If you travel for work, maybe you hit a lot of traffic. While living in New York City, commuting took lots of time. Whether on the train, bus or driving myself, it took hours each day. Add to the commute a long, possibly stressful day.
Not everyone has the tedious New York City area commutes, though enough of us are on the road going and coming home from work. We must find ways to decompress from a long day at work,
As we go about our day, we accumulate hidden and known stress in our bodies. How can we use our travel time to reduce our stress levels? On your commute to work, traffic could delay you getting there. You can’t control traffic, but you can release stressful thoughts so you are more relaxed when you get to work.
Some Ideas
You can use some of these ideas below, no matter why you are on the road. It’s a way to include relaxation points in your daily life. Whatever you do, choose an activity that relaxes you and doesn’t add anxiety or stress while commuting.
- When you get in the car, or other means of travel, take ten slow deep breaths. Most of the time, we do shallow breathing, which increases our stress levels.
- If you are wide awake on the trip to work, it could be an excellent time to organize your day. Whereas in the evening, you want to include relaxing activities.
- Music seems to reduce stress levels in our bodies, so bring along your favorite tunes.
- We often open our phones at a red light, waiting for it to turn. Instead of looking at our phones, we take slow deep breaths, which becomes a mini relaxation time.
- Put on a podcast.
- Read a good book – reading is something I love to do, and I have completed many books throughout my traveling time. Book reading can add to your knowledge and skills for work.
- Listen to audiobooks – a great way to enjoy a good novel or learn when commuting.
- If on the train or bus, meditate. I’ve traveled both ways in NY and would meditate. Walking through the door, I was relaxed and ready to be with family.
- Use the time to plan your evening or a trip.
- I don’t recommend talking to a friend on a bus or train. Most people find it annoying to listen to one-sided conversations.
- When going to work, prepare for your day so you know your priorities and can jump right in and work on them when you get there.
- Catch up on emails. As long as reading your emails doesn’t stress you with what you do. If you relax while doing it, then do it.
- Reduce screen time and do other things that don’t require screens.
Use your travel time to support your well-being. Change how you think of travel time. Instead of being a tedious activity that causes stress, you can reframe your thoughts and treat it as a particular time to relax, learn, read, write, or any other valuable use of your time. You have the time; your power is how you think and use your time.
Your Thoughts
How do you use your travel time? Do you see it as an annoyance or time to do other activities that give you pleasure? It’s about your attitude in travel time.
Women’s Group Topics
How you use your time is essential to everyone. Do you choose to engage with distractions and frustration, or see all time as an opportunity to create or connect with all you do?
Be well,
Pat
“To fully enjoy the ‘richness’ of our lives, we need to stop long enough to visit with ourselves.”
(Pat Brill)
Other Topics You May Be Interested In
Happy For No Reason
Cleaning Out My ‘Guilt’ Closet
Compassion For Myself
Do you want to download a PDF copy of both of these books, then go to:
