Optimize Your Commute For Better Wellness

You’ve left the office, you've had a long day, and the last meeting you were in seemed like it lasted an eternity. You are ready to go home and have a stress free dinner and watch the game. However, you know that you have a terrible commute ahead of you and already you are not looking forward to getting in your car and watching traffic inch by.

It sounds like a terrible situation, but think about the positive. You can make your commute beneficial for you. Negative thinking only hinders your wellness and causes stress. What you do have during the commute is time.

There is no way that you are going to get to where you are going any faster than traffic will allow you to.  However you can use that time to make your commute more beneficial to your health and wellness. Take control of the commute instead of having the commute take control of you.

First off, although it takes a little time, try and plan ahead. Make sure you allow adequate time for your commute, this way if you are not in a rush it will automatically lower your stress levels about arriving somewhere on time.

In addition, have directions so that you know exactly where you are going. Traffic and not having an idea of where you are going adds to stress, and we know that stress has an adverse affect on your body and its wellness.  It may also benefit you to check the traffic report before you leave the office. You are more likely to be better mentally prepared and feel less anger and stress about a difficult commute if you know about it ahead of time.

Now when you actually get to the commute, as was mentioned, you cannot speed up traffic. However, there several are things that you can do to relieve stress and actually improve your wellness.

You could use the commute time to listen to some zen music, or a book on tape that you’ve been wanting to hear. This will let your mind relax and rest from your day, and also give you some mental health time, so you arrive at your destination stress-free rather than drained. This may be the only you time during the day that you really get to yourself so make the most of it.

If you feel that your mind is ready to work and it keeps spinning, use that energy to your advantage. You can invest in a voice recording system of some sort, or make mental lists about work, or plan out your next week.

That way you do not feel negative that you are stuck in traffic, but rather stress-free because you are being very productive. If you feel that you are using your time well, you will feel better about yourself, and in turn your overall wellness will be better.

Furthermore, there is the option of carpooling. If you find a friend that is going in the same direction, this will shorten your commute time because you can use the carpool lane. This is great if you are looking for some company. It may allow you to spend time with someone you don’t see that often, and this may also take the stress off of a difficult commute.

Whatever strategy you use, make sure that you make your commute as stress free and wellness oriented as possible. It’s about you. Remember, your mental attitude will transfer to your physical, and a positive mental wellness will transfer to a positive physical wellness!