The Fake Commute: Remote Workers Taking Part In New Trend To Create Separation Between Job & Home Life
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Millions of people are working from home because of the pandemic. However, that isn't necessarily a good thing for many, which is why they're taking part in a new trend: the fake commute.
Danielle Perrotta's morning commute starts like many. She leaves her house and stops off for a cup of coffee or tea. The educator and tutor then heads to her job, but not at a school. She actually goes right back home for another day of working remotely.
"I'm doing it online at home using Zoom, so still doing a lot of the things I was doing before, but now through a computer screen. I feel like being in the house all the time, there were days that would go by that I was just like, wow, I haven't left the house in five days," Perrotta said.
Once a week, Perrotta does what's known as a fake commute.
"It separates my home and my work," she said.
Perrotta will often include a walk in her fake commute.
"It makes me feel like I'm going somewhere, even though I'm just coming back home," she said.
Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Georgia Kristen Shockley said that a fake commute can help people clear their head.
"Research shows that this idea of segmentation, so keeping work and home life separate tend to have some beneficial effects for work, life balance," she said.
Professor Shockley adds a fake commute can help with both mental and physical health.
"If you're able to do something like walking around the block, you're going to get the benefits that come from both being outside and getting that activity in," Shockley said.
