I came across this image from the Philippines-long lines of commuters packed into walkways, waiting for trains. The caption read: “Commuting is more tiring than work,’ and it struck me deeply, because while the context is different, I feel this exhaustion every day too.

I commute daily here in the U.S., and though our systems may look different, the struggle feels the same. Hours of my day are swallowed by traffic, crowded trains, or endless waiting. By the time I get to work, I’ve already spent so much energy just trying to get there.

For me, the numbers add up quickly: 1.5–2 hours in the morning, 1.5–2 hours at night. That’s 3–4 hours of my life each day-gone.

Not to learning.
Not to family.
Not to rest.
But to commuting.

And the toll is real. It drains productivity, chips away at health, and erodes the simple joy of daily life.

Whether in Manila or New York or Los Angeles, the story is the same: broken systems, poor planning, and a lack of real investment in public transportation create lives where people are forced to endure instead of thrive.

I believe we deserve better:

• A culture where time is respected.
• A system where transportation is reliable.
• A future where we thrive instead of merely survive the daily grind.

Until that day, for many of us, commuting will remain harder than the jobs we go to.

#adventureswithnursejamla