The Fake Commute

The work from home life has been a dream for people across the world. Now with the ability to sleep in, work from the comfort of your couch/home, and not having to leave your house for work. The majority of people love working from home, and in our most recent blog post, we learned that people are even more productive working from home than working in an office setting. But for some reason, people are having a hard time adjusting and balancing their personal time with their work. Here we will explain what the fake commute is and how people are coping with the need. 

Why do people miss commuting?

It seems that one of the most dreadful parts of working in a physical office is the commute. Especially in the winter, you have to heat your car early and let it defrost, get yourself together in the morning, and drive. Whether it’s the traffic that’s unbearable or driving into a city from the suburbs, you would think people would be happy to get rid of a commute while working from home, but that isn’t the case. 

It isn’t the commute per se that people miss, but driving into work is a way for people to get into the mindset of going to work. Driving home is a way for people to wind down and return to their personal lives. Working from home has eliminated the time that people use to differentiate their work from personal time. 

When you work from home, you could wake up minutes before starting work for the day. At the end of the workday, it can be hard to log off. You work where you live, and you are not physically leaving an office. If you are already working from home, you can answer emails or continue working on a project. To discern personal life from work life, people have created a fake commute for themselves. 

Customizing your fake commute

If you are looking to stick with a morning and evening routine both before and after work, you are not alone. It seems that most people that transitioned from working into the office to working from home need the acclimation of a fake commute.  One of the most common ways people prepare themselves for the workday is with a morning routine to get themselves ready. 

The best part about a morning routine is that you can tailor it to your wants and needs. Setting an alarm an hour before you have to get to work is a great way to get your day started. Followed by making your morning coffee/tea, breakfast, and getting dressed as if you were heading into the office. Once you are ready, you can make your way to your workstation and start your workday. 

Another great way to create a fake commute is to get your exercise in for the day. You can start your day by working out or taking a walk and ending your day with another walk or a different activity. Daily exercise is a great way to boost productivity, and it’s an amazing transition in and out of your workday.  

Overall, there is no right or wrong way to create time for yourself before and after work. No matter what you do for your fake commute, it’s essential to make time for yourself to help you relax and step away from your computer at the end of the workday.