4 ms·

Commutes also cost the one thing we can't get back; time.

heavyset_go 5y ago
Sometimes people say they're making a time trade off for more money, and plan to use that money to buy more time. While money is fungible, time is not. You can't buy more time with your kids while they're young if they're already grown. You can't buy more time with someone who has passed away. And you can't buy your way out of missed opportunities in your personal life, once they've gone they're gone.
- warkdarrior 5y ago
  I would rather pay the maid to spend 5 hours to clean the whole house once a week, while I take the kids to the park or to the beach. Same thing applies to cooking, groceries, errands, etc.
- blevin 5y ago
  We talk about the time-value of money; perhaps there’s also a time-value of time.
- EliRivers 5y ago
  Chap at work (at his home,rather!) has spent the last 15 months making and eating breakfast with his children every day. He's not coming back to the office. No way, no how. He's seen a better life.
- mars009 5y ago
  This. Also the time you are using when you are young or what you can do with your time when you are young != to the same time spent when you are old. I remember traveling abroad, spending the night at hostels, waking up at 5AM and hitting tons of museums and walking miles and miles per day to sight see, and visit everything. 65 years old will probably not be able to pull that off
randomsearch 5y ago
If you use public transport, you can regain that time. In the UK you can get a seat on most rush hour trains, and even standing up on the Tube you can read a book, listen to a podcast, do your email etc. It's also good thinking time. Driving a car yep you're absolutely right, but if you commute via car a long distance for a considerable amount of time I think you're crazy.
- yoz-y 5y ago
  No commute made me unsubscribe from almost all podcasts and read fewer books indeed.
- stuaxo 5y ago
  Not to mention sleeping on the train.
- AdmiralGinge 5y ago
  Depends, public transport outside of London is often a complete joke in the UK. I switched to cycling after getting pissed off at a bus that came once every hour and a half, was often 30-40 minutes late and occasionally didn't bother to turn up at all.
- Mindwipe 5y ago
  Yep. My commute in London is basically the only time I get to read books.
- ashtonkem 5y ago
  Disagree strongly. I commuted solely via public transit for years, and it isn’t time you’ve regained in a meaningful way. Reading a book on a crowded train is superior to driving, and vastly inferior to reading a book in my hammock before working hours start. I also can’t work out, hang out with my family, or do all kinds of activities when I’m on public transit. For the record, I’ve commuted via public transit (both bus and train), bike, and foot for long stretches of time. All beat driving, all are much worse than just not commuting at all.
- nly 5y ago
  > In the UK you can get a seat on most rush hour trains I don't what commuter line you're coming in on but it must be one with seats on the roof.

Sometimes people say they're making a time trade off for more money, and plan to use that money to buy more time. While money is fungible, time is not. You can't buy more time with your kids while they're young if they're already grown. You can't buy more time with someone who has passed away. And you can't buy your way out of missed opportunities in your personal life, once they've gone they're gone.

warkdarrior 5y ago
I would rather pay the maid to spend 5 hours to clean the whole house once a week, while I take the kids to the park or to the beach. Same thing applies to cooking, groceries, errands, etc.
blevin 5y ago
We talk about the time-value of money; perhaps there’s also a time-value of time.
EliRivers 5y ago
Chap at work (at his home,rather!) has spent the last 15 months making and eating breakfast with his children every day. He's not coming back to the office. No way, no how. He's seen a better life.
mars009 5y ago
This. Also the time you are using when you are young or what you can do with your time when you are young != to the same time spent when you are old. I remember traveling abroad, spending the night at hostels, waking up at 5AM and hitting tons of museums and walking miles and miles per day to sight see, and visit everything. 65 years old will probably not be able to pull that off

randomsearch 5y ago

If you use public transport, you can regain that time. In the UK you can get a seat on most rush hour trains, and even standing up on the Tube you can read a book, listen to a podcast, do your email etc. It's also good thinking time. Driving a car yep you're absolutely right, but if you commute via car a long distance for a considerable amount of time I think you're crazy.

yoz-y 5y ago
No commute made me unsubscribe from almost all podcasts and read fewer books indeed.
stuaxo 5y ago
Not to mention sleeping on the train.
AdmiralGinge 5y ago
Depends, public transport outside of London is often a complete joke in the UK. I switched to cycling after getting pissed off at a bus that came once every hour and a half, was often 30-40 minutes late and occasionally didn't bother to turn up at all.
Mindwipe 5y ago
Yep. My commute in London is basically the only time I get to read books.
ashtonkem 5y ago
Disagree strongly. I commuted solely via public transit for years, and it isn’t time you’ve regained in a meaningful way. Reading a book on a crowded train is superior to driving, and vastly inferior to reading a book in my hammock before working hours start. I also can’t work out, hang out with my family, or do all kinds of activities when I’m on public transit. For the record, I’ve commuted via public transit (both bus and train), bike, and foot for long stretches of time. All beat driving, all are much worse than just not commuting at all.
nly 5y ago
> In the UK you can get a seat on most rush hour trains I don't what commuter line you're coming in on but it must be one with seats on the roof.