If You Can't Alter Traffic, Alter Your Mood
Print on Demand
Cars are inching along bumper to bumper. The weather is foul. You’ve already been late to work twice this week. Every muscle in your body is beginning to feel tense. What a way to start the morning. Boy, are you in for a bad day!
Auto commutes don’t have to be “stress on wheels,” though. Here are some ways to avoid commuter stress.
• Before you set out, listen to radio traffic reports to find out if and where traffic is tied up.
• Take less heavily traveled routes.
• Leave 10 to 15 minutes earlier, to allow for unexpected delays.
• Look at a map and plan alternate routes should you encounter unexpected slow-downs along the way.
If, despite such avoidance tactics, you end up caught in traffic anyway, don’t let stress get the best of you. Some hints:
• Loosen your grip on the steering wheel.
• Take a few deep breaths.
• Don’t dwell on negative factors over which you have no control, like rude drivers or the odds of arriving late.
• Listen to a radio talk show or all-news station.
• Play some CDs of pleasant music, narrated books, or self-improvement courses. (Learn French on your way to work, for example.)
• Keep a notebook and pencil or a cassette recorder handy to make notes for planning your day, make shopping lists, and so forth.
Not only do these strategies help you make good use of otherwise wasted time, you might actually enjoy the drive!
This website is not meant to substitute for expert medical advice or treatment. Follow your doctor’s or health care provider’s advice if it differs from what is given in this guide.
The American Institute for Preventive Medicine (AIPM) is not responsible for the availability or content of external sites, nor does AIPM endorse them. Also, it is the responsibility of the user to examine the copyright and licensing restrictions of external pages and to secure all necessary permission.
The content on this website is proprietary. You may not modify, copy, reproduce, republish, upload, post, transmit, or distribute, in any manner, the material on the website without the written permission of AIPM.
2019 © American Institute for Preventive Medicine - All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer | www.HealthyLife.com