A Calmer Commute

Julia Tolliver Maranan

Endless traffic lights. Constant lines. Unexpected delays. Whether you drive or take public transportation, the hours you spend commuting to and from work each week could stress out even a Zen master. But you can make this time more bearable, and possibly even enjoyable, says Edward Charlesworth, PhD, a psychologist and author of Stress Management: A Comprehensive Guide to Wellness (Ballantine). Here are his suggestions on how to cope with your commute and arrive home or to work in a better state of mind.

Guide yourself to relaxation
If you think about it, there are probably a few specific things about your commute (e.g. bumper-to-bumper traffic, overcrowded commuter trains) that almost always set you off. By now, you may have conditioned yourself to have an automatic stress response to those triggers. These responses can be anything from an instant headache to an increased heart rate to butterflies in your stomach. And while it might be hard to make changes in your commute, the way you handle it can make all the difference. Here's how:  First, make a list of things that are stressful, says Charlesworth.  Next, sit in a quiet place at home and read your list.  For each stressor, practice this deep-breathing exercise: Take a deep breath, hold it briefly, and allow your body to relax as you exhale. As you do this, visualize yourself in the stressful situation. Practice this relaxation technique until you feel at ease with each stressor.  And, the next time you are on the road, do your deep-breathing exercise. You may not be able to move traffic, but you can at least put your mind at ease.

Enrich and entertain yourself
Between work and family -- and shuttling to and from both -- time just for you is few and far between. Why not take advantage of the time spent commuting and maximize your "me time." Charlesworth suggests listening to books on tape or downloading books onto your mp3 player from Web sites like Audible. You can listen to your favorite music or learn a new language. If you take public transportation, you can catch up on your reading, engage in the Sudoku craze, leaf through magazines, or take in a quick nap. With the emphasis off the commute and on your morning or evening activity, the ride might just fly by.

Set up and get up
Mornings are notoriously unpredictable: Your alarm could not go off, your child can wake up with a cold -- the possibilities are dreadfully endless. The night before is the ideal time to prepare yourself for the next morning, should any morning disasters occur. Choose your outfit, prepare your lunch, charge your mp3 player and cell phone, make your to-do list, gather your reading material and do whatever you can ahead of time to make your mornings more streamlined.  Set yourself up for the day and you'll have a few less things to worry about.

Rise and Shine
While most of us try our best to squeeze in a few extra minutes of sleep each morning, waking up even 15 minutes earlier can change the course of your day. It might allow you to leave early for work and you won't feel rushed even if there's an accident or traffic, says Charlesworth. If you arrive early to work, take advantage of some free, quiet time. Get a head start on work, skim the newspaper, catch up on your personal emails, or better yet, take a short walk.

Put things in perspective
The old adage mind over matter most certainly applies here. "If you constantly tell yourself that your commute is awful, your subconscious mind will start to believe it," says Charlesworth. Rather than aggravating the situation, focus your energy on the positivity that surrounds it. During your next commute, listen closely to your thoughts about the trip. "If you recognize your negative thoughts, you can take the next step to reframe them," says Charlesworth.  If the length of your commute is what bothers you, try to find the silver lining and counteract the negative.  For example, you can think instead: "I would not normally have this much time to catch up on my reading, so I'm glad to have this time." If it's a stoplight that triggers your temper, try instead to see that moment as an opportunity to practice your relaxation exercise. You'll be amazed at how the simple act of reframing your thoughts can go a long way to keeping stress at bay.

Julia Tolliver Maranan, a former editor at Natural Health magazine, is a freelance writer and editor specializing in health and fitness.