We all have somewhere else to be these days. And even though many of us pass the time with a little help from our devices, sometimes it’s good to consider the impact that our commutes can have on our well being.

Studies show that adding 20 minutes to a round trip commute has the same negative effect as a 19% drop in salary. After all, time is money.

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What is the Average Commute Time?

Large metro areas tend to have the longest transit times. Just ask any New Yorker who’s been stuck on the L train how they enjoy this daily rite of passage. In New York City, the average commute time is 34 minutes. Compare that to their not so distant neighbors in Buffalo, who take around 20 minutes for their daily commute. 

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A National Personal Transportation Survey found that the average commute time was roughly 20 minutes each way. This is similar to a recent UC Davis study that estimates the average work commute to be around 30 minutes. While 20-30 minutes each way might not seem like a long time, those extra minutes can add up by the end of the year.

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Finding The Ideal Commute Distance

What is the ideal commute time? If you were to ask the average person what their ideal commute duration would be, you might assume that they would respond “0 minutes and 0 seconds”. However, a recent study by UC Davis disproves this theory. When researchers asked participants what their ideal commute time would be, they discovered that most people requested it to be at least 5 minutes long. When participants were asked,“what is your ideal commute time?” the results were surprising: on average, people wanted a commute time that was 16 minutes long, not zero. In order to understand why, participants were asked questions designed to reveal their attitudes towards commuting. It turns out there is such a bad thing as being too close to work.  

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The People Who Like To Commute

People who agreed with statements like “I use my commute time productively” and “My commute trip is a useful transition between home and work” tended to prefer an average to longer commute time. They didn’t see the daily subway ride or drive as a hassle, instead choosing to enjoy the time before and after work to de-stress and have time to themselves. 

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In the UC Davis study, professionals who preferred a longer commute were a small but sizable minority. When asked the question, “What is your ideal commute time?” 8.9% wanted a commute time of 30 minutes, and another 2.1% wanted a commute to work that took even longer. 

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Like most things in life, it comes down to balance. Most people don’t want their commute to be too long or too short. It turns out the scientifically determined ideal commute time averages out to be 16 minutes — not long enough to feel like you’re wasting time, but not too short so you can catch up on the news or the latest podcast.  

As an engineer with a whopping two-hour round trip commute told the Washington Post, “as strange as it sounds, I’d rather have an hour-plus commute than a five-minute commute. In the morning, it gives me a chance to work through what I’m going to do for the day. And it’s my decompression time.”

We live in a time-based economy. It’s why we get annoyed when we feel that our time is being taken away from us. Like when someone calls without texting first. Or when the Uber driver takes a little longer than usual to arrive.

We’re spoiled by 2-day free shipping and Instagram likes. Our generation of #instantgratification wants things on our time. And fast. While big productivity changes are easy to spot, it’s often the small things that give us time back.

For the new decade, here are 5 small and simple productivity hacks you can do to get back some well earned minutes in your work day.

1. Use two laptop chargers

One for your work desk. One for your home. Yes there’s the cost of buying an extra laptop charger, but the savings in time and peace of mind are wonderful.

No more unplugging the charger from the wall, rolling up the tangled cord, and finding a place to put it in your bag. It’s a great feeling to get to work or come back home and have a charger right there when you need it.

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2. Make a handwritten to-do list

Google calendar and apps are nice, but good old pen and paper can be a productive way to start your day. Writing down your to-do list every day forces you to prioritize your tasks.

It also helps avoid multitasking since there’s only one thing that you can work on at any given time.  When you complete a task, being able to cross it out or checkmark it with a pen is also pretty rewarding.

3. Use a bag with a separate laptop compartment

If you’re a road warrior, the last thing you want is to hold up the line at TSA. Same goes for if you use your laptop a lot throughout your workday. To save the time it takes to get your tech in and out of your bag, use a work bag that has a separate laptop compartment.

It might not seem like much, but the benefit of not having to unzip, dig, and move things around in your bag pays off. With the ISM backpack, a separate waterproof laptop compartment is a key feature.

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4. Delete or hide phone apps

The average person only uses 9 apps a day, even though we spend around 2 and a half hours on these apps. If there’s an app that you don’t want to spend as much time on, consider deleting it.

The next best option is to move it to a page on your phone that you never go to. When it’s on a page you don’t swipe to, you’ll have fewer reminders that its there. By not deleting it, you also give yourself the option to use it later.

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5. Have a dedicated spot for items

If you’re running late in the morning, the worst thing is having to spend time finding your keys or wallet. Having a dedicated spot near your door for small everyday items is an easy routine booster.

The same goes for items on your work desk or in your bag. A pocket in your backpack that is only for certain items also makes it easier to find things when you need them.

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Amid the recent COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has become an unexpected and inevitable reality for many working professionals. While freelancers and work-from-home (WFH) veterans may have their daily workday down to a science, the average working professional must quickly adapt to a new routine and an at home-office, while maintaining the same productive workflow. 

With the absence of your typical social cues like getting ready for the day, commuting to the office, and interacting with coworkers during breaks, it can be difficult to create boundaries between personal life and work. 

To help mitigate the stress of transitioning your home into your office, here are 7 tips to cultivate a successful work-from-home routine.

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Set a Schedule and Stick to it

Without the daily indicators of physically clocking in and out, or seeing your coworkers trickle away at the end of the day, it becomes exceedingly difficult to start working or better yet, know when you’ve been working overtime. To maintain a work-life balance, try to set a time to both start and end your workday, and stick to it. If time-blocking works better for you, then schedule mini sprints for each task and make sure the total time equals the same number of working hours each day. Without your colleagues asking you to grab coffee and lunch, be sure to schedule time for that lunch break and those two 15-minute breaks too.

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Use Your Commute to Get in the Zone

Your daily commute is mentally and literally your transition from home to work. With the absence of a physical office to commute to and from, comes a chunk of time that can be used to your advantage. Rather than sleeping in (unless absolutely needed), take the extra time to mentally and physically get in the zone. Listen to a new podcast, read a chapter in a book, meditate, or exercise. Taking a few minutes to exercise can help release endorphins to improve the functions of the brain that help you focus and prioritize. Whatever best stimulates your mind, invest in those extra 30 minutes to an hour to set yourself up for a productive day.

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Create a Separate Workspace

Whether it’s an office room with a closed door or a specific corner in a studio, dedicate a workspace that is away from your bedroom. As the line between your office and home begins to blur, differentiating your environments for work and leisure can alleviate some stress from the sudden transition.

With hours to spend at your new office, take some time to design a workspace that cultivates creativity and meets your specific needs. Prevent back pain and reduce housekeeping distractions by maintaining a clean, minimal ergonomic desk setup. 

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Design Your Daily Uniform

With an office only a couple steps away and the lack of face-to-face interactions, you are more capable of skipping the shower to get straight to work. At a minimum, maintain personal hygiene and switch out of your pajamas. Even if you don’t plan on seeing anyone, a good way to feel like you are going to work is to look like you are going to work. And although this does not necessarily mean dressing business casual, take the time to design a daily uniform that sets you up for success.

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Eliminate Distractions

Identify the items in your home that distract you the most and extract them from your new office. Whether it’s the TV, social media, family, housemates, or that pile of clothes you were supposed to fold 3 weeks ago, make it easier to hack your everyday WFH setup and treat it like your new normal. Turn off notifications, unplug the TV, close the door, log off social media, inform your housemates or family of your “Do Not Disturb” hours. Know yourself and your systems by actively distancing and disconnecting from anything that can disrupt your workflow.

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Take Thoughtful Breaks, Frequently

In addition to your lunch break, make time for short breaks and spend them in their entirety. With the recent recommendations to self-quarantine and practice social distancing, it’s easy to avoid people and going outside all-together, which in turn can result in feelings of isolation and loneliness. Use mini breaks to get some fresh air and take a walk outside. Exposure to direct sunlight not only releases hormones to help you sleep better, but also strengthens your immune system. Minimize feelings of loneliness by taking the initiative to catch up in group texts, phone a friend, or engage in social media. Use your breaks to keep your mental health in check and stay in touch with other people working from home.

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Over-communicate, by Voice and Words

The absence of face-to-face conversation, calls for over-communication in the digital world and a mastery in the art of clear and concise writing. With meetings being held on screen and work being completed in solitude, it is crucial to remind your boss that you still exist and that you are putting in the work. Announce yourself and actively participate in video conferences. While it may be standard to stay muted on a conference call, have something to say when it’s time to hear your thoughts. Log your accomplishments daily, update your manager on your progress, and check on enterprise goals. Be mindful of giving feedback but also provide words of encouragement to your coworkers and managers in this time of crisis.

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We’ve all been there. The feeling when you pack that extra sweater just in case. The book you could have sworn you packed for your trip but is somehow missing right when you need it.

As commuters, travelers, and bag carriers, the items that we pack in our bags are the things that get us through the day. Overpacking or underpacking is often times the name of the game. We struggle to prioritize effectively and as a result, often end up packing everything but the kitchen sink knowing full well we won’t use most of it.

But why do we overpack or under pack? And how can we best manage our own psychology when packing for the day?

For starters, we can take a page from an astronaut.

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Packing for Space Travel

When you’re planning a trip into space, ruthless prioritization is a must. Each cosmonaut can only take up to 1kg (~2.2 lbs) of personal items. [1] With limited space, there’s no margin for error. Unlike earth, there’s no convenience store at the International Space Station.

Packs for astronauts are constrained by size. They average roughly 2 feet wide, by 2 feet long, and 4 inches thick. [2] To best prepare for the unknowns of space, the packing crew goes through a rigorous process of checklists. Every bit of space is maximized and accounted for ahead of time:

When the astronauts are practicing their flight plans during the terminal countdown demonstration test at Kennedy a few weeks before launch, Mann has to make sure the seats, communication equipment and cables are onboard for the mock launch countdown. After the conclusion of the test, this all has to be destowed, repacked and readied for the actual launch. [3]

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Use Segmented Checklists

Similar to astronauts, pilots also go through a series of checklists before takeoff. Even though it’s a routine that has been done thousands of times, the checklist process prevents avoidable failures. Studies have shown that the pilots who perform routine checklists prior to and after takeoff have lower rates of accidents.

Part of what makes the checklist so efficient is how it’s broken up in what is known as a segmented checklist. A segmented checklist compared to a regular checklist is broken down into specific, relevant pieces. Each part is meant to be completed after the other.

When packing for a work day or trip, a way to segment your packing list could be by a type of activity, like “Meeting Items” or “Day 3 Agenda.” By limiting the checklist to the items that are only relevant to a specific type of activity or day, you’ll be able to focus on only the absolute essentials. It’s also helpful to use a segmented checklist in both a physical form (pen and paper) as well as a mental one. Reciting the items you’re bringing before you head out the door can provide an added peace of mind.

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The Case of Wheeled Luggage  

The invention of luggage that could be wheeled instead of hand-carried was designed with convenience in mind. Rolling your items is easier to travel with than carrying them. For the chronic over-packer in us, this kind of false security can also lead you to fill up your suitcase with heavier items that you may not need. [6]

Naturally, we tend to pack our bags in anticipation of what we feel we might need. There’s a certain type of comfort in feeling prepared for both the expected and unexpected. The less that’s known about the destination, the more items we pack as a sort of insurance policy. This type of forward-thinking is especially common for women that use one bag for their entire day, or when packing for small children. The fear of not having something when you need it overweighs the downside of overstuffing a bag that’s heavy to carry.

Overthinking is rooted in uncertainty and indecisiveness. [7] We feel vulnerable about the future and things we can’t predict so we run through the worst-case scenarios in our head. When traveling someplace new or starting an unknown routine, the fear of the unknown that can trigger an anxiety flex. Overpacking is oftentimes the antidote.

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Apply Constraints

One way to combat this anxiety is to apply constraints ahead of time. The same way that astronauts have a fixed limit to the weight and volume of the items they can bring – to the extent where they wear the same shirt 10 days in a row. While this might not be the best move for your next conference, it can help to set yourself constraints to the number of items that you have to bring.

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Identify the Essentials, Eliminate the Rest

Similar to how wheeled luggage can unconsciously drive us to pack more, bags that are designed with endless pockets and zippers can have the same effect. A backpack with an overwhelming amount of pockets for organizing can encourage you to pack additional items you otherwise might not have packed.

It’s why with the ISM backpack, we focused on the essentials. Every pocket or zipper that we have is meant to hold only what is absolutely needed for a work or day trip.

An uncluttered simplicity means cutting back on trivial distractions, both material and non-material, and focusing on the essentials – whatever those may be for each of our unique lives.