Feeling down: daily commute causing undue stress

Is the daily commute stressing your staff?

BY HRM 29 Aug. 2013

If women around your office are looking a little worse for wear, it may be because their daily commute is stressing them to brink.

Research by the London School of Economics has shown that despite men averaging longer commute times, women feel the stress of travelling more acutely.

Published in the Journal of Health Economics, the research revealed that while men are generally unaffected by commuting, the results indicate that commuting has a negative effect on females' mental health.

The researchers explained that with the knowledge that commuting takes up a considerable amount of time for all working people, they set out to determine what effects the daily commute may have on the psychological health of both males and females.

The academic team believes that women are more liable to feel the stress of travelling due to spending (on average) more time on housework and childcare.

Jennifer Roberts, Professor of Economics at the University of Sheffield said “We know that women, especially those with children, are more likely to add daily errands to their commute such as food shopping and dropping-off and picking-up children from childcare. These time-constraints and the reduced flexibility that comes with them make commuting stressful in a way that it wouldn't be otherwise.”

The research also revealed the toll is greater on mothers with pre-school age children, and the psychological effect on them was found to be four times greater than for men with children of the same age.

Unexpectedly, the study also found that even childless females in long-term relationships were also more affected than men.

For those feeling stressed and on edge due to the daily grind, the UK Heart Research authority responded to the study with the following tips:

If flexible hours are not possible, try leaving home a bit earlier and go to a gym near your place of work, or stay on longer after work and go for a run or walk near the office. The aim is to avoid the rush hour and to get some exercise.

If you arrive home late, avoid caffeine and alcohol, eat a light and healthy meal rich in fruit and vegetables. This will help you sleep better.

Eat a healthy breakfast.

If you drive to work, keep healthy snacks in your car, such as dried fruit, unsalted nuts, and a bottle of water. This will also help prevent impulse buys if you have to stop at the gas (petrol) station.

Try organizing a car pool with colleagues or friends so that the fuel costs and driving can be shared. Having company in the car will probably make those traffic jam moments less stressful.