I used to live near friends, and commuted by car 20-30 minutes each way to work. I actually enjoy driving and enjoyed the commute, generally, but recognized it was a chunk of time out of my day. (Granted, once I lived closer to work, I bike commuted instead, so while it was a shorter-distance commute that was healthier for myself and the environment and my wallet, it didn't really save me a ton of time)
So, I reasoned, why not live closer to work and only "commute" on those occasional times when I gather for dinner or other social events with friends? After all, it's far less frequent, and happens off-hours sometimes.
Of course, what actually happened was socializing and maintaining those connections felt like a LOT more of a chore. (You want me to drive WHERE? At rush hour? Just for dinner?)
Turns out, the obvious incentives tied to one's livelihood are stronger than the obvious incentives of friendship/socializing.
So, I reasoned, why not live closer to work and only "commute" on those occasional times when I gather for dinner or other social events with friends? After all, it's far less frequent, and happens off-hours sometimes.
Of course, what actually happened was socializing and maintaining those connections felt like a LOT more of a chore. (You want me to drive WHERE? At rush hour? Just for dinner?)
Turns out, the obvious incentives tied to one's livelihood are stronger than the obvious incentives of friendship/socializing.