The career move that changed everything

After four years in New York doing lifestyle journalism, a publishing job in DC offered a chance to pivot into academic publishing. The catch: it required being in the office Mondays and Wednesdays.

The math made sense

By booking Amtrak tickets five to six weeks ahead, she keeps costs to around $100 per round trip. Staying with family in Northern Virginia between workdays cuts the total monthly transit budget to about $400.

Eight hours became billable time

Instead of killing her freelance work, the commute created dedicated, uninterrupted time to handle client projects, edit work, and send invoices between 6 and 9 a.m. on the train.

“My commute created the dedicated time I needed to make both work.”

The morning routine is tight

She leaves her Washington Heights apartment around 5:25 a.m. to catch the 6:10 a.m. Acela to DC, arriving around 9:04 a.m. Most Mondays she takes the earlier 5:40 a.m. Northeast Regional instead.

She's not the only one doing this

On her first day at the new job, she met a coworker who commutes between DC and New Jersey on a similar schedule, proving unconventional work arrangements are becoming more common.

Best of both worlds actually works

She gets weeknight dinners with parents in Northern Virginia, yoga classes, and evening walks with the family dog. Back in New York by Thursday, she co-works with friends and says yes to last-minute plans.