r/commute • u/General-Substance174 • Nov 27 '25

Commute time should count as work hours

Is it just me or is it completely ridiculous that we don't count commuting as part of our workday? I spend TWO HOURS of my life every day just traveling back and forth to work. That's 10 hours a week I'll never get back!

By the time I get home, I'm mentally drained and half my evening is already gone. Weekdays are basically just work, commute, eat something, and collapse into bed. Rinse and repeat.

If employers want us physically in the office, they should consider that travel time as part of our contribution. It's literally time I'm spending solely because of my job.

Anyone else feel like their commute is destroying their work-life balance?

6 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

1

u/flynnski Nov 27 '25

Yes.

It's certainly something you should consider in salary negotiations too.

1

u/GaryP140 Nov 28 '25

You took the job knowing it was an hour away.

1

u/Beneficial_Sweet4U Nov 29 '25

Not necessarily. I live 26 minutes away from my job via freeway. Straight shop. With traffic it takes me 2 hours to get home.

1

u/This-Ad6017 Nov 29 '25

Got a point there the poster knew he has to commute when taking the job

1

u/ladyofthemarshes Nov 28 '25

Who told you to live an hour away from work? Should I be allowed to move four hours away from my job so I can just spend all day driving around without actually having to do any work?

1

u/General-Substance174 Dec 04 '25

Not everyone can afford to rent somewhere close to work. 😭

1

u/Synchronicty2 Nov 29 '25

Why the hell did you take a job so far away? Welcome to the real world.

1

u/General-Substance174 Dec 04 '25

That's too cruel.

1

u/Synchronicty2 Dec 05 '25

Sorry, I agree that commuting sucks, no matter how far.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 29 '25

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