I never thought I would say this but I miss my commute.  When working from home was first announced, ditching my commute to work was the biggest cause for celebration.  But now ten weeks on, I’m amazed to find that my feelings have changed.  While I’m loving having more time and money at my disposal, there are also some surprising things that I miss about my commute.

My commute transports me to a bigger world

Marooned out in the suburbs, the Metropolitan Line is my link not only to the office but also to my life outside work.  Central London has a truly dazzling array of cultural amenities, bars, restaurants and quirky meeting places. It’s this diversity that’s such a huge attraction of living in the capital.   As I watch the empty carriages zipping past, I get a pang for all the opportunities missing from my old life.  For me, the tube represents a link to a much bigger world filled with constantly changing people and experiences.

I miss the transition between home and work

My morning and evening commute to London represents a transition between two different states. In the morning the tube ride gives me the time and space to mentally prepare for the working day.  In my head, I plan my day ahead and mentally shift gears to prepare for a faster pace.  By the time I get off the tube, my energy soars and I’m ready to join the throng of office workers.

Similarly in the evenings, riding on the tube gives me the time and space to release me from my work state. The monotonous rocking of the Metropolitan Line lulls me into a relaxed state where I can let go of the working day.  By the time I arrive home, I have already started to unwind – all that’s missing is a large glass of red.

I miss reading on my commute to work

Like many people, I struggle to achieve “me time” in my daily life.  As a commuter, my journey to work provides me with a clearly defined space to indulge my passion for reading.  Starting and finishing early and living and working at the end of a tube line, I’m one of the lucky few who can usually get a seat – unless of course there’s someone in greater need than me.  In the mornings, I get stuck into a thriller and barely notice the seventeen stops before I get off.  On the return, I retreat back into my book to escape from the corporate world and create distance from the working day.

My commute makes me more aware of the seasons

My commute time keeps me in tune with the seasons.  In the long, dark winter months, my spirits lift as I witness the ball of orange flame lighting up the Wembly Arch.  On my return, I’m transfixed by the orange, and purple streaks transforming the skies into a dramatic light show. The first tube journey home in daylight also brings a huge sense of joy that I never fail to appreciate. These fleeting moments of wonder remind me of the beauty of the world that we live in and the constantly changing nature of the seasons.

I’m aware that my future commute to work will look and feel very different.  With the continuation of flexible working and the restrictions of social distancing, it remains to be seen whether my tube journey will improve or deteriorate in our post-COVID-19 world.