I was talking with my mother-in-law the other day about my business and career—how I can do it anytime and anywhere—but, as a result, I can wind up doing it all the time and everywhere if I don’t pay attention.
The good thing is that you don’t have to commute, she observed.
This is true, and it is an advantage. But I also realized that, as much as I like working for myself and not having to travel to an office every day, I actually got a lot of work done during my commute when I had one.
In some ways, this newsletter is like my personal diary. I mean, not as personal as it might be if I didn’t think anyone was going to read it.
But I can go back in time and find things like an edition I wrote three years ago about trying to recreate the most productive parts of my old commute—without actually commuting.
So, if you’re keeping track, this means I once wrote about trying to recreate a thing that I used to do — and now I’m writing about how I no longer do the thing I used to do in order to recreate the thing I previously did.
If you are still with me, thank you. Let’s get you something a bit more actionable as a reward.
Perhaps this study from the journal Environment International, in which researchers found that people who regularly commuted through natural environments reported better mental health.
They defined those environments as outdoor spaces containing “green” or “blue” natural elements: street trees, forests, city parks, nature reserves and bodies of water.
Researchers led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health surveyed 3,599 workers in four European cities about their daily commutes and mental health.
Those who commuted through natural environments every day had mental-health scores that were, on average, 2.74 points higher than those of people who did so less frequently.
The association was even stronger among people whose commutes involved physical activity, such as walking or riding a bicycle.
Now, as I think about it, I probably had one of the least scenic and nature-oriented commutes possible when I rode NJ Transit trains into Manhattan every day.
There are certainly places in New Jersey that live up to the state’s self-appointed nickname, the Garden State.
But let’s just say the industrial areas and swamplands along the Montclair-Boonton Line aren’t at the top of the list.
Of course, it’s not as if someone commuting by public transportation can ask the conductor or bus driver to find a more scenic route.
And I suspect that many of the people who could benefit most from a more nature-filled commute are stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on a decidedly not-scenic interstate.
Wait, maybe this isn’t really about commuting.
Maybe it’s more about recognizing what commuting sometimes gave us besides frustration: a boundary between work and home, a period of transition and, in the best circumstances, some time outdoors.
Fun fact: Last week, the day before my mother-in-law’s visit, I put a beach chair in my car, drove to a park on the other side of town and spent two hours outside in the green with my laptop.
It was probably my most focused and productive stretch of the week.
I felt pretty darn mentally healthy afterward, too—and grateful once again that I’m able to do something like that and still get enough work done to keep the lights on.
Working from anywhere is a freedom. The trick, apparently, is remembering to choose where “anywhere” will be.
What are the odds that a few years from now I’ll come across this edition of the newsletter and remember that day in the park?
Other things worth knowing …
CNBC: Iran targeted U.S. forces in the Middle East with several ballistic missiles late Tuesday, U.S. Central Command said, raising tensions that had seen hostilities put on brief pause. All the missiles were intercepted.
The Hill: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said 13 people have been found dead after a powerful earthquake shook southwestern Japan, with rescue work continuing Wednesday morning. A magnitude 7.1 quake struck the Kumamoto area on the southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon.
NYT: The Trump administration has begun arresting foreign citizens with expired U.S. visas as they travel through airports, including spouses of Americans. Some of the arrests have occurred quietly, while others have happened as angry fellow passengers filmed the encounters. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants and visitors expired visas occupy a legal gray area, as they are awaiting visa extensions or green cards and have been issued work permits.
Haitian Times: As Temporary Protected Status for Haitians who came to the U.S. beginning in 2010, families are asking who will care for their U.S. citizen children, whether to sell their homes, and whether they can survive what comes next. “I cannot tell you how many clients are flat out saying ‘oum pito tuye tèt mwen ke m tonunen en Ayiti,’” one advocate shared. (Translation: “I’d rather kill myself than be buried in Haiti.”)
AP: FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced a proposal to create a $20 billion company running the World Cup with private investors, including family members of Jared Kushner. The plan was immediately attacked by UEFA and new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham. “It is not FIFA’s to sell,” UEFA said. “None of us are the owners of football.”
Axios: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear sent a blunt letter to Sen. Mitch McConnell and his staff demanding that the 84-year-old senator verbally address constituents and demonstrate his ability to serve — or resign. It has been more than 40 days since McConnell was hospitalized and last appeared publicly outside of photos released by his office.
The Independent: Gen Z, once heralded for their sobriety, is actually drinking about as much as everyone else, according to a new study. Those born between 1997 and 2012 were touted as “sober curious,” but according to IWSR, the drinking rate for legal-age Gen Zers is now 74% — up from 66% in 2023.
Thanks for reading. I wrote about some of this at Inc.com. See you in the comments.
In support of the study that you mentioned:
At 5:45am each morning I head out for a walk along the golf cart paths. I'm alone. The birds are starting to chirp, hummers click, bunnies hop across my path, a hawk screeches eeeee-eeeee. As I pass a small pond, a bullfrog croaks. Ideas start to drift into my mind. That walk fuels my creativity and energy for the work I do.
Around 2009, Metro North Railroad surveyed commuters to better understand how they perceived their commute. They were very surprised to learn that, overwhelming, people viewed the commute as “time to themselves”, a bubble where they wouldn’t be bothered and could do whatever they wanted.