4 ms·

The short commute is nice, for sure, but you can't just uproot and move at the drop of a hat. There's a (not so) secret trick I use to deal with my long commute

by picto 13y ago

The short commute is nice, for sure, but you can't just uproot and move at the drop of a hat. There's a (not so) secret trick I use to deal with my long commute: public transportation. I live about 30 miles from my work in the city center and there's a commuter bus park and ride that cuts out my need to drive entirely. The benefits I've found so far: - I save a ton of money I'd otherwise be spending on gas. - By not having to worry about actually driving in traffic, I've found that I'm not stressed and in a bad mood by the time I get to work. - I have time to myself to read, work on side projects, or take a quick nap. - I stay on a consistent work schedule - I get regular morning exercise by walking from the downtown bus stop to and from my office about 5 blocks away When I tell people I take the bus, they're usually surprised and tend to ask "Well...how much longer does that take?". The response is always the same: "The same amount of time it would take to drive, only I don't pay for gas and I'm not stressed by traffic". Honestly, I'd recommend it to anyone.

MaulingMonkey 13y ago
Getting a near-by-bus job in your field isn't necessarily a drop of a hat thing either, although generally still easier than moving. I've been in the position of choosing a half hour drive or a two hour bus ride -- from experience I prefer the former. This is partly up to differing values as well: Not all side projects are bus-portable, and for myself a consistent work schedule is a drawback. I'm also fortunate enough to covet few physical possessions, making moving easier for me than others, although it still took me a year to get around to moving right next to my current workplace. Similarly, some people find some physical work vs personal life separation to be important, to better do the same separation emotionally -- they would find my 60 seconds by normal walking pace commute intolerably close.

by picto 13y ago

MaulingMonkey 13y ago

Getting a near-by-bus job in your field isn't necessarily a drop of a hat thing either, although generally still easier than moving. I've been in the position of choosing a half hour drive or a two hour bus ride -- from experience I prefer the former. This is partly up to differing values as well: Not all side projects are bus-portable, and for myself a consistent work schedule is a drawback. I'm also fortunate enough to covet few physical possessions, making moving easier for me than others, although it still took me a year to get around to moving right next to my current workplace. Similarly, some people find some physical work vs personal life separation to be important, to better do the same separation emotionally -- they would find my 60 seconds by normal walking pace commute intolerably close.