My first job had a roughly 30 minute commute one way – it was alllll the way down in Fort Mill, SC and the trek had a reputation of being long and annoying.
However, as that same job transitioned to a hybrid work environment, I really missed those 30 minutes. Depending on the direction I was traveling, it was a rare opportunity to internally prep or decompress – something you don’t really get fully remote.
Today, I write this article in a fully-remote capacity. My “commute” is the 30-or-so seconds it takes to walk from the post-breakfast kitchen to my home office. The physical nature of my work (being at home) translates to a lack of commute, which can ultimately perpetuate the feeling that work and personal life mesh together.
My point is – work commutes are important. And if you’re fully remote like me, sometimes you just have to artificially create that commute by walking your dog named Stella or sitting outside before taking the home office.
Leading then to the whole point of this article:
how do you maximize the commute?
1. By letting music balance you.
Ok before you judge me for being too granola, know that I’m a gigantic fan of music – particularly at how powerful it is at influencing our emotions.
The point of this idea is quite simple – music is so amazing in that it can help balance you when in you’re need of emotional contrast.
Had a long day? Put on “Vienna” by Billy Joel. Cry your heart out.
Had a kick-ass day? Put on “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” and dance so the driver next to you lowers their window to investigate what song invoked such infectious joy.
Music has that power to elicit such strong emotions, good or bad. So too does a long day of work. Maximize the opportunity to be stuck in a metal box with 10+ speakers pointed at you. Let music balance you.
2. By inviting silence.
While music undoubtedly fills the air with both richness and emotion, so too will the opposite.
I’ve learned that riding in complete silence provides a unique environment of its own. A space to devote your entire emotional energy towards a thought or idea. Often times, it’s to concentrate on an important meeting in the morning, or to reflect on an email you just sent out. To hear the words you say in your head but out loud, cementing the reality of its existence.
More often than not, the thought is action oriented, so finding the need for silence should be easy. Don’t shy away from it!
3. By learning something new, thru podcasts.
5 years ago, you wouldn’t have found a bigger hater of podcasts than me. Listening to regular-ass people talk about dumb shit for 2 hours? Yeah, no thanks.
If anything, this just shows I wasn’t listening to the right content for me.
But over time, once you accumulate the right inspiration from others or get lucky and find the right shows on your own, you get an incredible opportunity to learn.
Here’s what I’ve learned within this past week alone:
1. How MLK was assassinated, and how his murderer was less than organized (Stuff You Should Know)
2. The complete history of Hermes (Acquired)
3. Apple’s likely investment in flip phones (Waveform)
4. Everyone underestimating the Texans and Lions in 2025 preseason odds (Bill Simmons)
You know what the best part of those 4 learnings were? They had absolutely nothing to do with my job in growth marketing. Sometimes we just need a reset from work. Let podcasts provide that for you.
4. By reminding yourself for a grateful outlook.
This one is probably my favorite.
If you’re commuting, you have a job worth driving to. How lucky are we to get to say that? As I write this, thousands of government workers, smart professionals, leaders, etc. are having to find new roles.
Let the commute be the reminder to appreciate the world around us. For the trees that pass by, for the sun that hits our eyes, for the wind that blows our hair and for the job that allowed us to feel it all to begin with.