How long does it take you to commute to and from work every day? Figures say that, on average, we spend almost one hour a day commuting, perhaps more if we live in a big city. These daily trips may be severely affecting your personal productivity. Do you want to know why?
1. It generates stress
Leaving home after waking up very early and spending an hour commuting to work is something nobody likes. These trips, whether by car or public transport, are very often a source of stress for any of us simply because of the time employed in commuting.
2. It is constant
Commuting to our office is something which we normally have to do every day. This cycle, when repeated in time, causes many employees to think of quitting their present job even when they are satisfied with it; that is because of the sensation we have of killing our productivity.
3. It consumes our energy
Very often, the trip to work exhausts us even before arriving at the office. An unexpected jam, problems with traffic, in the subway, a crowded bus… everyday obstacles that consume our positive energy and make us arrive at work frustrated and tired from the beginning of our working day, precisely when many of us experience a peak in productivity. The normal thing is to get a good start with our batteries fully charged.
What can be done to prevent commuting from harming our personal productivity?
1. Implement or propose a flexibility system in your organization
Some studies, such as this one from the VU University in the Netherlands, state that long commuting increases absenteeism by a 16%, and suggest that workers are more likely to be late and leave early, greatly reducing their productivity. A good solution is to establish and accept a small flexible time span for your employees to come in and leave. They will not be in such a hurry to arrive, but in return they will not be in a haste to leave either.
2. Propose bringing start time forward
The worst thing about commuting is often the traffic of big cities. Bringing start time forward helps avoid peak times, improving the productivity of your employees and contributing to their general well-being.
3. Use it to gain time
You can read our guide on how to use your commuting time. In it we give you some ideas so that you do not feel that your commuting is a waste of time. You can try to make your to-do list, review your goals, read a book, check your social networks, return a call or set the first meetings of the day.
In short, everyday trips are a necessary evil for many of us, but by learning how to manage our time we can take care of our personal productivity in these moments as well. What are your tips to achieve it?