Rush hour is turning into every hour.
The fight for fully remote jobs is dead, but a small victory for many employees has been a flexible schedule. A 9-to-5 doesn’t necessarily mean being at the office from 9-to-5.
But with no standard arrival or departure times, people’s non-traditional commutes have meant we’re sitting in traffic or on congested trains no matter what time of day it is, writes BI’s Juliana Kaplan.
The distance people travel to get to work is also on the rise, which could be why they’re keen to leave the office early. In 2024, 9.3% of workers traveled an hour or more to work compared to 7.7% in 2021.
That statistic seems likely to keep rising as young people seeking affordable homes move farther from metropolitan hubs.
As a card-carrying member of the suburban commuters, I’m here to help.
I’ve got a roughly 80-minute commute that includes a car, a train, and a subway. Couple that with two little ones at home and a spouse who also commutes, and I’m well aware of the importance of commutemaxxing.
Here’s my advice:
Failure to prepare is preparing to fail: Outfit picked. Work bag packed. Gas tank full. Put the work in the night before so you can leave less to chance the morning of.
Know the ebbs and flows of your commute: I know what time I need to turn off my street to beat a local bus that’ll slow me down. I know the right spot to mobile-order my Starbucks coffee so it’s ready when I arrive. Turning your commute into a formula might only save you a little bit of time, but it adds up to a lot.
Don’t leave your bag on an open seat in a crowded train: This isn’t really a commuting tip. I just hate people who do this. Don’t think that’ll stop me from asking to sit there.
Get those steps in: Sneaking in a bit more walking on your way to work can do wonders for your fitness and longevity. Maybe take the stairs (within reason) or opt for the long route on your way in.
Don’t run for that train: I know I said get some exercise in, but not like this. No one wants to see you pull a hammy in the middle of Grand Central Terminal.
Leave some work for the ride home: Nothing makes a commute go by faster than having to wrap up some stuff on the train ride home. This is a bit trickier for people driving, but maybe that’s where AI comes into play. Build an AI agent that you can dictate end-of-day tasks to.
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