Commuting to work may be tedious and time consuming, but it's a way of life for many people living in the car-crazy United States. "Commute time in the United States has been on the rise nationwide since 2010," the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports. Most commuters in the U.S. now spend between 16 and 29 minutes behind the wheel, according to Statista. What's more, the number of drivers commuting between 50 and 74 miles increased by 18% between 2020 and 2024, according to Stanford University, and the number of commutes over 75 miles a day increased by 32%. The potential negative effects of commuting may be one reason that some workers prefer to do their jobs remotely. The longer their commute, the less happy and healthy people tend to be, the NIH reports. Additional studies indicate that commuters as a whole experience more stress, more pollution exposure and poorer cardiovascular health. Commuters also risk arriving late and experience more financial strain than people who do not commute. Related: Amazon's RTO policy fuels employee frustrations: 'feels like a bank now' With so much time spent behind the wheel, it behooves commuters to take active steps to capitalize on the time that commuting consumes. Here are some of the ways to make commuting happier and more productive from MindTools.com.: |

• Adopt a "me-time" mindset. Consider listening to a favorite podcast or recorded book.
• Practice relaxation techniques such as facial muscle stretching or deep breathing.
• Get active. Exercise helps counter stress.
• Practice proper posture.
• Get organized. Leave plenty of time for the drive.
• Get things done. Use the time to contemplate how best to approach the day.
• Plan for the unexpected. Have a backup plan for the days when construction or crashes snarl traffic.
• Negotiate different work hours to help avoid rush-hour traffic.

Better yet: Minimize the amount of time spent commuting. The slideshow above illustrates the cities with the fastest commutes in 2024, according to research conducted by Lyft and The Harris Poll.