> I truly don't understand how people spend their days like this.

You get used to it. When I lived in a more affordable metro area, I could live 30-45 minutes from work, and indeed it was nice. Now, in the Bay Area, it's more like 2+ hours each way, which I thought would make me want to slit my wrists, but you kind of just turn off your brain and deal with it. I find the need to "take work home"--because there isn't enough time in the day--to be more of a "grind" than the commute. You never truly end your work for the day. But you do what you have to to support your family, even if you never get to see them.