You’ve been stuck on the freeway for more than an hour, in stop-and-go traffic. Break lights as far as the eye can see. The road rage is real inside you. You feel like pounding your fists on the horn while screaming obscenities.
My friend, I’ve been there. I’ve actually shouted at the top of my lungs “I AM MISERABLE!”
(I don’t think anyone heard me.)
I’ve suffered several years of long commutes on L.A. freeways. Suffered being the key word. But, in that time, I finally found a formula that keeps my blood pressure down. Read on for some commuting zen.
5 Tips for a Better Commute
1. Make a playlist.
Listening to the radio or to a fast-paced album is a quick way to make yourself feel stabby. Radio playlists are too repetitive and too sporadic. Speedy beats are a terrible choice for heavy traffic.
For the longest time I was coming home ready to bounce off the walls with anger. One night I listened to a batch of uptempo rock’n’roll and it occurred to me. I was growing angrier by the minute. In fact, it sent me down a road rage spiral from hell. That was when I realized that I needed to control my playlist.
It seems counterintuitive to listen to quiet music while you’re trying to drive. After all, I grew up on road-trip music! Boston! Journey! Def Leppard!
But whereas road trips are fun, annoying commutes aren’t. Road trip music is loud and fast because you’re driving loud and fast. But your commute is likely annoying because you’re stuck in traffic. When you’re going 5 mph, no amount of shouting the lyrics will appease your need for speed. Know what I mean?
Spotify is your friend. Make a chill playlist with some smooth, easygoing beats. (Smart Is the New Sexy is a good one.) Or go to your happy place. I made this Hawaii playlist full of island and reggae tunes we heard on our trip in December. Always puts me in a good mood.
2. Listen to an audiobook.
Ninety-nine percent of the time, this is my saving grace. I love to listen to a good audiobook as I’m driving. When you’re getting swept up by a story, time goes faster. Some nights I arrive home but consider zipping around the block to hear more of my stories.
I know, right.
My go-to app is OverDrive. I rent audiobooks from the Los Angeles Public Library website. I love it; works like a charm. Ask about your library’s digital loans if you haven’t already. There’s a whole new world of literature at your fingertips. Plus you never even step foot inside the library.
I tested Audible before and liked it, too. But the monthly subscription plan didn’t mesh with my voracious audiobook appetite.
3. Find a good podcast.
One word: Serial.
And apparently there are more where that came from: This American Life, Comedy Bang! Bang!, 99% Invisible, The Nerdist, I Was There Too for starters.
It’s great to have “another episode” to look forward to at the end of the day.
4. Save a treat just for the ride home.
On good days, this can be as simple as saving a bottle of cold flavored water for the ride home. On bad days, chocolate.
For the rest of the days, set aside gum or hard candy like mints or butterscotch. So what if it makes you feel like a elderly person to buy Werther’s Originals.
5. Use a stress ball.
So you feel like banging your head against the horn. Or screaming four-letter words at bad drivers. Here’s a tip.
Squeeeeeze.
Just squeeeeeze on a stress ball (perhaps one with a smiley face on it). Alternate hands. This is a good way to make sure you’re not death-gripping your steering wheel. Your shoulders and neck muscles will thank you later!
