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Psychologists and workers agree that commuting is a trial, especially for the one in 10 Brits who has to travel for two or more hours every day. Besides being linked to poorer health and an increased chance of divorce, because of the unpredictable nature of commuting, say researchers, it’s a particularly stressful activity. But there are ways to make it bearable, and even quite enjoyable. The key, surprisingly, is to stop trying to ‘check out’ of the experience, and turn towards it instead.
1 Fix what you can. You probably can’t swap your long commute for a short one – although, if you can, you should: a study found that the average person commuting an hour each way would need a 40 per cent pay rise to be as happy as someone living around the corner from work. Failing that, do anything that you can to make part of your commute outdoors, and on foot or bike –even if that means getting o the bus two stops early. Over a year, that’s a lot of exercise and, if your walking or cycling takes you through a park, you’ll be happier still.