Driving to and from work every day can become a taxing and stressful routine if you’re not mindful of how it affects you. So, take a moment to learn about how to make your daily commute less stressful and see what a difference a soothing drive can make.
Destress With Calming Music or Guided Meditations
When you’re trying to figure out how to make your daily commute less stressful, it’s wise to consider the type of music you listen to on your way to the office. Although it might be great for other occasions, listening to heavy metal in the middle of rush hour traffic probably won’t do much to help you calm down.
Instead, think about some of the other musical options you have, such as classical, slow jazz, or even acoustic contemporary. If you’re the type that enjoys listening to podcasts or audiobooks, select one that you find soothing, or try listening to a guided meditation. Filling your car with soothing sounds is an excellent way to keep your stress levels at a minimum during your daily drive to the office.
Keep Your Car Fresh and Clean
Keeping things tidy and fresh in your car is another excellent way to combat the stresses of that daily drive. As with any other space, when your vehicle collects clutter, it can negatively impact your mood, mental clarity, and level of stress. Having interior car cleaning products on hand is a fabulous way to ensure that your environment is clean and serene. You can also get yourself an air freshener that fills your car with the soothing aroma of lavender or rosehip. These kinds of scents tend to have a calming effect. And when your car smells lovely and fresh, it can make that commute a little easier to manage.
Take the Scenic Route
Most of us are in the habit of using major highways to get where we’re going. As a result, running into ludicrous amounts of traffic is almost a guarantee, especially during rush hours. Sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic is stressful enough as it is. But navigating through it to make it to work on time can exacerbate the feeling of anxiety considerably.
So, if there is an alternate route to your place of work that has even just a little less traffic, try using it instead of the one you usually take. You’ll want to ensure that taking a different road won’t mess with your punctuality. But once you’ve deemed this new route an appropriate alternative, try it out and see if you like it. You never know; you might love it enough to make it an everyday thing. Plus, it will likely do wonders for circumventing the stress that comes from driving on crowded highways.
The next time you’re driving to and from work, consider some of these methods for destressing. We’re confident that they’ll help you stay calm and sustain a great mood no matter what your daily commute throws at you.
