Why Walk to Work

This is quite sadistic: I like to watch cars stuck in traffic while walking home from work. It gives me the most satisfying feeling of relief because I’m not one of those cars anymore.

I used to live 30mi from my job. I’d wake up at 6am, leave at 7am and sit in traffic until 8am. On a weekend, this drive would only take half an hour, but the highway is jam packed during rush hour. As you can imagine, I really hated this commute. I tried going to work at 10am to escape the traffic which helped a bit, but at the end of the day, I’ll have to drive for an hour to get home. My second solution was to wait for evening rush hour to pass; however, who’d want to stay at work until 8pm? I commend the mental fortitude of those who have worse commute times; however, I don’t have the tolerance to drive in rush hour everyday.

Shortly after adopting this almost daily routine of driving 2 hours to and from work, I noticed a few changes in my mental state:

  1. When I arrive home, I’m so tired all I want to do is be a potato and browse YouTube until I fall asleep. It’s not the duration of the commute that makes me tired, but the fact that I have to be alert for the whole two hours of driving.
  2. My predominant emotion throughout the day is annoyance. All the cars blocking my path piss me off, and sitting in a cramped metal container with wheels, unable to take my eyes of the road or my hands off the wheel doesn’t help.

How could I not be angry? It’s perfectly normal to feel irritated when one is trapped doing something monotonous for hours in a confined space. My negative emotions of anger and annoyance are then suppressed throughout the workday and during my commute because I don’t want to lash out and endanger myself and others in a fit of road rage.

Walking to Work Healed my Emotional Imbalance

Photo by Brian Mann on Unsplash

I switched jobs a few months ago and moved to an apartment a couple miles away from work. One day, I decided to walk home from work because I missed the train home, and I’d have to wait an hour for the next one. I thought I’d give walking a try because according to Google Maps, I should be home in about an hour anyway.

Walking home exceeded my expectations. I thought it would be boring because my route home is next to suburban homes and a busy road. However, it was calming and I felt at peace. I was aware of my surrounding but also contemplative about my day and my future plans. My stress from work and chores seemed to disappear as I walked alone with my thoughts.

Taking a leisurely walk is a therapeutic process. I am focused on nothing and can allow my mind to wander. Being surrounded by fresh air improves ones mood compared to being cooped up in a cubicle in an enclosed office. Letting one’s mind wander gives it the space to relax and take a break from the hustle and bustle of life. Since finding downtime is rare in the busy modern world, I cherish the small moments where I can relax my mind.

Actually, the part about my enjoyment of watching cars stuck in traffic isn’t the main reason of why I walk to work. I like the freedom I’ve gained to smell the flowers along the path. I’ve learned to slow down and distance myself from the stress of work and commute.

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