My commute this morning started with a disruption and I didn’t feel frustrated at all. A year ago—or more like two years ago—my reaction would have been different. Noticing my emotional improvement, I thought it would be helpful to share my personal tenets for commuting via rail.
For some background, I have been commuting between NY/NJ/PA since college. Upon graduation when I received my big girl job in New York, I was commuting 2 hours each way, totaling 4 hours a day. Sometimes I would not get home until midnight! Recently I have moved closer and cut my commute to 40 minutes (with 30 of those minutes walking) each way, which has been a major life improvement. Which brings me to my first tenet…
1. Try to cut your commute to 1 hour each way.
It feels like a treat waking at 5:30AM on your own volition, not because you might miss your train if you are not getting ready by then. My commute went from sitting on the car and train for about 1.5 hours to walking 15 minutes, taking the train for 10, then walking another 15 minutes, for a total of 40 minutes. That’s 50 minutes saved each way! It might not seem much, but it actually meant I could go to the gym and eat dinner in between instead of going to the gym then straight to bed.
2. Have a backup route. Then have a backup route to your backup route.
From road closures to delays, the route can be unpredictable. Knowing at least 2-3 alternative routes, and even methods of transportation, can alleviate the commuting hiccups. As a backup to my commuter train, I knew that I could get off at an earlier station and take an alternate train. As a backup to that, I knew a bus route. For my current commute, I know 2 alternate routes before I give up and take an Uber.
3. Allocate an extra 30 minutes to your commute.
Back when I had to drive to the train station then take the commuter rail, I would get to the train station at least 15-30 minutes before my usual train. I would use this time to eat breakfast, but I would also monitor the train schedule as a delay could mean taking an earlier train.
4. Value being on the train over being comfortable on the train.
My top three priorities when it comes to rail travel are as follows:
I get on the train.
I get a seat on the train.
I am comfortably seated on the train.
Especially when trains are delayed and you do not know when the next train out of the station will arrive, physically being on the train is the priority. If your joints are still functioning, you can afford to be inconvenienced by standing room only. If the train is not jam packed, catching a seat can be a perk. However, that does not guarantee that you will be comfortably seated, as someone might end up sitting next to you and jabbing you with their elbows.
5. Use the commute as a time to go screen free.
Given that you probably spent all day staring at screens during work, the commute is a great time to space out for a minute, read a book, or strike a conversation with someone. However, I do not blame you if you prefer to close your eyes until you reach your final destination.