While the daily commute may be a fact of life for many, a new study by Canary Wharf Group finds it is having a negative impact on the wellbeing of London office workers.
As a result, the group has teamed up with colour consulting agency mycoocoon to deliver a colour therapy installation allowing Londoners to see what life might be like without their daily commute. The move coincides with Canary Wharf Group’s launch of the first homes on the Estate.
According to the study, a mammoth 77 per cent of Londoners admit that they would be happier if their workplace was closer to their home, with a further 56 per cent saying they currently commute for longer than their ideal time. On average, London workers spend 5.7 days a year on the Tube, bus or train.
Unfortunately, this situation is having a severe impact upon the wellbeing of workers in the capital, with almost a third of respondents finding their daily commute “extremely stressful”.
A further 26 per cent admitted to losing their tempers at least once on their commute, while 16 per cent claim travelling in to work can actually affect their productivity during the day.
Head of residential sales at Canary Wharf Group, Brian De’ath, believes the introduction of housing at Canary Wharf will prove beneficial for those who struggle with their commute.
He says; “Londoners say their ideal commute would be 30 minutes, but what would be better is no commute at all. These findings demonstrate why Canary Wharf Group has taken the decision to deliver homes on the Estate – more than ever before, Londoners want to live in central London, closer to where they work.
“Living at Canary Wharf would help improve the work life balance and residents will benefit from the ever expanding range of shops, bars, restaurants and entertainment venues that are here.”
The Twitter activated colour therapy installation, located in Jubilee Place Mall, aims to help workers relax during the daily commute and to place a higher emphasis on overall wellbeing.
Commuters can tweet @yourcanarywharf using the hashtag #wakeupincanarywharf to book a relaxation session either today or tomorrow, where they can spend half an hour meditating or simply relaxing and watching the world go by in a stress-free setting.
Valérie Corcias of mycoocoon says; “Chromotherapy or Colour Therapy healing is the science that uses the colours of the spectrum to improve our mental wellbeing and the health of our bodies.
“Our installation supports the launch of Canary Wharf’s residential and illustrates how to bring wellness to people with an active lifestyle, providing a harmonious balance that you can get if you did live closer to where you work.”