Can I ask if you're a developer and if you do side projects? I get home at 9pm everyday (leave at 7:30am) and the only time I have time to do side projects is from 10:30pm - 11:30pm (and of course I have trouble sleeping). I can't figure a better way to do this. I've tried on the train commuting to work but during the 2 hour commute I got maybe 30 minutes of work in due to being squished, lack of a mouse, and a 10" screen to work with. I also tried waking up at 5am but that just didn't cut it for me because I would be too exhausted in the morning.

I hear your pain.

Some "common sense" suggestions: - move closer to job - work sane hours - change your job - arrange flexible hours with managers to travel off-peak

Something "controversial" - there were some threads about nootropics - some people say it's a "zero sum game" - taking credit from your brain bank account... Look at Modafinil (over the counter from online pharmacies).

Second the off-peak suggestion. The other thing you can do is to experiment with alternative ways of working. I have a 13" laptop that I do all my programming on. No other monitors. It fits in my man-purse and I can program virtually anywhere. As I am a remote developer and like to be around people sometimes, I really do program anywhere. The bus and train have actually become one of my most productive places, and sometimes I wish I could afford to program on the train all day.

I find it helpful to use a text-only interface and use tmux along with a tiling window manager. But basically, learn how to use your computer without a mouse. It takes a long time to get comfortable with this setup, but it pays incredible dividends when you finally do (well... for example 2 hours of your life back every day).

With the off-peak thing, one suggestion would be to get to bed super early and take the first bus/train in. This tends to be the least susceptible to problems. It's also easier to sell the boss on the idea of starting at 6 am rather than 11 am. The trick is to have the internal fortitude to leave at 3 pm. Assuming you work in the city and live further out, this should allow you space on the bus/train to work.

Thanks for the great suggestions. When I get home and after finishing the home tasks, I go to my desktop (standing desk) and full-sized keyboard, large monitor, etc. That's probably why the times I've tried to code on the train have been quite unproductive. Our company doesn't allow flex hours so unfortunately that's currently not an option. I'll try out a larger laptop and see if it works (and if I can do all my work on it so I'm used to it).

Disclaimer: I'm not a computer programmer.

Suggestion which may not be practical: get up 1 hour earlier? So move the sleep time forward so you get some but can do some personal work.

You should find a job closer to home, or move out. 2h of commute is savage.

I don't accept more than 1h commute total per day, or ask for remote to compensate.

To be honest I think your priority should be to fix your commute.

Some commutes just can't be fixed. It's easy if you're single and rootless, but once you have kids, schools, other people's jobs and lives to consider, it becomes exponentially harder.

I commute just under 2 hours each way to London. All the work is in London. I used to live in London when I was younger. I would rather jump off a bridge than live in London now.

The way to compensate is by working partly remotely. That way you get to enjoy the place you live at least part of the time.

Just wondering: is that total commute as in home -> London -> office?

Up here in sunny Brum: you could be back up from London in 1h30 on a Pendolino and still live in a leafy suburb (15 min local train from New St gets you to the half acre garden territory).

If you can’t move closer to your job, the job could move closer to you[1].

[1] May require changing jobs.

"Some commutes just can't be fixed."

We all make choices, mostly they can be undone.

Yeah the commute is fixed by working remote which I plan to look for in my next job. I have a family and my wife has a 5 minute commute and my son's school is 10 minutes away. I decided I'd do a long commute instead of everyone commuting.

That's my life too.