At the end of 2016, Manning Gottlieb OMD moved to Bankside, Southwark, after 20 years in Marylebone. The move was fantastic for the agency but not so good for my commute.
For many years, I caught the train into Marylebone and, within minutes, I was at my desk. As of January 2017, however, I was faced with an unpleasant schlep across town.
At the same time, I had been complaining to myself that I needed more time to think. So rather than continuing to fight the lack of time and the Jubilee Line, I decided to fix both problems at once. I now have a three-stage commute that takes far too long but gets me into a more creative and expansive state of mind.
The first stage is my six-minute scooter ride to the station, where I drive as fast as my 400cc Piaggio will take me (which isn’t very) through the country lanes. This provides a useful shot of adrenaline first thing in the morning.
I then switch to the train, where Jonathan Allan, Dave King and I politely avoid one another (it’s an unspoken but widely accepted agreement).
I then immerse myself in Audible, where there are endless hours of inspiring books to consume. Then I walk from Marylebone to Southwark, which takes an hour but allows me to enter into an intuitive flow of thoughts that often leads to the answers and ideas that I am looking for.
The link between mind and feet has been understood for generations and I would recommend applying it to anyone who finds their day is consumed by too much clutter.
By the time I arrive at Bankside, I have already had two hours of my most productive thinking and learning, and I have also burned some calories along the way. I can’t think of a better way to start the day.
The commute home is a different story but I’ll deal with that another time.
Tim Pearson is the chief executive of Manning Gottlieb OMD.