While working close to home brings with it many obvious benefits, many of us perhaps don’t fully appreciate just how large those benefits are from not only a time and financial perspective but from a mental and physical health perspective too.
A one hour commute represents about 480 hours a year in transit to and from work, that’s the equivalent to more than four waking hour weeks per year or almost 10% of your year.
The hidden dangers and pitfalls of commuting are only amplified the more time that we spend doing so, particularly if commuting by car
There’s the back pain that comes with long commutes, the high blood pressure caused by heavy traffic and congestion, the chronic stress that comes with steering through fog, rain or sudden changes in traffic and the exposure to pollutants in the air, particularly on freeways and highways.
Not only that, but the more time we spend commuting the less time we make for other habits such as getting enough sleep, exercising, preparing healthy food and perhaps most importantly, spending quality time with our loved ones.
This sets the scene nicely for our three reasons to work closer to home.
1 Save time – Even cutting down your commute by 30 minutes each way will save you 240 waking hours a year, equivalent to more than two weeks of waking time. This gives you more time to exercise, sleep, prepare healthy meals, rediscover old passions and hobbies and spend time with family and friends.
2 Save money – RACQ[1] estimates the average running costs of a car at 50 cents per kilometer. Cutting down your distance to work by only 15 kilometres will save you $3,600 per year of your after tax income. Money that could perhaps be better invested in a holiday, a new car or perhaps invested into your mortgage which would have serious compound interest benefits over the life of the loan.
3 Be healthy – Less time in your car means less of the physical ailments that come with long commutes such as lower back pain and deep vein thrombosis as well as lower blood pressure as a result of not being stuck in heavy traffic while racing the clock to get to your 9am meeting. It also means more for personal relationships which are critical to long-term emotional and mental health.
Shared office spaces, teleworking hubs, serviced offices and co-working spaces all provide for flexible and affordable working solutions in various locations, bringing work closer to your home.
Large organisations, SMEs as well as the self employed and start-ups should consider such spaces as viable, OH&S friendly alternatives to the traditional CBD office lease, even if for only one or two days a week.
The financial, physical and emotional benefits can not be stressed enough and in the time poor, clutter and information rich digital world we find ourselves in, we need to do what we can to be not only productive but sustainable, healthy and happy.
Steve Glaveski is a former management consultant turned start-up writer, founder and managing director of Hotdesk.com.au, an Australian shared office space platform connecting businesses that have surplus workspace with those that need it, be it for an hour, day, week or month.
You can follow Steve on Twitter @steveglaveski
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