like the stations you use, the buildings you pass on foot and generally keep an open mind. You will soon admire the many quirks of where you are, take in architecture you ignore as you rush to work and learn to appreciate the ignored aspects of your commute.

What not to do 

Well, this post is called ‘Don’t dread your commute’, so definitely don’t do that. If that seems easier said than done, here are things to avoid in order to maintain a relaxed mind for the commute and the working day.

• Try to avoid doing extra work on every commute. Once in a while, you might want to read over something or make sure a document is perfect which is completely fine. Just don’t make a habit of it or you’ll soon see the commute as an extension of the working day. On the way home especially, it’s a time to unwind and clear your mind.
• Don’t rush. Leaving your home with a ‘rushed’ mind set will trigger a chain reaction that will affect your mood for the whole day if the slightest part of the commute doesn’t go to plan. For example, a train stands on the platform and you miss it by seconds. Such a small thing shouldn’t matter if you give yourself time to take the commute at a calmer pace. If you haven’t, then the missed train will get to more than it should. 

So, ecommerce superstars, there are ways to make your commute more than just a rushed and crowded panic. If you enjoyed this #CareerCounsel post, you can find all the other contributions right here.