First things first, I should give a little disclaimer. This blog post comes from a very privileged position: I live in a city where commuting is not only manageable but often enjoyable. In this case, that city is Helsinki.

I spend most of my days working from home. And if there’s one benefit of WFH that always comes up in conversations, it’s the lack of commuting. No buses, no trains, no time wasted on the road. For many people, this is the ultimate perk. But for me, oddly enough, commuting is what gives me the real sense of working.

I feel grateful to live in Helsinki, where public transport is accessible, well-designed, and most importantly, punctual. Because of those, commuting doesn’t feel like a burden. It feels more like a natural rhythm, a transition from one part of the day to another. In my case, it’s less about getting from A to B, and more about shifting from one state of mind to another.

Even when I go through my morning routine, such as having a breakfast, getting dressed, putting on a little makeup, and setting up at my desk, something still feels incomplete. I can check off tasks, reply to emails, finish projects, and yet, I don’t always feel productive. There’s a strange gap between doing the work and actually sensing that I’m working.

That’s when my odd little ritual comes in: I commute, even while working from home. Sometimes I hop on the metro, ride to the central station, and then immediately turn back around toward home. It might sound ridiculous, but the act of traveling, like the motion, the atmosphere, and the sense of going somewhere, does wonders for my focus. It’s a short reset, a way to tell my brain, now the workday begins.

And since I already subscribe to the public transportation pass, the rides are paid for upfront.

So in a way, commuting gives me structure, rhythm, and the mental space I need to feel like I’m truly working.