Six months ago, I started commuting to work by bicycle. Here are six things I’ve learned in that time:
1) Bike Commuting Saves you Time, and it Saves you Dollars! As an endurance junkie, I am always looking for new ways to grab a quick workout. What sounds more appealing to you: sitting in traffic and slugging to work in 25 minutes OR hopping on a bike and cruising there in 35? Obviously, the option that comes with aerobic gain! Then, there’s the savings on gas & vehicle maintenance. What if you only had to drive your vehicle on the weekends? How cool would that be?!?
2) I’m Better at Combatting the “What Ifs” As a chronic over-analyzer, one of my biggest problems lies in obsessing over all the details of a decision. If I pick this, will this other thing happen? What if I don’t have the time to do this as a result? Whether it’s your classic decision fatigue or “analysis paralysis,” choosing two wheels over four has helped me narrow my focus. While I thought I might still do this with my bike commute, making the choice to ride into work has given me some pretty good resiliency in staying committed to getting out of my own head.
3) Daily Injections of Momentum For me, the ongoing path toward health and wellness has always been blazed by movement. Whether running, cycling, lifting weights, or yoga, ensuring that I get a daily dose of exercise takes me off a mental edge. It makes me a better human, dad, husband, and teacher. However, like every busy human in the 21stcentury, I have days where I get bogged down by life. I lack motivation after a poor night of sleep, or I come up with 57 things I “need” to do before I make time for exercise. When I started bike commuting, though, the barriers to movement were removed. Whether I felt “ready” to ride into work, I was going! After just a few days of transitioning into this change, I was completely sold. Bike commuting provides me the impetus to keep my activity level up and buzzing.
4) A Time for Reflection We all have those difficult and draining days at work – maybe these are frequent for some of you. On your drive back home, what do you do to help unwind? After all, once you walk in the house, you have to quickly put on your new hat – as a parent, as a spouse/significant other, etc. Do you listen to music or put on a podcast? While either of those used to be my go-to, I have yet to find a better way to reset my brain than simply moving. My 35-minute bike commute affords me some time to prepare for my day in the morning and shake off any stressors in the evening. Have you ever heard anybody say, “Man, I really wish I didn’t go on that bike ride. I’m so stressed now.” No, I didn’t think so.
5) Upping My Problem-Solving Game How often have you found yourself wrestling a problem in your head for days, only to completely unravel it & find a solution during exercise? If you’re like me, then the answer is a resounding “All the Time!” While I used to “double” quite a bit in college (running in the morning and afternoon), I have scaled back on that practice in adulthood. This meant I lost out on some key problem-solving time. Well, the to-and-from work time on my bike has reopened that portal. Upon entering my house, after commuting home, the number of times my conversations have started, “Hi, family! I missed you today. Okay, I think I figured out what to do” is too many to pin down.
6) I’m Better at Channeling the “What Wills” In removing the “what ifs” from my daily thought, I have replaced them with “what wills.” By getting out of my own head, I can clearly see the benefits of my six months of bike commuting. What will happen if you choose to follow a similar path is some or all of the following. You will inspire those around you, both at home and at work, to engage in conversation about the benefits of riding to work. You will contribute to the health of our planet by removing one more vehicle from the roads. You will be part of the solution to many of humankind’s problems – connecting with your environment on a deeper level and finding yourself experiencing the world on your way to work, instead of just passing it by.
Six months ago, I made the decision to commute to work on my bike. I didn’t know how much of a positive impact this simple choice would have on my life. I thought I was just giving this biking-to-work thing a try. I didn’t know I was about to fall (back) in love with my bike. As you sit there and contemplate riding your bicycle to work, try to avoid lingering on all the “what ifs.” What if it rains? What if I have to go somewhere after work? What if I usually drive to get my lunch every day? Let all those thoughts fly out the window. Instead, focus on the “what wills.” Commit to riding your bike to work one day each week and try it out for a month. Take some time to do a little planning. On your next drive into the office, stash some spare clothes and a box of granola bars at your desk. There is a way to make it work; you just have to find it. I’m always here to help so please feel free to reach out with any questions. I promise you won’t regret this decision.
