Find Yourself in Transit
The unforeseen value of morning commutes before work
Having transitioned from working a corporate job to becoming a full-time freelancer/small business owner, the one thing I miss about my desk job is not what you’d expect. It’s not the reliable paycheck, free coffee, corporate outfits that warrant confidence and compliments, or connection with friendly colleagues.
Instead, it is the less-desirable and often-overlooked commute. Commuting for 1+ hours daily, I truly felt like I found myself.
Commutes are the perfect buffer between your morning routine and work day.
Working from home is comfortable, sometimes excessively so. Not being forced to look presentable, dress up, or plan my car playlist freed up a good mental load, but I was slacking in self-development.
If you’re anything like me, you consume most of your reads in the car. Some of my all-time favorite books—that shaped a large part of my neocortex— I listened to on my way to work. It is not a small feat that I converted to Stoicism after enjoying “A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy” by William B. Irvine. Everyone at my former job could tell you about my obsession with Stoicism, and it all started with this book.
Going from commuting daily to barely leaving the house in the wake of my WFH chronicles, I felt incredibly disjointed and uninspired. Despite living in a country with an unkind hot climate, I still value and crave sunshine, just maybe without the heat. But working from home offered a tempting comfort that made me leave the house less and less.
The problem was that I never connected the dots of why I was feeling behind and unmotivated — I just assumed I should enjoy being at home more, never realizing my natural inclination to be outside, on the road, traffic or not. Naturally, fewer commutes meant fewer audiobooks and introspection moments. This decline also impacted my writing as I had less interesting thoughts simmering in my mind to rush to write about.
Evenings are for unwinding, and mornings are for introspection
After work, you rarely have the time and energy to reflect on your day and consider how you would have approached it differently. You would much rather forget all about work, resort to mindless TV and scrolling and respond to your friends’ texts. Before you know it, it’s tomorrow, and the cycle continues.
Commutes are the perfect buffer between your morning routine and work day. Use them to think, learn something new, or process your emotions. Your job satisfaction comes from understanding your values, passions, and what motivates you. You want to be excited when you go to work and clock out.
“Excitement is the more practical synonym for happiness, and it is precisely what you should strive to chase. It is the cure-all.” — Timothy Ferriss, The 4-Hour Workweek
Sometimes it is not the job you hate, but the person you are when you clock in. Settling for a rushed start to your day, manic driving to make it on time, and avoiding eye contact with everyone on the lift until you make it safely to your desk— is far from inspiring. Instead, have a soft plan for your commutes. Whether you enjoy driving or hopping from one metro to the next, make this time valuable.
I am an audiobook/podcast fan. My favourite platform (not an AD) is Everand (formerly Scribd). It’s a digital library that offers a large selection of both mainstream and niche reads — perfect for book-hopping. I usually listen to a few selections before settling on the book I want to explore further.
It’s not that every day was an audiobook day for me, but I made sure that commuting was an extension of ‘me time’ where I considered how I felt and generated positive thoughts to have a calm day ahead. Arriving at work with a fresh mindset shifted my attitude toward colleagues and clients; I was less irritable, more compassionate, and grounded.
“When we are happy — when our mindset and mood are positive — we are smarter, more motivated, and thus more successful. Happiness is the center, and success revolves around it.” — Shawn Achor, The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work
Commuting as a Freelancer
I work better in cafes. It’s not great for my budget, but neither is lazy online shopping at home. There’s something about being around people while being zoned in at work -headphones on -that does it for me. I feed off the collective energy of busy bees typing away at their laptops, friends catching up, and informal group meetings over fancy V60 coffee.
Nowadays, I find myself opting for cafes that require a longer commute. Convenient or not, it doesn’t matter. I stretch my mornings this way, get enough sunshine, and have enough time to listen to something overtly joyous and motivating, like The Marie Forleo podcast. By the time I reach my destination, I am more than ready to tackle my to-do list, a perfect cappuccino or iced matcha keeping me company.
If you feel extra inclined, prep for your commute the day ahead. Consider what you will wear, what to pack in your work bag and the top tasks you must complete. Making trivial decisions in the morning is a waste of mental energy. I spend a lot of time in the morning considering where I want to work today, and I admit it diminishes my mental clarity.
There are ways to make the prep more enjoyable — like getting a journal just for this task. Make a short list of decisions and forget about it. Your future groggy self will thank you. Other things you can do are invest in a high-quality water bottle to bring with you, budget your coffee date expenses, and plan your morning listen.
The #1 Rule for Working
Working on your mindset daily allows you to make better decisions. It is not uncommon to face frustration while you work. Dealing with people puts you at risk of being offended, undervalued, and rejected, especially as a freelancer. You are already in a vulnerable state, trying to make ends meet.
My #1 rule for working is this: I never make a decision or reply to an e-mail in a bad mood. Whether I feel upset, tired, or frustrated, I allow myself to regroup my thoughts. I accept that this is a fleeting moment, and I do what I need to when I feel positive again. Make it a point to take a step back from irritation and not take things personally.
This approach translates into better communication and maintains the positive energy flowing in your work. Remember how calm your morning was, and even if it wasn’t — find a moment to soften your mindset.
You will not get to this stage easily if you don’t find the space to meditate on your mindset. Hopefully, I have convinced you to make the time during your morning commutes.
