Originally Posted by hanes

Good on ya, mate! As one who first began commuting to work last year, I'd add that just keep on keepin' on and you'll gradually become so accustomed to it that it will become something you look forward to. Most days, anyway!

The other thing I learned is for short commute like yours or mine (mine is about 15 miles round trip, depending on a few variables) I got to the point where I realized with a bit of advance planning that I really didn't need to carry stuff to and fro each day, so I could lose the back pack altogether. Starting out with my typical car commute mindset I didn't realize how natural it was to 'overpack.' Now the only thing I carry is what I'm wearing, plus one water bottle on hot days. Very liberating. Just something to consider trying before automatically adding paniers, racks, and such.