Fieldguide: Smart Commuting to Work this Year

10 Jan

You know what they say…

New year, new you!

So why do the same things that the old you hated? Getting to work can be stressful and the cause of many headaches, but if it’s routine it can be hard to change. If you’re getting to work feeling tired or stressed before you even start work then your commute could use a revamp! Your commute shouldn’t be hard so here’s some ways to commute smart and get to work feeling fresher than ever.

1. Wear the right shoes!

Chances are that your commute involves a walk. Whether your walk is from home to work or from your car to the elevator, your dress shoes probably weren’t designed to walk long distances. If you’re spending 7+ hours of the work day in shoes that look good but don’t feel good, then why spend more time in them on the commute?

Your feet are usually your first point of contact you have with the ground and they work to absorb the impact of walking - or running if you’re late for the bus. A softer soled, supportive shoe is what your feet would ask you for Christmas if they could talk. So break out your favourite pair of runners, leave the dress shoes at work, and walk to work in comfort.

2. Carry the right bag!

Your lunch, your laptop, an umbrella on a rainy day and your shoes if you don’t have a locker. It’s a lot to carry on your shoulders. And even more if you’re carrying it on one! We’re going to continue to disrupt your work attire by ditching the fashionable handbag or shoulder bag and replacing it with a backpack.

I know, I know…no one wants to go back to the days of primary school where you had to carry a big dorky backpack with your lunch in it to class. But there’s a great reason for them - you know that neck ache that always sets in at 5:30pm while you’re sitting on the bus, the one on the same side you carry your bag, at the top of the same arm that rests on the table while you type? There’s a connection there. Putting all the weight on one shoulder causes your whole body to lean to support the weight - from your hips to your neck. The humble backpack has a strap for each shoulder to disperse the weight across both, and give you more support. And it’s not all that bad, they make some pretty stylish backpacks now!

For the guys, check out the Herschel Heritage Laptop Backpack
Ladies, take a look at Country Road’s Heritage Backpack
Another great find is from…can you believe it…IKEA! The FÖRENKLA!

3. Respect your neck!

30 minutes on a bus - the perfect amount of time to scroll and refresh your Instagram feed approximately 35 times. It’s also the perfect amount of time to listen to a 30 minute podcast, get through a chapter of an ebook, or have a successful morning of people watching. The point is this - the bus is already crowded and cramped enough, you don’t need to be cranking your neck downwards to read on your phone for so long.

If podcasts aren’t your jam and earphones aren’t your thing, then put your new backpack on your lap and use it as a place to rest your arms and hold your phone at head height. The amount of pain and headaches this will save you will blow you away!

So next time you’re waiting at the bus stop or commuting on the train, lift your head and try sitting like this.

4. Stretch it out!

If you’re super organised and always at the bus stop early, you don’t have to sit and wait while doing nothing. With a bench or bus stop available you can get creative and work through a full body stretch routine if you’re game. If you want to be a bit more incognito about your stretching, use the bus stop to prop your toes up and stretch your calves and people might not notice.

So there you have it…

Four simple ways to make your commute less stressful and more interesting. Let us know if you’ve got your own tips for making your commute less dull. If your commute is giving you uncontrollable headaches, book in a for a massage before the year gets too busy. Click the image below!