Commuters talk about their everyday life
For many people, commuting is a part of their daily working life. What it means for those concerned is explained in this interview with Juliane Albrecht by Prof. Carmen Binnewies, a psychologist and an expert on the issue of work-life balance.
What do we know so far about the psychological effects of commuting?
Mostly, people experience time spent commuting – just like time spent at work – as an additional demand being made on them and, accordingly, as something stressful. However, it's not just about the quantity of commuting done but also about the qualitative experience of it. Driving is often felt to be a more strenuous experience than using public transport. Unforeseen events such as traffic congestion, train cancellations or delays also play a key role. The more the time spent commuting can be planned, and the more freedom people have while commuting – for example, if they have a chance to work or do some reading on a train journey – the less stressful the time is felt to be.
For one thing, they can think about whether the stress that commuting entails can be minimized. Can I commute outside the rush hour? Is it worth my using public transport if driving by car is so stressful? But there are a lot of external restrictions here, for example regulations covering working times, opening times at child-care centres and schools and the public transport available. This is why it's also worth thinking about how the time spent commuting can be used in a positive sense and how delays can be handled. Perhaps the time can be used for working, which many academics like to do on train journeys. And if delays are not to ruin any perfect planning, it's a good idea to work out an emergency plan beforehand.
How should employers take into account the special needs that commuters have?
Flexibility as regards working times and places is helpful as people can then avoid, or at least reduce, the stress of commuting. Universities already offer a lot of possibilities in this respect, particularly in the academic field. Teleworking also offers opportunities to avoid the stress of commuting completely, although this is not possible in all areas. As commuting is also a cost factor, discounted job tickets or free parking are also an important form of support that employers can offer.
Two commuters talk about their everyday life
"Certain fields of work demand of employees a high degree of flexibility. That's always been the case in the academic world, and maybe it will always be so. Often, you only reach the coveted permanent position after having had several jobs at different universities. Until you reach that point, however, life outside university doesn't stand still. Relationships develop and partners have jobs in different cities; maybe they also have children later, and commuting suddenly becomes a necessity.
For six years I've been commuting by train from Berlin to Münster and back again for precisely these reasons. My week comprises almost almost 1000 kilometres, eight hours and a lot of hassle due to regular delays. But the mental and physical stress don't only affect me, the commuter. From Mondays to Thursdays my wife is a single mother, and my son often asks when I'll be coming home at last.
Commuting does have positive sides, though. During the time I spend in Münster I can concentrate completely on my work. On the train I prepare my lessons, read theses or write articles. During the breaks between semesters my family has priority. We organize things as skilfully as possible and plan any important appointments for this period. Having a talent for planning is simply part and parcel of commuting. It wouldn't work, though, without the flexibility offered by the employer. I'm very grateful – as far as my Institute is concerned – that a balance between family life and career is accorded a high priority. But there's room for improvement in any system, and Münster University could take greater account of school holidays when planning lecture periods."
"One of my colleagues here at Münster University likes to describe me as an academic commercial traveller. And he's not just talking about travelling to conferences, but also about commuting – in my case between Münster and Frankfurt am Main. My wife is an academic and works at a well-known museum there; and she can only do her work there, where the pictures are. For me it's easier to do some of my work at home and make sure everyone at Münster is able to contact me there.
Fortunately, not only my students but also my colleagues everywhere have put up with my commuting without any complaint, particularly as there are no tensions at my place of work. What's important is that there should be no breakdown in communication with any change of location. I get a lot done using emails and the telephone, as well as in person, as far as possible. It works well for everyone involved, even if some colleagues who attach a lot of importance to people being present in person have needed to get accustomed to the situation.
I won't be able to avoid commuting in the future either. The places where there might be jobs for both my wife and myself – at least theoretically – can be counted on the fingers of two hands. Not to mention the dream of getting a permanent position. If we don't want both of us to have to commute, one of us will have to give up their job, but that’s out of the question. However, the entire family pays the price of commuting. A marriage needs special attention, and children sometimes really miss their dad … The travelling itself is something I find hardly stressful at all. As an old hand at travelling by train, I know exactly how to make the trips pleasant and use them efficiently."
This article was first published in the University newspaper "wissen|leben", 25 January 2017.
Translated from German by Ken Ashton