The Fake Commute

The new drive to and from work.

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C. Will | June 15, 2021
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- 10 minute read -

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On March 1st, 2020, the average American spent a minimum of 26.9 minutes on one-way commutes to and from work.

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During that time
people listened to music and podcasts, read, texted, talked, face-timed, emailed, had their coffee or breakfast and meditated, among a host of other things.

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The time spent commuting became the time we centered, aligned and prepared ourselves for what's next. 

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But somewhere in the middle of March 2020, a pandemic changed life as we know it.

Work changed and how we get to work changed too. Those who were able, began working from home, and based on current trends may continue working from home. There has been a significant shift in commuting behavior, and it's likely to have a lasting impact long after we return to the office. 

According to a study by Cars.com in August 2020 the work commute has changed, possibly forever.

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66% of Americans are saving 30 minutes or more per day on their commute.


40% of commuters are saving up to one hour per day.

26% of commuters are saving more than one hour per day.

43% of would-be commuters are watching more TV and movies with their extra time. 

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38% are spending more time exercising.

33% are spending their spare time with family and friends.

19% are using the extra time to work more.

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We spoke with a few ex-commuters to see how their commute has changed and what they think the future could hold for us all.

Watch the video below.

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Covid-19 has shifted working and commuting behavior drastically over the past year, and some of those changes are here to stay.

We have become adapted to our relationships sliding between physical and digital worlds, and now view office spaces simply as places to congregate physically. Ideas of shared working spaces and hybrid-time office spaces are becoming more and more feasible, and car ownership seems less of a necessity.



With daily time controls removed, life is no longer structured around your job.


The day becomes a series of tasks interspersed with moments for the self. Your job is now structured around your life. The decompression and realignment of your old commute is gone but now lives through the doses of reflection you allow yourself as you navigate through tasks.





What new parts of your routine do you want to carry into post-pandemic life? What rituals will you be glad to see stay in quarantine?


Do you have questions or ideas around this story? Get in touch!

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