It took me almost two hours to get to work Wednesday.
Part of the delay involved the rain – that very strange variable that seems to freak people out and make traffic crazy, even traffic on a train. I left my house at 7:15 am and arrived (wet and cold) in my office at 9 am. Ugh. I needed a (skim) mocha right on the bat to warm my bones.
On an average day, it takes about an hour and 15 minutes to commute to and from work from my house which is conveniently located just 7 houses from the train station. It’s possible to 1) read books, 2) write sermons, 3) pen thank you notes on the train, but what I do is either 1) nap or 2) read the newspaper on my phone. It’s the best I can do.
So, here’s my quandary: I am losing about 3 hours a day on the road/train track. Would it be more efficient to work from home a day or two?
I love the work-in-sweatpants-in-my-home-office idea. I love having those 3 extra hours to answer emails while also doing laundry.
I also love seeing my colleagues in the office and having people drop by to meet me and fill me in on what’s going on in their congregations/commissions. Among the tidbits of information/questions shared as people walk past my office on a random day:
– “Why does THE PRESBYTERY come in to offer advice like they are smarter than the congregation?” (Good question. Note: We aren’t smarter; we’re just trying to help.)
– Did I know that a commission is not the same as a committee? (I did.)
– Would I like to attend their Octoberfest/Ham Dinner/Craft Fair? (Probably not)
– Do I like my new job? (Yes.)
– Would I be their supply preacher on Christmas Day? (No.)
So, what does a happy but needs-more-time-in-her-day commuter do? Do you commute to you job? Do you have sage wisdom that will bring about the reign of God on earth as it is in heaven? Please share.
A Church for Starving Artists 
Sometimes it is valuable to spend a night near work so you can have two very productive days and then work from home on a third day (or something like that.) I find having a day that I don’t ‘have’ to do the drive home allows me to be more productive in the evening and the next morning work-wise. It also saves one round trip. Then if you work from home another day you have the ability to do multitask (laundry etc.) on that day. Since I’m guessing you are in a variety of churches on Sundays you could probably commute one day, work from home one day and stay over one night. If you are like most ministry-types you are still available even on your “day off” so having at least one day to work from home can be a good balance. Sabbath keeping is still necessary – your day working at home is not your sabbath. Peace as you consider the options.
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Thanks Mary Beth. We all need peace.
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I definitely believe that working from home even once a month can completely save your sanity. It is tough knowing that you miss all the people who just want to “drop by,” but I’ve always found that it’s easier to enjoy those drive-bys after a day of relaxed/uninterrupted work.
Though my commute was never *quite* as long as yours, I did find myself not minding it quite as much once I started feeling a little more “productive” during the ride. Whether that was listening to a podcast, reading something that I didn’t have time for otherwise (but thoroughly enjoyed) or watching a show that had recently sucked me in… Anyway, once I decided to make that commute time a little *me* time, it became almost a time that I looked forward to as the time I could take to recharge myself.
🙂
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My commute is only about 40 minutes, which isn’t bad in NoVA, but I work from home 1-2 days a week. It suits me very well and it gives my introverted self a little space.
But I serve a small church where drop-ins don’t happen much. I say if the culture at the presbytery office allows it, do it. (When you’re pitching it, make the stewardship of the environment argument too.)
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Hmmm…..Well, a) I read this right after reading the link from MAs page about our need for down time, so I am thinking, NAP on the TRAIN=genius!
b) For the right church, I could be available on Christmas day to guest preach. Just saying. (I’m coming to Chicago for the holidays, though I wasn’t going to arrive until the 26th). c) I have “flex time” now, which is not very flexible, but does allow me to pick up Selam from school 2 days a week, and then make up the time at home that night after she’s in bed. I accomplish more in those “make up” hours at night than I do in a full day at work= vote for working at home once a week. d) is not your Presbytery the whole Chicagoland area? Couldn’t working from “home” be a chance to work in the satellite office? You could get drop-in business by, say, working at a particular starbucks every week.
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I used to get irritated about my commute thinking of the things I could be doing, but at some point I realized that my commute could be “me” time. It’s a nice transition from the craziness of the workplace to home (which is sometimes also crazy) and allows me to leave work at work. It’s nice to have an uninterrupted span of time just to read or stare out the window and organize my thoughts while someone else does the driving. I realize of course that in the ministry there may not be the ability to leave work at work, but it helps with boundaries. Personally I know that I would never be productive working at home, there is too much to distract me, “Another episode of Millionaire Matchmaker, yes please!”
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I’d say if working from home helps you to do things you need to do and keep your spirit alive and well, then work from home those one or two days that allow it. The work on the days when you are in the field – office or other places – will be brighter because of the focused time at home.
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Now, I’m rarely the person who sees the glass as half full but…. I’ve been commuting by train for 10+ years now. The way I make it work is to consider the commute as my transition time.
Sometimes I have had a hectic morning getting the kids ready for school and I need to get my head around being calm and business-like for work. Sometimes my day at work has been frustrating and I need that time on the way home to remember that my family had nothing to do with my frustrations at work.
No matter what I do, I consider the commuting time to be a gift. Most often I read. Sometimes I listen to music or nap. Occasionally I sit with a friend and chat. Whatever it is that I do, I consider it a gift and blessing that I get to do it. It sounds simplistic but it works for me. I can begrudge the commute or embrace it. It doesn’t change what it is but it changes how I feel about it.
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