Durham Recruiting Invites You to Stop the Commute Part 2

By Dustin Kellow

In Part 1 of our “Stop the Commute” series we examined the true cost of commuting, in terms of your time and your money. The cost of commuting doesn’t end there, though.

Commuting takes a toll on more than just your wallet. It can wreak havoc on your health, your career, your relationships, and your overall well-being.

For most people, commuting is exhausting and stressful. Quite apart from the actual lost time spent getting jostled around in commuter trains and buses or sitting in heavy traffic (not that there’s any other type of traffic in the GTA), there are other factors that are decidedly NOT conducive to good health and well-being.

One commuter comments: “I live in Oshawa, drive 15 minutes to the GO train, take a one-hour train into Union Station, then a 15-minute TTC [subway] ride up to Yonge and Eglinton. It's over three hours a day sitting on my rump! I'm generally up at 5 a.m. and home around 8 p.m. I'm pretty sure it's making me chronically sleep deprived and I'm getting pudgy!” 

He’s not alone. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention describes sleep deprivation as a “public health epidemic”. Sleep deprivation has a profound influence on your health, your quality of life, and your performance at work.  

Effect of Commuting on Your Career

People who arrive at work with insufficient rest and with nerves already jangled are more prone to making errors and, even worse, are more prone to accidents and injuries. Think about it – if you’re tired, stressed, and irritated, how easy is it to focus on your work? Productivity suffers, and sooner or later (probably sooner), that gets noticed. Relationships with your family, friends, and the people you work with can suffer as well. It’s very hard to be cheerful and supportive when your stress level is out the roof. Spending time with family and socializing with colleagues becomes nothing more than a nice idea that you used to have before you became a slave to traffic congestion and transit schedules.

Effect of Commuting on Your Family

Those added hours spent commuting could also have a profound affect on your spouse and kids.

For instance, do the added hours away from home that you spend commuting mean that your kids are in daycare for an extra couple of hours every day? Are you missing family dinners? Are the kids being shortchanged on sports and other healthy activities? 

The beneficial effects of children’s physical activity are well documented. But according to the 2018 ParticipACTION Canada report card, only 35% of 5-17 year olds are reaching their recommended physical activity levels. 

Scientific American reports that Professor Norbert Schneider of the University of Mainz found that of the long-distance commuters he studied that almost 60 percent “had no time to pursue their own interests – no sports, no clubs, not even an occasional outing with friends” and that “two thirds of the spouses and partners felt that they were just as burdened—or even more so—noting that they essentially had to take care of all family duties and household chores themselves.”

Professor Schneider’s conclusion was that “one third of the spouses and partners felt the negatives of a long commute simply were not worth the positives”.

Effect of Commuting on Your Physical Health

Commuting indisputably exacts a toll on your health. According to a study conducted by Elsevier Health Sciences, “greater commuting distances are associated with decreased cardio- respiratory fitness, increased weight, and other indicators of metabolic risk.” That, and other studies, warn of the risks of commuting.

• Back pain and other aches can result from long hours in a car, train, or a bus. Long commutes and changes in routes and modes of transportation can raise your blood pressure. 
• The stress of driving through traffic jams, veering to avoid hazards, driving through rain or snow can all accelerate the body’s production of adrenaline and cortisol. This causes your muscles to tense and increases your heart and respiration rate.
• Exposure to airborne pollutants can play havoc with respiratory function.
• Eating fast foods to save time deprives the body of the nutrients it needs.
• Missing out on exercise and physical activity reduces overall tone of the body and lowers its resistance to virus and bacteria.
• A long commute increases the risk of obesity.

Effect of Commuting on Your Mental Health

And let’s not overlook the effects other than those that are directly related to the body.  Business Insider published the results of a recent study that concluded that “commutes appeared to have a negative impact on mental well-being too, with longer-commuting workers 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression, 37 per cent more likely to have financial worries and 12 per cent more likely to report multiple aspects of work-related stress”.

But I am here to tell you that you don’t have to endure the hardships of commuting. There is a solution, there is something you can do about it, and we’re going to tell you what that is in Durham Recruiting Invites You to Stop the Commute – Part 3.

Durham Recruiting can help you get back YOUR time and money!

We have helped many people make the transition from commuting to working locally. And we can help you too.

Durham Recruiting is not “just another employment agency”. 

We help people connect with local companies in the Durham Region and surrounding areas. Using our unique Kellow Approach, we take the time to fully understand our partners’ industry, company, team and overall culture and we get to know all our candidates thoroughly and match them where it’s the right ‘fit’ for both – Win Win. Our network of local employers is among the largest in the region and growing daily as we continuously build relationships. 

We have connections with many local companies and businesses that have positive and established positions and they are looking for you!  Whether you’re looking for a full-time, part-time, or temporary/contract position, we can help connect you with them. 

Stop Your Commuting and Visit www.durhamrecruiting.ca Today!

Or contact me directly at 905-579-2950 or email us at [email protected]

Stop the commute! Check our listings today and come back to Durham Region. Stay up to date on the latest job listings in your area.

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