NEED TO KNOW
- A 27-year-old U.K. woman travels about 100 miles to get to work and the same distance to get back home, which she said is a five-hour total commute aboard six trains
- Alix Williams of Birmingham said the commute “makes sense” for her goals and that it’s worth it for one specific reason
- She also said she uses her commute time efficiently, applying skin care and catching up on reading and TV on the trains
A U.K. woman spends five hours commuting to and from work each day — but says it’s worth it for a very specific reason.
Alix Williams, 27, of Birmingham takes a train and two subway lines — a trip of more than 100 miles one-way — to her office in London three days a week, per SWNS. The trip requires her to take a 5:50 a.m. train from her local station, and she doesn’t return home until 8:30 in the evening.
Williams — who was laid off from her previous job in the public sector last year due to funding cuts from the Birmingham City Council — said she is willing to sacrifice so much of her time for a simple reason: the money.
“It’s a 46% [salary] increase,” Williams told the outlet when comparing her current role to her previous one. “Once I’d deducted travel expenses, it was still substantially more.”
She added, “It’s a significant sacrifice of your time — but it’s what matters to you and fits your current life stage. I’m a young professional who enjoys holidays and traveling. It makes sense for what I want.”
Williams, who works for a private company as an adviser on discrimination and sexual harassment, also said that it can be difficult to find roles in her field in the private sector — which typically pay more.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“It was rare to find a job with my skill set in a corporate setting. I thought, ‘What have you got to lose?’ ” she recalled, adding, “It was a great step up. I spent a week really researching all the train costs and considering the physical effects on me [before taking the role].”
She also said that she uses her commute time to her advantage.
“I roll out of bed. I wake up 12 minutes before I need to leave the house. I do my skincare on the train and try and sleep,” she said, adding that she’ll typically read a book or watch a TV show on the way home while eating a pre-made dinner.
The professional said that while she knows the long commute isn’t “sustainable” forever, it currently doesn’t negatively impact her life.
“Because I never used to do anything in the morning before work I don’t feel I’ve lost any time there,” she explained. She also said she didn’t “do much anyway” on weekday evenings, and she still enjoys her weekends.
Plus, she likes her time in the big city.
“I find it quite exciting being in London. This is a place where people save up to come and visit,” she told the outlet before adding that she also hopes her position will “open doors” for further opportunities.
Read the full article here
