Relationship between duration of commuters' job-related and leisure activities and after-work recovery: Activity quality as a moderator

Abstract

Commuting has been treated simply as a stressor in most studies, in the belief that it increases after-work recovery needs. In this study we took into account the role of different types of activity during commuting, and investigated the impact of time spent on these activities during commuting on recovery. We also examined the moderating effect of the quality of the activities. The results showed that the duration of leisure activities positively influenced recovery and that the quality of the activities strengthened this positive influence. The duration of job-related activities had a negative impact on recovery, whereas the quality of the activities weakened this negative impact. These findings show the importance of engaging in leisure activities during commuting.