Thinking About Work Makes Your Morning Commute Better, Worst Study Ever Finds

Commuting to work is the closest modern man can come to being chased down by a predator and left to die in the African Savannah under the blazing sun as creatures calmly slop up his lifeblood like honey -- woah, that metaphor really got away from me, didn't it?

Anyway, I'm saying I hate commuting and am constantly looking for ways to de-fang it, or at least just make it less like getting a colonoscopy from Lucifer (wow, Alec, you need to cool it with these metaphors, you're freaking people out).

Making your commute better is scientifically proven to carry a slew of important benefits, physically and psychologically.

As NYmag.com points out, a study from Jon Jachimowicz (a doctoral student at Columbia Business School) has figured out a scientifically proven way to make your commute more enjoyable and less stressful.

Let me warn you, it's not the sexiest of solutions. Like, it's not “shotgun a beer right before you get on the train, then drink a five hour energy shot.” (Yes, that is the sort of thing I find “sexy.”)

The study asserts people who “mentally plan” for the the work day while on their commute are happier and less stressed than those that spend it, say, re-reading Harry Potter or listening to history podcasts about WWI (if you like a dude who does both those things, I'm on Bumble, find me).

The study followed 150 subjects, half of which were told to just go about their commute as usual, while the other half was instructed to strategize about work and make plans for the day, the week or the month.

The study went on for six weeks, and at the end, the half that spent their time thinking about work (which is the exact opposite of what I want to do while commuting) were happier with their jobs and, uh, less beaten down by the boot of capitalism.

This is all very good advice, I'm sure. But I'll stick with Harry Potter and denial.

Citations: Nymag.com