A new study has been released suggesting that commuting to work provides "liminal space," or free time, for employees to mentally switch gears between work and home responsibilities. As a result of remote work and the erasure of this free time, many workers have experienced role blurring and increased stress levels, which can lead to burnout. The commute to the workplace therefore serves a significant function in providing space for the psychological recovery and detachment from work. However, the study also found that there are variations in these effects depending on the type of commute.
See "How the commute to work plays a significant psychological role that may improve workers' wellbeing", Matthew Piszczek and Kristie McAlpine, NPR, February 7, 2023