Avoiding rush hour traffic

I really despise driving during rush hour traffic, especially when I'm driving to or from work. It drives me up the wall! I even go as far as going in an hour early to work, and I stay an hour late, just to avoid rush hour traffic. On a side note, I normally take a bus or car pool. I have a 30 min commute every day. Is it normal to go to these extremes to avoid driving in rush hour traffic?