Living in rural Aberdeenshire, removing the daily commute gave me back hours of time and a much calmer way of working.
Without the daily commute, I gained back both time and energy. The day felt calmer and less fragmented without rushing to get out the door, sitting in traffic, buying lunch, or organising everything around travelling to and from an office.
I also found I had more control over how I worked. Being able to focus in a quieter environment, take breaks when needed, and structure the day more naturally reduced a lot of background stress that I probably hadn’t fully noticed before.
Getting Time Back
I used to spend a lot of time commuting to work, but now I can enjoy breakfast with my family and help my kids with their homework after school. I also attend more of their extracurricular activities, like sports games.
Creating a Better Working Environment
I used to dread the daily commute to and from work, but now I no longer have to deal with rush hour traffic or other stressors associated with the traditional office environment. I can work in a quiet, comfortable environment that I've tailored to my needs, which has significantly reduced my stress levels.
More Control Over the Day
One unexpected benefit of working from home was how much unnecessary friction disappeared from everyday life.
Without the daily commute, I gained back both time and energy. The day felt calmer and less fragmented without rushing to get out the door, sitting in traffic, buying lunch, or organising everything around travelling to and from an office.
I also found I had more control over how I worked. Being able to focus in a quieter environment, take breaks when needed, and structure the day more naturally reduced a lot of background stress that I probably hadn’t fully noticed before.
For me, working from home wasn’t just about productivity—it was about creating a way of working that felt more balanced and sustainable.
Another thing that changed was the nature of collaboration itself. A large part of my day is now spent on Teams calls with colleagues in India, Latvia, London, and the US.
At that point, commuting into an office just to spend the day on remote calls starts to feel slightly disconnected from the way modern work actually happens.
The work is already distributed, digital, and location-independent. Working from home simply aligns more naturally with that reality.
What I’d Struggle to Give Up
Working from home isn’t perfect, and I understand why some people prefer office environments.
But for me, having more control over my environment, time, and balance has fundamentally changed how I think about work.
I’d struggle to go back to losing hours each day commuting.
A lot of this also connects to my thoughts on meaningful work and purpose.
It also links closely to how I’ve tried simplifying digital organisation using systems like PARA and Todoist.
Good systems and environments can make everyday work feel much calmer and more manageable.
I spend a lot of time simplifying digital tools, workflows, and working environments to reduce unnecessary friction.
You can take a look at my TechFix service if that sounds useful.