Currently, very few of us are commuting so it can be easy to simply forget about our daily journeys to and from work. Eventually, however, the COVID-19 pandemic will pass and the world will return to normal, perhaps sooner than we think. When that day finally dawns, there are going to be many of us who need to readjust to the horrors of the daily commute so it’s probably worth thinking now about ways in which you can make that journey less stressful and (even more importantly) more cost-effective.
So, what methods might you want to consider when the lockdown lifts and you start considering a more cost-effective and healthy route to work?
Walking
The good old fashioned one foot in front of the other approach. You might be surprised just how fast you can walk to and from work if you put your mind to it. This is particularly true if you live in a heavily congested city such as London, where the average car journey is often longer than the average walk. Start by simply planning your daily route on Google Maps and check how long it will take you to walk it. If it’s less or even only slightly longer than your usual route then why not switch it up and save yourself some money and give yourself a workout?
Cycling
If the walk is simply too far then the other obvious free option is to cycle to work. Many majors cities have taken steps in recent years to make cycling a more practical solution and there is something quite liberating about cycling to work. Note, however, that you’ll want to take all the necessary safety precautions and you’ll also need to secure somewhere to store your bike when you get to the office.
Train
If you live in a city like London or Paris then chances are you probably take the tube or metro to work every morning. However, even if you live in the suburbs, there are regular trains to Highbury and Islington running all the time from all London zones, for example. So, just because you’re not living right in the centre of the city that doesn’t mean you have to go through the expense and the misery of driving to work every day.
Of course, if worse comes to worst and none of the above options appeals to you then you could always take the opportunity to convince your boss to allow you to work from home. It’s an option that will undoubtedly become more popular now that we’ve all realised just how easy it is to communicate now via video conferencing and social media.
Indeed, we might eventually live in a world where the daily commute isn’t necessary at-all. And wouldn’t that be something?