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If you’ve gotten used to working from home over the last year, then the prospect of spending half-an-hour (or longer) on the train, or cooped up in the middle of a traffic jam, might seem completely distasteful. However did we put up with this before? How can we cope with it again?
Why not get ahead of the stress and take a few steps to get it under control? Let’s take a look at a few possible things you might consider before your first commute.
Set out work clothes the night before
Getting everything ready the night before will give you one less thing to worry about in the morning. Set out what you’re going to wear so that you can jump straight into it after you’ve showered.
Pack your lunch the night before
For much the same reason, it’s important to pack your lunch ahead of time. You might cook everything in batches at the weekend and then enjoy your meals throughout the week. As well as saving time and stress, this will save you from having to live off service-station sandwiches. As such, it’s good for your health and your wallet, too.
Get enough sleep
One luxury that we’ve had during lockdown is the freedom to go to sleep and wake up, pretty much whenever we’d like. If you have to be in the office at a given time, then this might no longer be an option. Get back into the habit of being in bed by a certain time every evening, and you’ll cope much better the following morning.
Know your route
If your commute has changed, or you’re starting a new job, then you’ll have a new route to get used to. Make sure that you leave yourself a little bit of extra time, in case there are any unexpected delays. If you’re travelling via public transport, then check whether there are any planned works disrupting your route.
Occupy yourself on the commute
The company of a good book can make the journey fly by. If you’re walking or travelling by car, then you might make sure that it’s an audio-book instead of the paper-and-glue kind. On certain public transport services, you might be able to enjoy extra facilities that make the trip even faster. Commuters taking the Wakefield to Doncaster train, for example, benefit from free Wi-fi.
