Nobody enjoys their daily commute. It’s one of the hardest parts about work, and it can be quite tedious at best, stressful at worst. So, how can you make your daily commute easier? While it’s not possible to completely get rid of this inconvenience, there are ways you can make your commute more pleasant and take away some of the stress.
Table of Contents
Consider a different mode of transport
If you’re sick of sitting in traffic in your car, why not consider a different mode of transport? Many people are switching to mopeds and motorbikes, which make it easier to zip through traffic on busy days. Visit a dealership such as Wheels Motorcycles and consider switching to two wheels. This can save you money, make your commute faster, and even make it a lot more fun! People who drive through cities may find the switch especially useful.
Find ways to pass the time in traffic
The worst thing about being stuck in traffic is that you can’t read or scroll through your phone. But there are a few things you can do:
- Listen to audiobooks
- Download podcasts
- Download a language learning app
- Make voice notes on your phone and plan your day
Of course, your focus needs to be on the road, and you shouldn’t mess with your phone, but when you are stopped, you can use voice commands to their full advantage.
See if your work will offer flexible working
COVID had a lot of negative repercussions, but one positive that came from it is that employers are becoming much more flexible about working location. While you may not want to work from home every single day, a hybrid working model could potentially mean you only have to commute two or three days a week. You’ll need to have a good work from home setup so that you can easily move between the office and home, but otherwise, most roles can easily be adapted for this kind of working.
Change your times
Flexible working sometimes allows for different hours outside the usual nine to five. If possible, consider setting off an hour earlier, or later, and avoiding the worst of the traffic. You can then reclaim your mornings or evenings and spend less time in the car.
See if you can claim on expenses
While getting some money back won’t make your commute less stressful, it’s a nice bonus and at least you won’t be worried about paying out for petrol when you’re idling! You can claim tax relief on job expenses, although this doesn’t usually include commuting. However, some workplaces now offer bonuses for those who commute into the office, whether that’s through cheap lease cars or even fuel cards or cash. It’s worth checking with HR to see what benefits you might be missing out on.
Unless you really love driving, commuting is not much fun. You can’t completely remove the stress that comes with commuting, but you can make things easier on yourself, either by changing the way you commute, or finding coping strategies for it.