Why we miss commuting (and what we can do about it)

The social function of commuting

For many of us, commuting makes up a significant portion of our week. This is often viewed as lost time, probably because commuting can be stressful or unpleasant. But it serves a social purpose that is easily lost when working from home.

Commuting is interstitial time - time with no specific purpose. Many of us read, watch tv or listen to podcasts. So much so, in fact, that podcast consumption has changed across the board during COVID-19.

For many of us, the commute provides a period of time where we are harder to reach. In the mornings, this can be stressful. If you’re running late due to a delay on the tube, it can be difficult to let someone know. But at the end of the day, the commute can have another effect. Because it’s difficult to work on the commute, a lot of people don’t feel any pressure to do so. So we’re free to spend our time as we wish.

But when working from home, that time is gone. With all the necessary apparatus for us to continue working right there in our bedrooms, it’s harder to say no when things crop up at all hours. That’s why people are working longer hours than pre-COVID-19.

Many charity workers have significant family commitments. It’s hard enough to separate work time from family time. So when do you find the time to rest, relax and recharge?

Many of us found this time on our commutes. This is because the commute provided us with the perfect excuse. But we don’t need an excuse to prioritise our mental wellbeing.

At the onset of lockdown, some experts suggested recreating your commute from home could have a positive effect on your routine, productivity and mental health. At the time, I thought this was a silly idea. And I wasn’t alone.

Everything about this is Oscar-worthy #CoronaLockdown pic.twitter.com/MWstii8oLq

— Alex Wood (@MrAlexWood)

Everything about this is Oscar-worthy #CoronaLockdown pic.twitter.com/MWstii8oLq

— Alex Wood (@MrAlexWood) March 28, 2020

But there is logic to it. A commute breaks up your day. It clearly delineates the difference between ‘work’ time and ‘home’ time. Without these clear barriers, it becomes very easy to work longer and longer hours. This leads to an increased risk of stress, fatigue and burnout - all contributory factors to more serious mental health conditions.

Recreating a human connection

A commute is just one example of interstitial time. Throughout our normal working day, there are a number of small interactions that we may not pay much attention to - taking a break to grab a coffee, chatting with a co-worker while waiting for a meeting to start, holding the door open for a stranger in the hallway (and doing the special ‘polite strangers acknowledging each other’ nod).

It is unlikely that these were the first things on your mind when we began working from home. But after a few months of remote working, it is normal to increasingly feel their absence. For all it’s benefits, the remote working routine can lack spontaneity. As one day blends into the next, this routine can become monotonous - leading to a decrease in motivation and productivity.

"The social sector ‘does’ human connection better than any other. We live and breathe it. It’s who we are and what we care about. It’s in the services we deliver and the shared ‘moments in-between’, with smiles and small kindnesses, and often over tea. This expertise, along with COVID and the rapid development of Tech for Good services, has given us the opportunity and the motivation to address human connection in digital."

 

- Matt McStravick, Deepr

There are a number of digital services that can help to recreate these interactions. Deepr, in partnership with Catalyst have drawn up a framework that includes:

• 10 principles to guide the work of creating human connection through digital
  
  
• Five conditions necessary for human connection. Charities are well placed to foster these conditions
  
  
• 40 tools (or methods) for creating the five conditions in any service or working culture
  
  
• A six-step guide to implementing the principles and experimenting with the tools

This resource outlines five conditions necessary for meaningful human interaction:

1. Presence - ensuring that people are engaged and attentive
2. Equality - ensuring that people experience minimal power imbalance
3. Accountability - ensuring that people feel invested in relationships
4. Autonomy - ensuring that people have agency and choice
5. Whole self - ensuring that people feel comfortable expressing who they are

By integrating the framework into day-to-day operations, charity leaders can establish a respectful and inclusive remote working environment. This will help to offset losses in morale, productivity and output that may be associated with a sudden switch to remote working.