De-Stress Commuting
Unless you work at home, there’s always some stress involved in getting to your job. Here are eight tips to lower that stress level.
Longer commutes and rising gas prices are adding stress to getting to work or just getting weekly errands done. Don’t let traffic stress you out. Here are eight ways to de-stress your commute.
1. Leave earlier in the morning. Don’t make yourself a victim of rush hour jams. Strive to arrive an hour or even two hours early, at least one or a few days a week. Use this time to take an energizing walk, and then start work a few minutes early to organize your day’s priorities.
2. Leave work later. Postpone your departure time to avoid the usual rush hour snarl, even if just for one or two days a week. Take a course at a nearby community college, or spend an hour at the local library. Plan an after-work get-together with friends once a week to take a break from sitting in traffic.
3. Whittle down your gas bill. Alleviate some of the financial stress that comes with paying higher gas prices by making sure your car is tuned up. Keep tires inflated to the recommended pressure, because under-inflated tires use up more fuel. Replace clogged air filters. Also save gas by lightening up the load in your car trunk.
4. Relax. When you find yourself in unavoidable traffic jams, breathe deeply, in and out for several seconds or even several minutes to calm and focus your attention on the road. Stress is contagious, so don’t become an instigator or a victim of road rage on today’s already stress-congested highways.
5. Learn. Keep a book-on-tape or book-on-CD to entertain or teach you while you are sitting in traffic. Public libraries have huge selections of histories, motivational recordings, language lessons, business tips, biographies and other topics.
6. Don’t talk on your cell phone. Cell phones are becoming an increasing cause of traffic accidents, which is why many cities are banning cell phone talk on the road. Don’t do it. In an emergency, pull over and off the highway and come to a complete stop before you make a call.
7. Accept the inevitable. Sometimes unexpected traffic tie-ups can make you late. It’s a common denominator among today’s commuters, so keep that in mind before you worry that your boss or acquaintance won’t understand. Besides, accelerating and braking too much in traffic also uses more fuel. Be accepting (and safe!) instead of stressed.
8. Consider mass transit. Instead of dreading getting behind the wheel, you’ll look forward to letting someone else do the driving while you read or plan your day’s schedule on paper. Besides, a healthy walk to the bus stop is one more way to make exercise part of your day!
1. Leave earlier in the morning. Don’t make yourself a victim of rush hour jams. Strive to arrive an hour or even two hours early, at least one or a few days a week. Use this time to take an energizing walk, and then start work a few minutes early to organize your day’s priorities.
2. Leave work later. Postpone your departure time to avoid the usual rush hour snarl, even if just for one or two days a week. Take a course at a nearby community college, or spend an hour at the local library. Plan an after-work get-together with friends once a week to take a break from sitting in traffic.
3. Whittle down your gas bill. Alleviate some of the financial stress that comes with paying higher gas prices by making sure your car is tuned up. Keep tires inflated to the recommended pressure, because under-inflated tires use up more fuel. Replace clogged air filters. Also save gas by lightening up the load in your car trunk.
4. Relax. When you find yourself in unavoidable traffic jams, breathe deeply, in and out for several seconds or even several minutes to calm and focus your attention on the road. Stress is contagious, so don’t become an instigator or a victim of road rage on today’s already stress-congested highways.
5. Learn. Keep a book-on-tape or book-on-CD to entertain or teach you while you are sitting in traffic. Public libraries have huge selections of histories, motivational recordings, language lessons, business tips, biographies and other topics.
6. Don’t talk on your cell phone. Cell phones are becoming an increasing cause of traffic accidents, which is why many cities are banning cell phone talk on the road. Don’t do it. In an emergency, pull over and off the highway and come to a complete stop before you make a call.
7. Accept the inevitable. Sometimes unexpected traffic tie-ups can make you late. It’s a common denominator among today’s commuters, so keep that in mind before you worry that your boss or acquaintance won’t understand. Besides, accelerating and braking too much in traffic also uses more fuel. Be accepting (and safe!) instead of stressed.
8. Consider mass transit. Instead of dreading getting behind the wheel, you’ll look forward to letting someone else do the driving while you read or plan your day’s schedule on paper. Besides, a healthy walk to the bus stop is one more way to make exercise part of your day!
Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.
Use the form below to email this article to your friends.
- De-stressing at work!
- Workplace Stress
- Job Related Stress and Burnout
- Stress... and that new job interview.
- Recognizing stress
- Top 4 Ways On How To Handle Stress
- Screaming is the best stress buster at work!
- Work Related Stress and How to Cope
- Stress And Work Life Balance
- How to Avoid Stress at Work
- The True Cause Of Stress In The Workplace
- 3 Prescriptions for Stress
- Why is your job really stressful?
- Accomplishing Big Tasks Without Big Stress!
- Laugh and the Work World Laughs With You
- Considering A Home Business, Part I--Is Your Job An Asset Or A Liability?
- Stop Wasting Time