90 mins commute for a dream job?

[emkana]

Would you do it? Not five days a week, maybe three... But still madness isn't it?

[TheFallenMadonna]

God, no. I moved jobs recently, and the shorter journey is wonderful.

[echt]

Not a good idea, especially it will be 90 minutes after meetings, too.

[DontGotoRoehampton]

Is that a very long drive, or different bits of public transport added together? I would say no....

[Mrsteddyruxpin]

No. I have an easy 15 minute drive and it makes bad days bearable.

[Ohwhatfuckeryisthis]

Depends where and how. Public transport, city driving no. Rural maybe.(lots of my colleagues do about that)

[toomuchicecream]

My gut reaction was no - no way. I'm about to change jobs from a 30 minute drive to a 10 minute drive and know it's going to make a huge difference. But thinking about it, I think it would depend on the nature of the commute. If it was a short walk each end to a regular train service where you know you'll get a seat and don't have to change trains more than once, then possibly. Just think of how much you could get done on the way in/out. Carrying all the marking could be an issue though... Once you got home you'd be properly finished. But if it was a 90 minute drive as long as you hit the traffic right, with the possibility of extra time when the M25 snarls up then no way.

[emkana]

It would be a car journey, rural.

[Haggisfish]

No. Will be a nightmare in winter-bet roads won't be gritted, might get stuck behind tractors-dc in bed before you get back. Although only three days a week-I might be tempted! Could you stay over somewhere close?

[NoStrange]

No way. I did it three days a week and all I had to do was sit on a train...and it was a nightmare.

Mornings were Ok, but coming home when tired and desperate to get in and have a cuppa and see the DC was just too much. I lasted six months.

[TheSolitaryWanderer]

Do you mean 45 min x2 or 3 hours a day spent driving?
depends if you love driving, have a decent car and what you are heading home to. DB often commutes that much, depending on where his job sends him, but he ticks all of the boxes.

[emkana]

99 mins there, 90 mins back...
Thinking about it I think it's too much. Such a shame though! :-(

[DontGotoRoehampton]

No! Rural roads, in the dark for three months of the year...

[TheSolitaryWanderer]

Then no. Rural roads: one incident and you're stuffed, run late a few times and you'll be in trouble at work, the visibiity and cnditions will be poor in the winter, you will be tired and grumpy when you arrive at either end.

[MaraThonbar]

Sorry, no. Three hours a day in the car?

[toomuchicecream]

30 minutes is bad enough on rural roads. Have never had traffic problems, but floods/ice/pot holes/fallen trees.... And this winter, I've really noticed the effect on my eyes. Driving in the dark when I'm tired, I can feel my eyes sting as they adjust to the on-coming headlights of an approaching car. I'm not convinced how much longer I'd feel safe to do the journey for if that's how it gets as you get older! I've been facing the prospect of having to slow down to well below the speed limit and becoming one of the people who's always wound me up. Which of course would make the journey even longer.

[toomuchicecream]

30 minutes is bad enough on rural roads. Have never had traffic problems, but floods/ice/pot holes/fallen trees.... And this winter, I've really noticed the effect on my eyes. Driving in the dark when I'm tired, I can feel my eyes sting as they adjust to the on-coming headlights of an approaching car. I'm not convinced how much longer I'd feel safe to do the journey for if that's how it gets as you get older! I've been facing the prospect of having to slow down to well below the speed limit and becoming one of the people who's always wound me up. Which of course would make the journey even longer.

[lilyloo]

No way could I face that at the end of a day.

[Lweji]

I assume no chance of moving home?

[Finola1step]

I do just over a 90 minute commute each way, 4 days a week. It consists of 50 mins on the train and I always get a seat. Then the rest is walking. I've done it now for nearly 4 years. Am SLT, non classed based. So has been manageable so far.

But I've come to the end of my rope with it. Will be leaving at the end of the summer term. I just can't do another winter of such early starts to be in the building by 8am.

So a long commute, driving along country roads - no way.

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

No - not permanently at any rate. You could do it for a few years tops and then you'd be sick to the back teeth of it. Would it give you a leg up the career path to do it for a few years and suck it up?

A lot depends on your age and circumstances to be honest. It's one thing to work that sort of day if you have a spouse (and childcare) who will pick up ALL the slack but it's relentless. If you were taking a train or bus then it's doable as you can at least have a snooze and switch off your brain.

I'd consider moving closer if it were my dream job though.
or use this website to find cheap overnight accommodation to do two nights a week
www.spareroom.co.uk/

[KateBeckett]

I have been doing this for the last year and a bit. Lovely school but I'm going at easter as it is just not sustainable. I am ill all the time because I'm so tired, my immune system is shot- it used to be good! Work life balance is worse because I'm hardly home on an evening and weekends are spent catching up on the marking and planning I'm too tired to do in the week.

I will really miss my class and my colleagues, but can't wait to have a 20 min drive instead of a nearly 2 hour one!!

[BackforGood]

Not in a million years.

[Noteventhebestdrummer]

I would. It's not every day and yes, you will get traffic hiccups but take your mug of tea and an audiobook and enjoy the ride!

[caravanista13]

Definite no! Teaching is exhausting and a long commute would make it unbearable.

[threepiecesuite]

I would if I was going home after meetings to play with the dc and put my feet up on the sofa.
But knowing I have marking and planing to do every night after a tiring day and journey - no, couldn't do it.

I despise my current job but it's 15 mins away so at least that's one thing.