6 Benefits of Living Walking Distance from Work
June 2, 2019 by Marty Orefice |
Although sometimes it might feel like after work you want to get as far from your office as possible, renting to own a place near your job can actually good for you.
For starters, you'll fight less traffic to get to and from work during rush times and, as a result, you'll have more time to sleep at night (i.e. the time you would otherwise spend sitting in traffic).
More so, you'll face less stress over getting to work on time as there's less distance for unpredictable accidents to potentially slow down. And after a long workday, when you just want to get home and fall fast asleep, you'll be that much closer to your bed.
However, even better than getting a place close to work is renting to own a place within walking distance of your job so that you can take advantage of the health benefits of walking while saving time and money getting to work.
These are the benefits of walking to work every day:
1. You'll burn stay in shape
Walking to work every day burnscalories. Light daily exercise helps maintain your weight. Depending on how quickly you walk, you could even lose weight.
2. You'll decrease your risk of heart disease
Studies have found that walking 30 minutes five times per day can decrease your risk of heart disease by about 19 percent.
3. You can save your days off from work for vacations or relaxation
A study found that people who walk 30 to 45 minutes per day take about half as many sick days as the overall populations. Walking reduces your risk of respiratory infections like colds and flus.
4. You'll save money on gas.
According to CNN, the average worker spends $2,600 a year on gasoline for their daily commute. If you walk to work daily, you can combine your saved money with your saved vacation days and take a trip!
If your alternative is taking the train or subway, current fares in Chicago are $2.50 and in NYC, $2.75. Assuming you pay the cheaper fare, it's $1,300 a year for traveling on business days. While that's half the savings of someone who would have driven a car, it's still a nice vacation!
5. You may improve your mental health.
Walking briskly for 90 minutes per week (i.e. 18 minutes per weekday) has been shown to improve self-esteem and reduces anxiety, depression, bad moods and symptoms of social withdrawal.
6. You'll increase your creativity.
A study found that walking increased creativity for 80% of all participants. You can use this time to think of great ideas to present to clients or your colleagues throughout the workday.
