How the Fake Commute is Helping Home Workers

Times have changed. Where home offices weren’t terribly common even a few years ago, 2020 saw 42% of US workers making their living from home. The situation might work well for many of us. What's not to love? Attending meetings in pajama pants and having your dog as your new office assistant. But it also creates some issues that may affect our mental health.

Spending too much time between the same four walls can be incredibly taxing. When working, sleeping, eating and nearly all our other activities occur in the same space, the monotony can take its toll. A “fake commute” could break up the day in surprisingly meaningful ways. See how.

The Downside to the Home Office

Working from home is a dream come true for some people, especially those of us who have a hard time getting out. But it can also be isolating, and our fixed surroundings just add to the rut. We all need mental stimulation, and no matter how much we love them, after we've been in them (and only them) for weeks and months on end, those few rooms get boring fast.

One COVID-related study found people forced to quarantine in homes with ugly views were more likely to be depressed. Other research examining the effects of monotony showed bored people had higher rates of anxiety and depression. The subjects who appeared the most prone to boredom were also the most likely to show higher levels of emotional distress during the lockdown. 

But there are things we can do to improve the situation and this is especially important if you're thinking you may continue working from home even in a post-Covid world. One of the most unique we've found is the "fake commute."

Breaking Up the Day

For a change of scenery and some quiet time outside the home, some people are resorting to “fake commutes.” The idea might sound crazy, really, how many of us wished for the day when the stressful round-trip drive from home to work might be a thing of the past? Still, it may be just what the doctor ordered for those of us who need a break from that awful rut.

The idea behind this new trend makes sense. There’s something empowering about getting dressed and heading out that front door every day, even if it might feel like a hassle. Commutes give us time to ourselves, time to think, plan the day and decompress. They also offer mental stimulation we can’t get while holed up inside our homes.

The transition between spaces also breaks up the day and the commute marks a clear beginning and end to it. Taking that extra time might seem meaningless and almost wasteful, but it could be a major factor standing between continued work productivity and burnout. Dressing and preparing to present ourselves to the outside world can also define our days. How we dress each day can affect our moods in profound ways, and though we never much thought about it, the morning ritual to get ourselves together could be just as important to our own wellbeing as to any success we have.

There are many ways to make this happen. Of course, you could go for a drive, but you can also just go outside and look up at the sky for a few minutes. You might walk once around the block. Some have built sheds for an office space and treat the walk to the office as a commute. Heck, with all of the freedom in the world, you could try a morning bike ride to start the day with fun and no worries about the sweat.

Working from home is a great option for many professionals, but it can come at a mental cost. To help yourself thrive, keep a regular routine, define the workday and keep it separate from all downtime. And consider adding in a commute that signals your brain when the workday begins and ends. Staying on top of our mental health can sometimes take some creativity and a bit of effort but it’s a small price to pay for the well-being that little effort might afford.

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