For Indian, the average daily commute totals 1 hour and 38 minutes. But, while we travel our lives away, what affect is heavy traffic, pollution, and packed-out trains having on our well being?
According to a report, not only do commuters suffer from lower life satisfaction, they are less happy and more anxious than non-commuters.
It’s not all bad news though.
While we can’t magic your commute away, changing your approach can help to combat the negative effects of your journey, by reducing stress, boosting happiness and improving your fitness.
From small to big, try making these adjustments to your daily commute, to improve your overall well being and get the most out of life.
If you’re lucky enough to live close to your place of work, why not ditch public transport altogether and hop on a bike instead?
According to a report, after studying 2,000 working Indian adults, more than half of those who cycle to work said they arrived feeling refreshed after their commute, with over 50% of cyclists saying that riding into work improved how they felt mentally.
Aside from the psychological benefits, cycling for at least 30 minutes can burn between 200 to 400 calories. Plus, the extra cycling practice will give you the edge next time you’re brave enough to strap yourself in for one of our group spinning classes.
Take the stress and monotony out of your daily tube journey with some mindfulness.
A form of stress-reducing meditation, mindfulness apps like Fitbit provide guided meditation sessions that activate the ‘rest and digest’ part of your nervous system, to help manage stress.
There’s no strange chanting, just work on your breathing as you zone out and forget about the cramped carriage, train announcements and noisy passengers.
It might not be quite as easy as meditating in a quiet and serene space, but it’s far better for your mental health than listening to your fellow passengers argue over the last seat.
If you don’t live within walking distance to your office, there are a few tricks that can help you to incorporate more physical activity into your commute.
For a start, take the stairs. It might not seem like much, but trekking up 193 steps in a metro station will definitely get your heart pumping.
For a slightly longer stint, why not get off the train a couple of stops before your destination and walk the rest of the journey?
Instead of scouring the gossip columns or racking up a high score on Candy Crush, use your commute to plan your fitness goals.
Join Burn and discover the latest in-club innovations, effective techniques, or real-life fitness journeys.
By setting targets, creating to-do lists, or learning about new and exciting well being practices, you’ll instantly feel more productive and view your travel time in a much more positive light.
Schedule a class you’ve always wanted to try, or figure out your next weight training session - you might not be active in that moment, but it will help you to spring into action once you arrive at your destination.
