Want a Better Work-Life Balance? Get Ready For Your NY Move

Commuting has been called ‘the stress that doesn’t pay’ by Psychology Today, and New York City is notorious for having some of the longest commute times in the nation. The average New York City worker’s weekly commute is a little more than 6.5 hours – that’s nearly a full workday spent going to and coming home from work.

Everyone who’s ever been stressed out by their commute has considered ways to eliminate or shorten their daily commute. The most popular option is to win a huge amount of money in the lottery, enabling one to quit their job with abandon and never worry about commuting again. However, this option is very hard to use – you could even say the odds are against it ever happening. This leaves two options: changing jobs, or changing addresses.

Let’s assume for a moment that you love your job and never would consider leaving it. That means you have to consider changing where you live.

Commuting is bad for your health in several ways. Researchers have found commuting increases rates of depression and anxiety; blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels are all consistently higher in commuters. In terms of quality of life, commuting registers as a negative. People report being happier and more content with their careers, families, and self when they don’t commute; they enjoy a better work-life balance.  Forbes reports that if you want to be happier, you need to change your commute.

Moving in New York City can be a time-consuming process. Finding the right place, that’s available for your budget, in a neighborhood that’s really nice and also closer to your workplace, can take a while. It may not be possible to totally eliminate having some sort of commute – almost all New Yorkers do – but changing neighborhoods strategically can shorten your commute enough to significantly increase your sense of happiness and well being. You’ll also save money with a shorter commute: Lifehacker reports it’s possible to save nearly $800 per mile (over the course of a year).