Interesting article on the downside of commuting to work:

From Business Week :



On the other hand Telecommuting, though it has downsides too, can eventually overcome its shortcomings and lead to increased productivity, happier and healthier employees, less impact to the environment, etc.
Wikipedia entry on Telecommuting
Telecommuting Questions

"From these findings, we conclude that oranges are better than tangerines."
- The Hot Toddies, "Smell This Mitten" album

I agree with this 100%! I have been commuting (2 hours + per day) since last July and it has made me absolutely miserable! It affects every aspect of your life -- you waste so much precious time sitting in the car when you could be doing so many other things. And knowing that just adds to the stress.

I am so excited to start my new job, which is only one mile from my home. Commuting stinks, and I recommend everyone give it up.

I did my internship project on the benefits of telecommuting. I was the first to do my presentation via video conference, from my home.

The interesting part, I thought, was the "Bubble" phenomena and the loss of community. People go from the house to their enclosed garage, get in their car, travel an hour to an underground parking lot, go to work, leave for lunch, got to a drive-thru, and reverse it all to go home. People travel hundreds of miles a day without ever leaving the metaphorical couch. Trapped in a "bubble" of materialism, they never meet new people and create connections. You hardly interact with your neighbors save for a wave as you pull into your garage. You also lose the connection with the environment, the 60 miles you travel between home and work has no identity, it's just a road. I notice this when biking to work, I see so many more things than when I drive.

Work is 15 miles away from me, so it's bikeable in good weather, although I will admit that there's a job that's half a mile away from where I live that I'm seriously considering. It'd be an everyday walk, no need to ever drive. I'd take a 1/4 pay cut but I'm still considering it

I am in complete agreement. Commuting long distances is no fun at all.

My commute can be up to one hour each way, but most days my husband is able to ride to work with me. I actually look forward to that time alone in the car together. Before we were able to arrange that, I despised the time.

I wonder if it makes a difference whether you take public transportation or not? When I worked elsewhere and took the bus, I liked being able to read during that time. It took me longer to get in though, and I had to transfer on one of the most miserable bus lines in town, so maybe it wasn't worth it!

I moved 40 minutes out of the town I work in, and I have to say the opposite. It's quite a relaxing drive for me compared to the 20-30 minute in-town commute that I had before. Only 5 traffic lights and a steady flow of traffic in either direction; no infuriating bumper-to-bumper crawling for blocks. True, I lose 40 more minutes a day to commuting than a year ago, but those 40 minutes are quality alone time for me. I listen to whatever radio station or CD I want and unabashedly sing out loud to the top of my lungs - it's GREAT!

The housing prices were actually about the same as they were in the city I work in, but I have a huge yard and a second garage that we built right after moving in. We are auto enthusiasts and NEED the 1200 ft of garage space that we now enjoy. We couldn't have purchased a decent house with a four car garage for half of what we paid here, simply because land is at so much more of a premium in the larger city. Considering those things our quality of living is much higher than living in the city.

I fully agree.

I am 100% willing to pay the higher rent I do to live almost right smack dab in the middle of Seattle, just under three miles from my work place. If I drive, 7 minute and I'm here. If I walk, it's one of the most pleasant hours in my day with all the interesting and beautiful sights along the way. If I bus, it's a comfy 10-15 minutes of iPod induced bliss.

My time is very, very precious to me. I'd rather shoot myself in the foot than spend an hour or more a day in my car, by myself, accomplishing little else than rapidly expanding my carbon footprint. At this point, I really don't care if that means I'll never be able to afford my own place. I think it's worth it.

I must admit, with the satellite radio I enjoy the driving time as well, even though mine's only 25 minutes worth. However, I would like to get rid of my car. I think it'd be interesting to use a bicycle only as transportation. So that's why I'd like to get rid of my commute.

Oh my stars and garters, do I miss bike commuting!!! Seriously, I felt so awesome. Not only did I feel like a bad ass because I was a) getting more exercise b) decreasing rather than increasing my carbon foot print c) zooming past cars stuck in rush hour traffic, but, it was also just such a huge stress reliever to start and end my workday with a bike ride. It sorta takes me back to being a kid again.

But then I got hit. Sadly, it happens so often that there are lawyers in cities like Portland and my own beloved Seattle that specialize entirely in cyclist personal injury. True story. I talk to the one I hired almost daily. *sigh*

Hey, maybe you could convince him to join Traineo and get fit.

I was looking through my family photo collection and was surprised to find that my weight gain problems began in 2001 when I moved out of the city. When I tallied it up, I lost the following: a) 5x a week walking 16 Philadelphia city blocks to get to the Blue Line and commute (5 minutes) to work, b) once or twice a week skating 12-15 miles in the City Skate, and c) biking the Art Museum to Chestnut Hill trail on weekends every other week. I was more active on a daily basis, plus I had more opportunity to get outside and be active (thanks to sidewalks, bike trails, and weekly organized group fitness events) than I ever did in the suburbs.

When I feel braver, I might post one of my "before" shots from years ago.

hehe Well, he's a dedicated cyclist himself, so I don't think he needs Traineo very much. The first time we spoke, he actually took a time-out in the middle of a weekend-long ride over on the other side of Washington to return my phone call. Pretty neat.