Careers Hub | Commuting – pleasure or pain?

Whether you commute by bus, train, bicycle, car or foot, a long commute can often be draining and exhausting. According to this Government report, Australia’s average commuting distance is 15.6 km, with the larger capital cities having relatively long commutes — Sydney’s average was 15.0 km, Melbourne’s was 14.6 km, and Brisbane’s was 14.9 km.

So we’re curious – how do you spend your commute time? Do you use that 30, 45, or 60+ minutes as your downtime, or are you productive and efficient?

If you’re more into the productive front, here are a few options that may pass your time a little easier.

Option 1 – The Podcast

We recommend Ted Talks, Stuff You Should Know, This American Life, and Freakonomics. Podcasts are such a great way of tuning out, learning something new, and relaxing all at once.

Option 2 – Newspaper

An obvious but classic way to pass the time, but especially important on the morning ride in to ensure you’re up to date with what’s going on in the world.

Option 3 – Play a game

We’d rate ‘Lumosity’. It’s a great brain-training app that claims to improve memory, attention, flexibility, speed of processing, and problem-solving.

Option 4 – Work

This may be a good time to get some admin done or chip away at a few emails you’ve been meaning to get through.

Option 5 – Prioritise your tasks

It never hurts to set your priorities straight by writing to-do lists for the day and week, whether it’s for work or personal life. This will help you feel organised and will ultimately make your crazy-busy life seem less overwhelming.

All in all, as much as a long commute can feel like it’s dragging you down, try and use that time to your advantage. Recently, my partner and I moved closer to the city, and he now has a 9-minute cycle to work compared to his previous 45-minute train ride. Believe it or not, he says he actually misses his daily commute. That boggled my mind; never did I think people actually enjoyed spending 1-2 hours a day on public transport (or in their car). It made me realise he had a point – commuting can be a good thing if you use your time wisely.

But if commuting just isn’t your thing…

(We don’t blame you). However, if you’re on the hunt for a new role, definitely take this into high consideration. If the job is located further than you’re willing to commute, chances are this will lead to job dissatisfaction quicker than you know it. Everyone has a different idea of what is manageable for them – so follow your gut and choose a job that fits within your commuting comfort zone.

READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN YOUR CAREER?