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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Many Americans stopped commuting daily amid lockdowns and working from home in the last year.</li><li>The average amount of time spent traveling each day dropped from about an hour and 12 minutes in 2019 to 47 minutes in 2020.</li><li>Only about two-thirds of Americans traveled anywhere on an average day in 2020, down from 84% in 2019.</li></ul>The daily grind is over.It's one of the smaller, but potentially surprisingly pleasant, changes from the horrible last year of pandemic and lockdowns: Taking the subway or driving a car to work has come to an end for millions of Americans.The <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/atus.nr0.htm">Bureau of Labor Statistics' recently released results from the American Time Use Survey</a> showed that the average amount of time Americans spent traveling on a given day dropped from about an hour and 12 minutes in 2019 to 47 minutes in 2020.Even more dramatically, while 84% of Americans traveled somewhere outside their homes on a typical day in 2019, only 67% did in 2020. These stats include commuting, but also time spent traveling to stores, taking children to school, or any other trip to or from the home.The Time Use Survey annually asks thousands of Americans to keep a diary, listing how they spend their time on a typical day. Because of the disruptions caused by the onset of the pandemic last spring, BLS released estimates comparing May through December 2019 to the same months in 2020.One consequence of this is that all of the 2020 figures reflect the period after COVID-19 began to spread widely and lockdowns were implemented across the country.The Time Use Survey also showed that the share of Americans working from home almost doubled from 22% in 2019 to 42% in 2020. That varied across industries, with sectors like finance and professional services seeing much higher telecommuting rates than <keyword id="34991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="transportation">transportation</keyword> or leisure and hospitality:Other data also show a big drop-off in commuting during the pandemic. A study of traffic congestion by the Texas A&amp;M Transportation Institute found that the number of hours <keyword id="6409148" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="commuter">commuter</keyword>s spent stuck in traffic each year was cut nearly in half, from 54 hours per commuter in 2019 to 27 hours in 2020.A Zillow analysis <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/for-home-buyers-length-of-commute-drops-in-importance-new-data-shows-11626832140">reported by The Wall Street Journal</a> found that homebuyers are paying much less of a premium for living close to work, as remote working situations make <keyword id="4251245" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Commute-Time">commute time</keyword> less of a factor in choosing where to live.The Journal's Nicole Freedman wrote, "in the two-year period ended in May 2021, home values in neighborhoods with a 70-minute <keyword id="6438468" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="commute">commute</keyword> rose 30.2%, strongly outpacing a 9.2% price gain for 20-minute-commute areas and a price decline of 2.5% for neighborhoods within 10 minutes of a job center" in the Boston metro area.We'll see what happens as the <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword> continues to reopen, but for now at least, lots of Americans are saving time on one of the most frustrating parts of the workday.

The pandemic ended the daily commute

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Travel and <keyword id="58218" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Commuting">commuting</keyword> nosedived in March when the <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> pandemic first hit the US.</li><li>Business Insider spoke with two <keyword id="386989" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="mobility">mobility</keyword> experts, Gary Hallgren of Arity, and Meera Joshi of Sam Schwartz, about how the pandemic has changed commuting. </li><li>Driving has dropped by as much as 70%, but as it's starting to return, people question the rush-hour commuting schedules they used to follow.</li></ul>With stay-at-home mandates, social distancing, and lockdowns in effect everywhere, it's tough to get away on a trip right now, to say nothing of regular commuting.But as time goes on, it's becoming clear that the pandemic is reshaping not just how we get around now, but how we'll plan to do so in the future. During <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKMueU2_8dQ&amp;feature=youtu.beu.be">Business Insider's Tuesday IGNITION: Transportation panel</a>, senior editor Alex Davies spoke with Gary Hallgren, president of mobility data and analytics company Arity, and Meera Joshi, principal at urban design firm Sam Schwartz and former chair and CEO of New York City's Taxi and Limousine Commission. Using data collected across 23 million devices, including mobile phones and cars, Arity logs about a billion miles of driving data every two days. As much of the United States went into lockdown in March, the company statewide driving decrease by as much as 70% as people obeyed lockdown measures and stayed home. It's slowly starting to come back, though.Worryingly, however, Arity found that despite a drop in overall <keyword id="6361065" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="traffic">traffic</keyword>, there's been a 15% increase in high-speed driving. The risk of collisions has fallen, likely due to fewer cars being on the road, but the crashes that do happen are more severe because people are driving faster. That data matches up with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-dangerous-driving-illegal-roads-empty-police-jails-cops-spread-2020-5">the "free-for-all" on empty US roads</a> that various law enforcement agencies noticed during the spring. One of the biggest observed changes, Hallgren said, is when people are driving. Morning commutes have decreased dramatically and are still down about 20% across the country. Night and weekend driving have started coming back, though.Joshi believes the pandemic will reshape the way we think about rush hour. Historically, you'd need to be at your office at around 9 in the morning, but the rise of working from home has all but eliminated the very idea of rush hour for those employees."On March 13 we were all like sardines on a subway," she said. "That may be a thing of the past for a very long time. Not because people are hesitant to get back on the subway, but now we have control over the cadence of our work. Do we need to honor a rush-hour system if it's proven to be not necessary anymore?"People are still hesitant to ride trains, buses, and subways, despite <a href="https://www.samschwartz.com/apta-public-transit-and-covid19-report">a recent study conducted by Sam Schwartz</a> — a <keyword id="34991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="transportation">transportation</keyword> firm that tackles infrastructure and mobility issues — which found "no direct link between [public] transit and infection rates." That doesn't mean movement is down in urban areas. In New York City, Joshi said that traffic through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, which connects Manhattan to Brooklyn, is actually greater now than it was in September of last year. She also noted that the scooter company Revel saw an increase in subscriptions and daily ridership during the pandemic. People are searching for alternative means of transportation to get where they need to go. Hallgren and Joshi agree that the pandemic has forced both people and companies to take a hard look at how commuting works. Hallgren questioned the necessity of long trips to and from work after this "grand experiment" that has made many realize they can do their jobs from home. Joshi reasoned that this could be an opportunity for states to rethink highway development. How many lanes will we need at the end of this? She doesn't want a world that finally leaves the pandemic only to find itself in an overly congested, highly polluted environment where people are driving faster and more aggressively."We can switch from one evil to another if we're not careful with how we plan to use this information," she said. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKMueU2_8dQ&amp;feature=youtu.beu.be">You can watch the full panel on Youtube here</a>.

COVID-19 didn't end driving, but mobility experts say it could spell the demise of rush hour

Madrid, May 3 (AP) Halfway through his 30-minute bike ride to work, police ordered Juan Pasamar to dismount, accusing him of breaking Spain's coronavirus lockdown rules by exercising in public. The officers were not buying his explanation he was commuting to his job outside of Zaragoza, the northern city where he lives."You have a car, don't you? Why don't you use that?" he said he was asked.Pasamar eventually had to hire a lawyer to convince police that the government had not banned cycling during the lockdown.As countries seek to get their economies back on track after the devastation wrought by the coronavirus pandemic, bicycle use is being encouraged as a way to avoid unsafe crowding on trains and buses.Cycling activists from Germany to Peru are trying to use the moment to get more bike lanes, or widen existing ones, even if it's just a temporary measure to make space for commuters on two wheels.The transition to more bike-friendly urban environments "is necessary if we want our cities to work," said Morton Kabell, who co-chairs the European Cyclists' Federation."A lot of people will be afraid of going on public transportation, but we have to get back to work someday. Very few of our cities can handle more car traffic," he said.In addition to bike lanes separated by curbs, Kabell backs subsidising electric bicycles, which could encourage commuters who have longer or hilly journeys.The benchmarks are Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, where half of the daily commuters are cyclists, and the Netherlands, with its vast network of bike lanes.Still, countries around the world are catching up at different speeds.The French government asked cycling activist Pierre Serne to draw up a plan for when its lockdown ends May 11. His recommendations, including bicycle lanes separated from other vehicles at an estimated cost of 50,000 euros per kilometre (USD 32,000 per mile), have been submitted to the Transportation Ministry.For now, France has said it will subsidise riders up to 50 euros (nearly USD 55) for repairs so the French can get their bicycles ready for post-lockdown rides.In Berlin, the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg council simply painted yellow lines on the some roads to take space from car lanes. This bike infrastructure builds on what is called "tactical urbanism" - low-cost changes that are technically simple and reversible, and they can make an immediate difference.Similar initiatives are popping up elsewhere. Officials in Lima, Peru; Barcelona, Spain; and Milan, Italy, are speeding up plans to expand bike paths or take space from cars or current parking sites.In Bogota, where bicycles are used mostly by Colombia's blue-collar workers, Mayor Claudia Lopez has urged everybody returning to work this week to cycle instead of using public transportation, which is now operating at 35% of capacity.With many US nonessential businesses closed, there is little point now in cycling that isn't recreational. But cities like Oakland, San Francisco and New York are closing some streets to traffic to allow room for runners and cyclists.Pedro Diaz, a member of Pedalibre, a Madrid cycling club, sees this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take over space from cars and resist giving it back when the pandemic ends."If we wait for proper infrastructure for bicycle lanes, we'll need a municipal plan, which will take at least four years to be designed and get approved," Diaz said. "This way, it's just a matter of putting a fence and stopping cars from using a lane. Then it will be a fait accompli." If arguing for environmentally friendly transportation was a key factor for activists before, the economic fallout from the virus is adding momentum, said Laura Vergara, head of Spain's ConBici advocacy group.With tourism accounting for nearly 15% of the GDP in Spain, outdoor vacations - whether on two wheels or not, but away from crowded beaches and resorts - could keep the industry afloat, she said."In Australia, bicycle sales have already skyrocketed," Vergara said. "Why couldn't that happen here?" Despite having sunny days the year round, car-loving Spaniards seem to be decades behind northern Europe when it comes to commuting by bicycle.Environment Minister Teresa Ribera, in charge of post-confinement planning, says the changes "must overcome resistance derived from habits and conceptions that are well-established." Ribera said she has asked mayors to extend bike lane coverage, reduce car speed limits and provide for bike parking. But it wasn't clear if the government would fund it."We can, and we should, take advantage of this impulse to advance towards a new paradigm of sustainable mobility," she said in a statement to The Associated Press.Beyond infrastructure, cycling advocates say many minds must still be changed, noting that many officials have called for prioritizing the use of private vehicles in the lockdown.That's where differences by country are sharper. In Britain, where people are still allowed to leave home to exercise, cycle shops stayed open during the lockdown that began March 23. In Spain, gas stations were considered essential, but not bicycle repair shops.And while bike-sharing in London and Paris was made free to health care workers, most Spanish cities rushed to shut down the services, saying they would be a source of contagion. Madrid's hugely successful bicycle sharing operation reopened only last week, the sixth of Spain's strict lockdown. Bikes are disinfected nightly and riders must wear gloves.Many riders have been fined. The French Federation of Bicycle Users has received more than 800 reports from cyclists stopped by police, and dozens had to pay a 135 euro ($146) fine for violating restrictions."The attitude of the police is the attitude that many people show in the streets," said Pasamar, who keeps riding despite the risks of being stopped again. Unfortunately, he said, "bicycles are for many just a nuisance." (AP) SCYSCY

Cycle power: Bikes emerge as a post-lockdown commuter option

Hyderabad, Apr 15 ()Ready Assist, a Bengaluru-basedroadside assistance provider, has come forward to offer freebreakdown service to doctors, police personnel and otheremergency vehicles by assisting them with technical supportand repairing vehicles during lockdown period, the companysaid on Wednesday.The initiative is launched in Hyderabad, Bangalore,Mangalore, Mysore, and Vijayawada, under which the support canbe availed round-the-clock by contacting its toll-free number,it said.Founderand CEO ofReadyAssist, VimalSinghsaid, "Beingan expert in handling breakdowns on road, it is ourresponsibility to help our nation by ensuring that theseemergency services move ahead without getting stranded."According to him, the firm was able to successfullymobilise 960 breakdowns in the last few days of lockdown.These vehicles are used by either medical professionals,essential goods delivery executives, food delivery partners orother individuals commuting for medical and other emergencies.Besides, Vimal Singh has decided to take 100 per cent paycut till the situation arising out of the pandemic improves,while top executives of the firm havevolunteered to take 50per cent cut in their salary, the release added. GDKROH ROH

Ready Assist to offer free services to emergency vehicles during lockdown

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Many work-from-homers are missing the alone time that once came with <keyword id="58218" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Commuting">commuting</keyword> to and from the office each day.</li><li>Librarian Lucy Ahmad says she's incorporated an hour-long 'fake commute' walk into the end of her day during the pandemic to help transition from work to personal time.</li><li>Whether a morning run, short drive, or daily walk, re-adding some quiet time to your day can help balance the stress and monotony of working remotely.</li><li>It might be hard, but the first thing to do is give yourself permission to draw boundaries.</li></ul>Every morning before her workday, medical office assistant hops in her car and drives. She spends anywhere from three minutes to 90 minutes on the road, before returning home and getting started with her day. Cameron is a "fake commuter," an increasingly common work-from-home trend that's being praised by workers and productivity coaches alike. "Fake commuting" is a substitute for the "me time" commuters once got on their way to a formal office space, whether they walked, drove, read a book or listened to a podcast on the train. Commuters had the time to clear their minds on their daily commute. With fake commuting, those who work from home do, too. We spoke to experts and seasoned fake commuters to understand the benefits of fake commuting and how to implement it in our own lives as the pandemic looms on. <div type="image" title="Alexis Cameron on her fake commute" height="832" width="1110" msid="79664825" hostid="261"></div><h2>Commuting created boundaries between work and home - fake commuting does too</h2>In 2018, the average American spent <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/10/07/nine-days-road-average-commute-time-reached-new-record-last-year/">225 hours</a> (over nine calendar days!) commuting. However, since the pandemic started, more people are working from home and <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-23/working-from-home-in-covid-era-means-three-more-hours-on-the-job">working 3 hours more daily</a> than they did before."Commuting was a great legitimate experience to set up a barrier between the outside world of work, family, [or] social life and demanding your attention," explains clinical psychologist Dr. Jeannette Raymond. "'Fake commute' time is about setting up personal care boundaries -- emotional oases and a guilt-free space [and] time to check in on themselves." The real commute, she explains, created those boundaries artificially; now people have to do it for themselves in a world where those boundaries are increasingly blurred.<h2>Unblurring the lines between work and home when you're working from home</h2>As someone who's been working from home for over a year, Rianna Kate, wellness educator and lifestyle coach says she came across the idea of fake commuting when some of her clients, who weren't used to working from home, were forced to do so due to the pandemic. Because that commute time was no longer there to fill, she explains, people were reluctant to make that time themselves.<div type="image" title="Fake commuting coach" height="331" width="442" msid="79664830" hostid="261"></div>"Suddenly, people were waking up late, grabbing a laptop off the floor next to their bed, sitting in bed in their pajamas [and] checking their emails," said Kate. "Normally, when you are in an office, you shut your laptop, walk out the door, get on the [train] and come home."Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/upstream-ceo-on-remote-work-leaving-new-york-during-covid-2020-11">I moved my family from NYC to Miami this year and it was the best thing I could've done as a tech cofounder</a><h2>Fake commuting can be an opportunity to get active</h2>Charlotte Barnacle, a project management officer from Oxfordshire, UK, took to fake commuting after she realized her work-from-home lifestyle was somewhat sedentary."I had started to gain weight over lockdown, and I knew it was mainly because I wasn't moving around during the day," said Barnacle, whose commute lasted up to half an hour by car. "Although at the office I sat at a desk all day, I was walking… around the building a lot and getting out for a lunchtime walk."Since starting a daily 2.5-mile fake commute in the form of a walk, she's come to notice a surge of energy. "Walking before breakfast really gives me a feeling of accomplishment and sets me up for the day." <h2>Fake commuting is not the same as winding down after a long day</h2>Fake commutes are not about "rewards," like drinking a glass of wine after work, or watching a show, explains Raymond, they are about "erecting necessary personal boundaries that allow a person to separate family life from work life from reward time and friend time."Librarian Lucy Ahmad, whose commute was once a 45-minute walk each way, found her hour-long fake commute walk after work (in addition to a morning run) to be instrumental in bookending her day. "I decompress and disengage, psychologically drawing a line under the day… [it] keeps work and home separate."Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-build-company-wellness-program-employees-healthy-motivated-2020-8">How to build a comprehensive wellness program that keeps employees happy, healthy, and motivated for the long haul</a><h2>Reaping the benefits of 'fake commuting'</h2>Nowadays, as we switch between hundreds of open tabs on our laptop, shopping online while replying to work emails during the day and streaming shows into the night, we have no boundaries. " Without [boundaries] one becomes disoriented, overwhelmed, and unable to monitor when you need a break; when you need a chance of pace or activity," explained Raymond.<div type="image" title="Akanksha Singh" height="1694" width="2259" msid="79664832" hostid="261"></div>It might be hard, but the first thing to do is give yourself permission to draw boundaries. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and drowning in family stuff, children's schooling and having no break, says Raymond, adding it might even feel like there is no legitimate reason to take breaks since everything blurred into everything else.Once you've done that, Kate suggests working out what works for you. It might not be Ahmad's morning run and walk schedule or Cameron's daily drive. Rather says Kate, it's about taking guilt-free time for yourself and setting up boundaries. Whether that's multiple desktops set up on your Mac to draw lines between your "work" and "personal" modes like Kate, setting a time every morning to say, "Today I'm going to turn off my laptop at 5 and go for a walk," or listening to a true-crime podcast, fake commuting, however you choose to practice is about your individual <keyword id="6354774" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mental-health">mental health</keyword>.

People have started 'fake commuting' because they crave the alone time they used to get on their way to the office - and experts say it's a smart idea

Mexico City, May 5 (AP) Mexico's Interior Department issued a stern warning Monday for state governments not to use prison terms to enforce lock-downs to combat the new coronavirus pandemic.The move came after one state legislature voted through a bill establishing prison terms of four to six years for "people who do not respect the period of mandated isolation while suffering a serious transmittable disease." The department said the law passed in the state of Queretaro was disproportionate, possibly unconstitutional and discriminated against the poor. It sets sentences of three to five years for disobeying the orders of health or civil defense authorities during a health emergency.The department expressed particular concern about one clause that sets out prison terms of two to five years for people who "obstruct public works," saying the measure could be used against legitimate demonstrations.On a friendlier note, federal officials announced that part of the sprawling former presidential compound in Mexico City will be used to house medical workers fighting the pandemic who either want to avoid long commutes or avoid exposing their families during the pandemic.President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has refused to live in the palatial compound on the edge of a public park, and already turned most of it into a public arts center.At the beginning, 58 doctors and nurses will be housed amid the marble-floored rooms and chandeliers of the compound, known as Los Pinos. Medical personal have been attacked or verbally abused in recent weeks while commuting to their jobs by people apparently afraid that they would spread the virus.The Mexico City government has already set aside over 2,500 hotel rooms for medical personnel for similar reasons.Mexico has 24,905 new coronavirus cases and 2,271 deaths. (AP) RS RS

Mexico warns states against prison terms to enforce lockdown

<ul class="summary-list"><li>London-based junior lawyers at <keyword id="12458987" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kirkland-ellis" source="Orion">Kirkland &amp; Ellis</keyword> worked 14-hour days during lockdown, a survey found.</li><li>Average <keyword id="12183067" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="working-hours" source="Orion">working hours</keyword> across the <keyword id="11975980" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="legal" source="Orion">legal</keyword> sector have risen, according to the survey by Legal Cheek. </li></ul>Junior lawyers at the London office of a major US firm worked more than 14 hours a day on average during lockdown in early 2021, according to <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/2021/10/revealed-law-firms-average-start-work-and-finish-times-2021-22/">a survey of sector working conditions</a>.Juniors at the US <keyword id="11899820" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="law" source="Orion">law</keyword> firm Kirkland &amp; Ellis clocked off at 11:38 p.m. on average during lockdown, the survey, by Legal Cheek, an industry-focused <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">news</keyword> site, found.Legal Cheek <a href="https://www.legalcheek.com/2021/10/revealed-law-firms-average-start-work-and-finish-times-2021-22/">surveyed</a> 2,500 trainees and junior associates at 100 law firm offices in London and the UK about their working hours at the start of 2021, when the UK was in lockdown due to a surge in COVID-19 infections.Survey data showed that, on average, junior staff at eight of the 10 firms with the longest working hours were starting earlier than during the same period in 2020, while junior staff at all 10 firms were working later into the night.Remote working and a surge in demand for legal services were the reasons behind the uptick, Legal Cheek said.With an average working day of 14 hours, Kirkland &amp; Ellis topped the list, with junior staff clocking on at 9.14am and finishing at 11.28pm on average. Other US-headquartered firms Ropes &amp; Gray and Weil, Gotshal &amp; Manges were second and third with average days of 13.5 hours and 12.5 hours respectively, per the survey. Demand has been particularly high for firms specialising in private equity deals, which <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/3091dd08-0301-424e-a049-7227a4883ef2">surged in December 2020</a> as buyers took advantage of low interest rates and government stimulus packages.At Kirkland &amp; Ellis, revenues are expected to grow from $4.15 billion to $5 billion this year due to a surge in such deals, for which it consults, according to the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/dcbd038f-23a3-4c8d-81e0-867ed84ea8a7">FT</a>. Kirkland &amp; Ellis, Ropes &amp; Gray, and Weil, Gotshal &amp; Manges did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.One anonymous respondent at an unnamed firm told Legal Cheek that their work-life balance had been "totally eroded" by working from home, as their days blurred into one without commutes or routine. Some were working longer as a result of increased deal flow. "Finishing work before midnight is unheard of during the week, and weekend working is a regular occurrence," one unnamed respondent said. However, other anonymous respondents told Legal Cheek that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/former-big-law-associates-share-why-they-left-their-firms-2021-9">long hours were expected within the sector</a> and that senior managers were understanding. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/law-firms-offer-164k-bonus-structure-extra-vacation-workers-burnout-2021-6">Pay</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/big-law-associate-bonus-hiring-spac-ma-kirkland-davis-polk-2021-4">starting bonuses</a> have increased as firms battle to retain staff.The impact of the pandemic and remote work have been felt in other sectors. Last year junior staff at <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-junior-bankers-inhumane-working-conditions-survey-2021-3">Goldman Sachs highlighted excessive working hours in a pitch deck to senior management.</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/soaring-pet-ownership-angry-clients-causing-vets-burn-out-2021-10">Veterinary surgeons</a>,<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/thousands-healthcare-workers-quitting-striking-burnout-grows-staff-shortages2021-10"> health care workers,</a> and<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/the-us-workforce-is-feeling-more-burned-out-than-ever-2021-6"> office staff</a> have all said they're burning out after nearly two years of increased demand, and COVID-19 pressures.

Junior lawyers at a leading US firm clocked off at 11:28 pm on average during lockdown, a survey found

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Back in 2016, I traded in an hour-plus commute for a remote lifestyle as a freelance journalist.</li><li>Though I was already used to working from home, the coronavirus pandemic introduced a new wrinkle with school closings.</li><li>Many of the rules still apply, however, such as staying organized, putting up barriers (like a change of clothes!) between your work <keyword id="6360041" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="life">life</keyword> and your personal life, and maintaining a manageable workload.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>People around the world have been getting used to working from home after weeks in lockdown, but this has been my lifestyle for the past four years.I made the switch from an hour-and-a-half commute into London to a brief stroll into the study of my Hertfordshire (UK) home in 2016 to make it easier for my wife and I to both work and cope with rising childcare costs and school drop-offs.This meant I wasn't too concerned when employees were advised in March to <keyword id="123591" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Work-from-home">work from home</keyword> to keep the coronavirus outbreak under control. I haven't visited an office, aside from the occasional meeting, in years.Some occupations — such as a construction worker or a healthcare professional — cannot necessarily be done at home, but most journalists nowadays really need only a computer, a notepad, a phone, an internet connection, and a strong sense of skepticism.The school closings during lockdown have created an extra logistical test, but it is amazing how the stomping and shouting of our 5- and 7-year-old girls can soon emulate the rowdiness of a newsroom.It is not always easy and takes a lot of patience, self-motivation, and teamwork with my wife, but here is how I find the balance between freelancing and being a father.<h2>Forget the 9-to-5</h2>We seem to be hardwired that the working day must take place between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Before lockdown, commuters crowded public transport in rush hour in fear of being late. But by the time you arrive, get a coffee, and catch up with colleagues, you may not really be ready to start until 9:30 or even 10 a.m. — so why is everyone rushing? You may find your most creative and inspired moments are earlier in the day or even later. As long as I met deadlines, this gave me time to do school pickups and drop-offs pre-lockdown without any guilt of being away from my desk. Nowadays it means I can spend quality time with my family and do our allocated daily exercise. Often the best ideas will also come when you are away from your desk.<h2>Plan your day<div type="image" title="Marc Shoffman freelance workspace" height="1692" width="2256" msid="75446001" hostid="261"></div></h2>This is all the more important for families in which both parents are working and homeschooling. Our children are sent a timetable from their teachers to follow each day, and the same should go for your work. My wife and I alternate so one of us can teach and the other works at the same time, and we tick off what we have covered as we go. Make a to-do list with reasonable expectations for your working day, but don't worry if it isn't completed as long as the most important tasks are prioritized. Even ticking off simple tasks such as sending a specific email can give you motivation. The online organization tool Trello can help prioritize your workload and inform others of your progress.<h2>Professional versus personal</h2>We have told our daughters they still need to wear their school uniform during homeschooling. They may not be too pleased with the Shoffman school rule, but I find it helps them focus as it differentiates between work and play.The same is true with working from home. You don't need to wear a suit, but getting out of your pajamas will switch your mentality from pillows to productivity. Shoes are optional.Create a dedicated work area, even if it is just somewhere you regularly sit at the dining table or the couch, so you have the feeling of traveling to work. Some recommend walking around the block each morning as if you are commuting. Our spare room is my office, but it is good to occasionally have a change of scenery if you are lacking inspiration.<h2>Don't do housework</h2>You wouldn't get up to empty the dishwasher or put on a load of washing while working in an office. It shouldn't be any different when you are at home and following your schedule. Don't let household chores disrupt your working day.<h2>Network</h2>Working from home can be lonely, as there are no colleagues to have a quick chat with. Find professional bodies or networking groups to attend events or make an effort to meet with old colleagues regularly. This is good for your mental health and useful for picking up ideas and more work. It is harder to meet for a drink nowadays, but there is nothing to stop Zoom or Houseparty catchups or a phone call.<h2>Find your niche</h2>Freelancing has meant I can be more flexible about what I do, but finding a specialty makes it easier to source work. I focus on writing about personal finance, and there are plenty of blogs, industry newsletters, forums, Twitter lists, and Facebook and Slack groups where you can get ideas and discuss opportunities.Take time to develop your professional skills to keep up with your industry's trends. As well as writing, I also record a weekly personal-finance podcast in the evenings called "In for a Penny."<div type="image" title="Marc Shoffman, Amelie Shoffman, Danielle Shoffman and Isabelle Shoffman on a daily bike ride" height="796" width="1061" msid="75446005" hostid="261"></div><h2>Family comes first</h2>There will always be deadlines, but you don't want your children to remember you for how much work you did. They will treasure the time you spent with them, not working around them.Don't be afraid to say no to jobs. This will keep your workload manageable and achievable and ensure you still have some free time from freelancing.Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/freelance-journalist-tips-on-balancing-work-home-during-coronavirus-2020-4">Business Insider</a>

I went freelance so my wife and I could juggle career and childcare even before the coronavirus — here's how I am rising to the new challenges

Mumbai, Jul 3 () Bank unions have written to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to let employees of private, foreign and co-operative lenders commute by suburban trains, officials said on Friday. Official notifications had included only employees of nationalised banks to take the local train to work from July 1, excluding their other colleagues. In normal times, the local trains ply over 80 lakh passengers a day in crammed rakes, earning praise as 'lifeline of Mumbai'. The network, however, is allowing only limited passengers to board the trains due to the social distancing restrictions. "The rains have started in Mumbai from today and it is very necessary to allow employees to take the trains as commuting by vehicles becomes difficult," said an employee working for a private sector lender. There are limitations on carrying capacity for the buses run by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) and it takes a lot of time to wait for an empty bus, the employee said, adding there are many who stay over 50 kms away in places like Kalyan or Virar for whom private transport is expensive. Devidas Tuljapurkar, the convenor of the United Forum of Bank Unions said a distinction cannot be made between bank employees once a decision has been taken to allow the bank employees after duly recognising banking as an emergency service. He said employees of state-run lenders like Andhra Bank or Corporation Bank, which have got merged with bigger state-run lenders, are also facing problems. The mergers happened during the lockdown and the employees' i-cards are yet to be replaced, resulting in the problem. Tuljapurkar estimated that over 30,000 bank employees are left out because of the distinction and need to be accommodated. The UFBU has written to Thackeray to ensure that all the bank employees are allowed to board the trains without any distinction, stressing that services of all the bank employees are at par from a societal benefit perspective. It can be noted that the railways is running over 700 services a day on the suburban rail network and each of the trains is expected to carry 700 people as against an estimated 5,000 it transports during usual times. AA MKJ

Allow co-operative, pvt, foreign banks employees to use suburban trains as well: Unions

<ul class="summary-list"><li>British <keyword id="6" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="fashion">fashion</keyword> giant <keyword id="331704" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Primark">Primark</keyword>'s sales were down 30% year-on-year in the quarter, its parent company said.</li><li>More than 75% of its stores are currently closed.</li><li>Primark's total loss from store closures could reach £1.05 billion ($1.43 billion), it said.</li></ul>Store closures could cost British fast-fashion giant Primark £1.05 billion ($1.43 billion) in lost sales, parent company Associated British Foods (AB Foods) <a href="https://www.abf.co.uk/media/news/2021/trading_update_jan_2021">announced Thursday</a>.More than three in four of the retailer's 389 stores are currently closed, AB Foods said. This included all 190 stores in the UK, as well as all its sites in Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Austria. Its 11 stores in the US remain open.Under current <keyword id="91743" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="lockdown">lockdown</keyword> rules, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boris-johnson-says-england-going-back-in-national-coronavirus-lockdown-2021-1">all non-essential stores in England must remain closed</a> until at least mid-February, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week. Other countries have implemented similar measures in response to surging COVID-19 cases.If stores that are currently closed remain shut until February 27, the total lost sales caused by temporary closures during the pandemic could reach about £1.05 billion ($1.43 billion), AB Foods said.In December, prior to England's new national lockdown being announced, it had estimated this figure at £650 million ($887 million).Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bed-bath-beyond-ceo-ecommerce-digital-sales-2021-1?r=gd-sub">Mark Tritton is bringing his digital learnings from Target to Bed Bath &amp; Beyond and leading the company through a major e-commerce overhaul aimed at fending off competitors like Amazon</a>Primark, which <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/primark-low-prices-justify-no-online-shopping-2020-6">shuns online sales in favor of bricks-and-mortar stores</a>, reported falling sales in the previous quarter.In the 16 weeks to January 2, Primark's sales were down 30% year-on-year, AB Foods said. It attributed this to lockdown measures both in the UK and its international markets, ranging from restricted trading hours to compulsory store closures.The company noted that when stores were open, "trading was strong given the circumstances," with a 14% drop in like-for-like sales compared to the same period the previous year.But performance varied between stores, AB Foods said. Sales at its stores in <keyword id="6354851" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="retail">retail</keyword> parks were up year-on-year, while mall and large city-center stores fared worse because fewer commuters and tourists visited them, it said. Primark isn't the only British apparel retailer struggling during the pandemic.Topshop owner <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/arcadia-group-administration-topshop-philip-green-covid-19-2020-12">the Arcadia Group fell into administration</a> in late November, putting more than 13,000 jobs at risk. Its CEO blamed compulsory store closures during the UK's national lockdowns.The next day, British department store chain <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/debenhams-liquidation-job-losses-risk-2020-12">Debenhams said it would close all of its 124 stores as it enters liquidation</a>, with 12,000 jobs at risk.

Cut-price apparel retailer Primark predicts that store closures during COVID-19 will cost it $1.4 billion

<ul><li>The COVID-19 outbreak and nationwide lockdown has impacted many sectors and economic activities. </li><li>The lockdown led to people spending more time on <keyword id="6422069" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="online-gaming">online gaming</keyword>. </li><li>More people are finding it to be an exciting alternative for entertainment.</li></ul><keyword id="735366" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WATConsult">WATConsult</keyword>’s latest report analyses how the COVID-19 outbreak and nationwide lockdown impacted the online gaming sector. The lockdown has led to people spending more time on online gaming. More people are finding it to be an exciting alternative for entertainment. Everyone, right from office commuters to students, is playing online games and it is becoming one of India’s favourite activities to spend their leisure time. Majority of gamers prefer to game on mobile phones. The pandemic has resulted in people playing online games more frequently. There is an increase in time spent on gaming during the lockdown compared to pre-lockdown. The future of online gaming will continue to see more growth since the time spent on gaming will increase. The scope for growth in the industry is massive because of the deeper internet penetration and mobile gaming. 70% of gamers feel that the time they spend gaming online has increased and changed as compared to the pre-lockdown period. Likewise, 68% observe that this surge has been particularly initiated under the influence of an increase in more disposal time at hand. Now, although this rise in online gaming has impacted the crucial day-to-day routine for many people, it has also proven beneficial in several ways. Considering the isolated conditions that the lockdown has forced upon all, more than half of the gamers reiterate that gaming provides relief and helps them feel positive and at other times, less depressed. Commenting on the latest issue of <keyword id="9895828" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="watpapers">WATPapers</keyword>, <keyword id="2705388" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Heeru-Dingra">Heeru Dingra</keyword>, CEO, WATConsult said, “Content consumption patterns are in a constant state of evolution, moving in tandem with rapidly changing scenarios. Thus, to identify and understand the same, WATPapers was brought to life. To be released every month, these reports will decode current and on-going trends, providing some comprehensive insights. Just like our periodically published reports under Recogn, these too will be an invaluable resource for marketers, helping them demystify the ever-permutating <keyword id="139079" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Consumer-behaviour">consumer behaviour</keyword>.” She further added, “Undoubtedly, the pandemic has made almost all industries witness changes and the same stands true when it comes to Online Gaming. People have suddenly found themselves in a unique position of having extra time on their hands, which has led to an increase in online gaming. But there are several other nuanced factors that come into play. The report aims to decipher these very factors in order to provide useful insights.” <a href="https://www.watconsult.com/watpapers/online-gaming/" data-type="tilCustomLink">WATPapers </a>are monthly published short reports based on the primary research conducted by Recogn, the agency’s research division that provides consumer and business insights to the audience. It will be delving into the different aspects of the digital industry, consumer behaviour and more. Additionally, it also covers some relevant topics like Adoption of ‘Work from Home’ by Indians and Future of Education in India: Online Learning &amp; Home Schooling.

You Searched For "commute during lockdown" and got 11 results

The pandemic ended the daily commute

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Cycle power: Bikes emerge as a post-lockdown commuter option

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Ready Assist to offer free services to emergency vehicles during lockdown

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People have started 'fake commuting' because they crave the alone time they used to get on their way to the office - and experts say it's a smart idea

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Mexico warns states against prison terms to enforce lockdown

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Junior lawyers at a leading US firm clocked off at 11:28 pm on average during lockdown, a survey found

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I went freelance so my wife and I could juggle career and childcare even before the coronavirus — here's how I am rising to the new challenges

Marc Shoffman

Allow co-operative, pvt, foreign banks employees to use suburban trains as well: Unions

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Cut-price apparel retailer Primark predicts that store closures during COVID-19 will cost it $1.4 billion

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How user behaviour in online gaming sector has changed due to COVID-19

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