In a study of more than 1,000 professionals, 65% said that they allow employees to work remotely, and there are plenty of great reasons why. Think about it: 14% of Americans have changed jobs just to shorten their commute. Knowing this, it should come as no surprise that daily stress-filled rush hour commutes can take a serious toll on the mind and body alike. Here are some lesser known risks of long commutes that you may not have previously been aware of:
Higher Blood Pressure/Cardiac Stress
Most people with traditional jobs (non-remote) have experienced the worst of the worst when it comes to driving through rush-hour and fighting against the time clock. Yes, this causes stress, but more importantly, it contributes to an increased heart rate, which could mean bad news if it goes on for a long period of time.
“For many of these folks, the most stressful part of their day isn’t what happens at work — it’s hurrying to beat rush-hour traffic to get to work on time and pick up their kids from after-school activities. Also, according to a study, the average rush hour commuter’s blood pressure and heart rate are higher than that of a fighter pilot heading into combat,” writes Christian Schappel on HR Morning.
Increased Obesity Risk
Many of those who have longer commutes don’t have as much free time to get out and get some exercise. This extra time spent sitting in the car contributes to a sedentary lifestyle, which in turn contributes to an increased risk of obesity.
‘Commuter’s Amnesia’
Finally, commuter’s amnesia has probably occurred at some point or another to anyone who’s made a particularly long drive. It’s considered to be a coping mechanism for dealing with the added stress. It occurs when you arrive at your destination with virtually no recollection of the drive itself. This is even more likely for people with bad sleeping patterns and habits.
Sun Microsystems found that employees working at home use 60% of the time they would have spent commuting actually doing work, so why wait? Invest in a virtual office so that you can stay as productive and communicative as possible without the stresses of the rush-hour commute. For more information about virtual office spaces for rent, contact Stat International.
