A Playful Commute

City workers cram into crowded carriage

In my previous post (back in November!) I wrote of making work more playful. Here, at last, is an example – the daily commute.

(I realise not everyone commutes to work – or has a commute like mine – but hopefully this will still serve as a useful illustration of how to make any work more playful.)

The daily commute is about getting from A to B as quickly as possible. We need to get to work, and we want to get home. And I understand that. So do I!

But the way to make a commute just a little more playful is to make it something more than this – more than a just a hurried journey from A to B.

So, what do I mean by this?

Well, we could skip to work! I’m not suggesting that we should skip to work, or that I would skip to work (never going to happen!) But we could – and it would certain make our journey more playful!

There’s nothing to stop us – other than the utter embarrassment most of us would feel! (Imagine me – a man in my 50s – skipping through the City on my suit! Then again, perhaps don’t!)

We could skip to work! Click To Tweet

So, do I have any more sensible suggestions?

Well, if an ‘unplayful’ commute is about getting from A to B as quickly as possible, then a playful commute could involve a more circuitous route and a little more time (by design, rather than the vagaries of the transport system!)

We could, for example:

  • Make a detour from our usual bee-line. Drive down a back road or walk down a side street. See somewhere different.
  • Use an alternate form of transport, if available. Here in London we are spoilt for choice: train, tube, tram, bus, river bus – even cable car!
  • Walk or cycle, where possible – exercise, feel good, and avoid the undoubted aggravation & potential delays of ‘rush hour’.
  • Walk slowly, and give ourselves time to truly observe all that is around us.
  • Stop off along the way – to enjoy a coffee, read a book, or simply watch the world go by.

I’m not suggesting we do this every day. It’s probably not possible, and could become an obligation (and, hence, ‘work’) in itself.

But it might be good to give ourselves a bit more time, and mix things up, every now and then.

And if we can make our daily commute feel a bit more playful, then surely there’s hope for the rest of our lives?!

Thank you for reading this. Please do share with others, and let me know what you think. Thank you!


Image by Chris Brown (CC BY-SA 2.0)

2 comments

  1. I agree Phil. If you get the slightest chance, this spring, take a fresh look as a habit/routine or two…
    To the prospect of ‘cycling to work once a week?’, I recall adamantly thinking ‘never in a month of Sundays!‘ – it was seriously not an option… 7 years on and riding the bike (not ‘cycling’) is a default mode of commute… It changed my life!
    https://julesprichards.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/inspired-by-free-wheeling-think-again-and-cycle-again/

    1. “Never in a month of Sundays!” 😊 I used to ride to work when it was fairly local, but I really don’t fancy 15 miles each way, contending with the London traffic! But your post certainly makes a compelling case for “getting on your bike.”

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