The delays, overcrowding, noise, and sheer time commitment made it feel like an unavoidable drain.
So when lockdowns gave us a break from the chaos of trains and traffic, it felt like a win.
But now, years into remote and hybrid working, many people are noticing a strange phenomenon: we miss the commute.
Not the traffic or sweaty tube rides — but the buffer it created between home and work.
That headspace mattered more than we realised.
This is where fake commuting steps in.
It’s not a gimmick or productivity hack — it’s a practical tool to help you reset, reflect, and separate your work and personal lives more effectively — whether you're working fully remotely or splitting your time between home and the office.
What is fake commuting?
Fake commuting is the act of creating a deliberate routine at the start and end of your workday to replicate the psychological benefits of a traditional commute.
It’s a short, purposeful activity that allows your brain to switch gears and set boundaries — something that’s hard to do when your desk is also your dining table or you’re juggling different work environments throughout the week.
This could mean going for a walk around the block, cycling to a local café, doing yoga in the garden, or grabbing a coffee on your way to a coworking space.
It’s about intentionally creating a shift between your home mindset and your work mindset, even if you’re not physically going anywhere new — or even if you only work from home part of the time.
When the line between work and home life blurs, so does your ability to properly disconnect — especially if your routine looks different every day.
Fake commuting helps reintroduce:
Routine: Our brains love patterns. Starting and ending the day with a repeated behaviour reinforces the mental divide between “home you” and “work you”.
Movement: Many of us are sitting for far longer without the natural steps that used to come with getting to the office. A fake commute gets you up and moving.
Reflection: Just like the walk or drive home gave you time to decompress, a fake commute gives space for mental processing before you re-enter home life.
In a recent Tally Workspace survey, workers who included a fake commute in their day — whether remote or hybrid — reported better concentration, fewer feelings of burnout, and improved overall wellbeing.
What a fake commute can look like
There’s no one-size-fits-all.
The key is to build a ritual that feels manageable and meaningful.
Here are a few examples:
Morning fake commute ideas
Walk or cycle around your neighbourhood before sitting down at your desk.
Head to your favourite local café to grab a drink and listen to a podcast.
Do a 10-minute stretch or yoga routine in a quiet room or outside.
Use a guided meditation app to mentally transition into work mode.
Put on music or an audiobook and tidy up your workspace.
These small rituals can be just as powerful whether you’re remote full-time, hybrid, or somewhere in between.
Why it works for business leaders too
If you’re a business owner or operations lead, fake commuting has benefits beyond personal wellbeing.
Encouraging your remote and hybrid teams to incorporate a fake commute — whether through subsidised co-working days, flexible hours that support morning walks, or resources for setting routines — can significantly improve:
Focus and productivity during working hours
Employee engagement and morale
Retention, especially in hybrid or remote-first companies
Mental health outcomes, reducing sick days and burnout
By giving employees the permission and tools to build meaningful boundaries, you’re investing in a more resilient and motivated team.
Creating a new commute with coworking
For some, fake commuting might involve actually leaving the house to work remotely from somewhere new — or mixing up your routine on the days you’re not in the office.
And that’s where Tally Workspace comes in.
With thousands of flexible workspaces available to book by the day or hour, you can build your own bespoke commute — even if it’s just a 15-minute walk to a cosy desk in a local café or co-working space.
Whether you work best surrounded by the quiet hum of a modern office or in a plant-filled creative hub, we’ve got options that support how you want to work — full-time remote, hybrid, or anything in between.
Tap into social energy and collaboration opportunities
Use fake commuting as a reason to get out of the house and reset
Fake commuting doesn’t just break up your day — it brings a sense of structure and balance that makes remote and hybrid working more sustainable long-term.
Is fake commuting right for you?
If you often feel:
Unmotivated in the morning
Unproductive until well into the afternoon
Mentally “stuck” after logging off
Tired despite having barely moved (we’ve all been there!)
Then it might be worth experimenting with a short, purposeful activity before and after work — especially if your weekly rhythm changes between home and office days.
Start small. Try one or two fake commute rituals this week. Adjust as needed. Make it enjoyable.
Remember, fake commuting isn’t a workaround for broken routines — it’s a way to design your day with more intention, energy, and care.
How Tally Workspace can help
Whether you’re dipping your toes into remote working, balancing hybrid schedules, looking for more structure in your day, or just need a change of scenery, Tally Workspace makes it easy to explore flexible workspaces that support your version of a fake commute.
We’re here to help you discover places where you can work well, think clearly, and feel better.
Laura Beales is the Co-Founder of Tally Workspace, bringing a unique blend of financial expertise and real estate knowledge to the office space industry. A qualified Chartered Accountant, Laura began her career in finance but transitioned into commercial property after experiencing first-hand the inefficiencies and lack of transparency in the market from a customer perspective.
From first office to scale-up headquarters, we have been there.
Secured a 14,000 sq ft CAT A leased HQ at White City Place
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"They got us 10+ solid options within 48hrs and scheduled all the viewings. Highly recommend. We found our new space within 2 weeks."
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