How to commute more, but stress less
Have you missed your morning commute, or relished time away from trains, planes, and automobiles?
With UK restrictions at an end and the country returning to some semblance of normality, commuting could be back on the cards for many of us. But after more than a year of ‘doing things differently’, will business travel ever look the same again?
Post-Covid commuting causing anxiety
We might have longed for our colleagues, craved coffee breaks with a friendly face, and sorely missed popping out for lunch without kids at our heels, but the idea of heading back to the office is a definite source of worry for many of us.
As we approached the end of the first lockdown in 2020, a CIPD survey found that four in every ten workers felt anxious about returning to work. Since that time, we’ve witnessed infection rates soar after the easing of restrictions – whilst having another year to get used to being at home and away from others.
We’re worried about picking up the virus and spreading it to our families, concerned about having to interact with fellow commuters again, and reticent to forego that extra hour in bed to get into the office on time. On the flip side, commuting can be the perfect time to gather our thoughts before the start of the working day or to wind down on the journey home.
Our relationship with commuting then is understandably complicated. And are we even willing to do it again?
Commuting: a shift in public perspective
Nothing less than a global pandemic that brought the world to its knees could have occasioned a drastic, communal change in our working practices. Imagine telling companies a couple of years ago that their entire workforce would be home-based, and that they’d need to make a pretty good business case for bringing people back to the office?
With a few notable exceptions, most of us have proven that our jobs can be carried out just as well from the comfort of our own homes as from the confines of a communal building. We don’t really need to be in the office – but actually, some of us want to be.
If work is your only means of social interaction; if home isn’t a sanctuary; if you simply want to be around people again, then commuting is a means to an end – and something you’re going to have to get used to again. But before you panic, there are plenty of things you can do to ease yourself back into the daily commute.
Calming commuter anxiety
Some simple steps to make travel less stressful:
The most important thing is to take your return to workday travel one step at a time. Do you have to be in the office five days a week, or can you split your time with remote working? It can be helpful to return one or two days a week, to begin with, so you can get used to travelling in small amounts.
If you’re concerned about Covid or crowds, one of the most useful tactics is to avoid peak travel times. Speak to your manager about altering your start and finish times so you can avoid the rush. It’s also advisable to plan ahead the night before to make you feel more in control: check your timings, purchase tickets in advance, and map out your journey in as much detail as you can.
Noise-cancelling headphones can be a great way to zone out if you’re travelling on public transport; choose a book that will grab your attention so that you’re using your commute to grab a bit of ‘you’ time. If you’re driving to work, create a playlist that will make you feel great, or tune into a podcast you’ve been meaning to catch up on.
If you’re reading this as an employer, there are plenty of things you can do to lessen commuting anxiety for your workforce. Ask how many days they’re comfortable coming back, and have open conversations about any stress they’re feeling; make sure you clearly communicate your safety policies for people returning to the office; consider a change to the working day so people can avoid overcrowded trains – and go easy on those who are worried.
You have a huge role to play in supporting, reassuring, and transitioning your people post-Covid – and a great opportunity to boost their form.
Here is a handy list with more travel wellbeing tips.
Tell us how you’re feeling
We’d love to know how you’re feeling about heading back to the office. Are you chomping at the bit to get back to your colleagues, or dreading the thought of daily travel? Or are you simply not going back in at all? Has your employer made the move to home-working permanent?
You can share your thoughts at [email protected].