The commute these days

With my son's schedule changes this school year (they are starting at a much earlier time than last year), I've been working through changes in my own schedule. I recognize that I am lucky enough to work for a company that allows me to adjust my working schedule within their broader business hours, as well as work from home.

My commute this morning consisted of my bringing my son to school and then heading back home to my office to start my work day. The whole thing - house to school to house again - took about 15 minutes. And that time is way less than my normal morning commute.

How long is my normal morning commute? I really don't know, but I know it is a lot longer than 15 minutes. It honestly depends on what day of the week it is, where there may be construction and if there are any traffic accidents. On a good day, I would say it is about a 40 minute drive and a 10 minute walk.

My commute used to be much longer - well over an hour when I was pregnant and living with my Mom and Step-Dad while my husband was working in another state. And at another time of my life, it used to be a lot shorter - 20 minutes when my husband and I were working at the same company and carpooled in together.

I hadn't given much thought to my commute these days until I read this article saying that the average 30-minute commute has been a thing for almost 2,000 years. Old cities like Rome were really only a few miles wide at their heyday - perfectly walkable in about 30 minutes. It is interesting to think about all the population and technology growth that has kept that commuting average the same, and what might be on the horizon to change it (hopefully for the better).

By the time my son is out in the working world, will he have a faster way to get to work? Or will he even need to go into an office? I don't know, but for now, I will continue to appreciate the days I am free from the car and can do more with my time.

How long is your morning commute? Tell me the average number in the comments.