How to Deal with Stress while Stuck in a Traffic Jam?

Being stuck on your way to work or for that matter anywhere tends to take a toll on people. Sitting in your car for such long durations can be taxing and often is a cause of stress, worry, and tension in people.

There is honestly absolutely no way that you can avoid traffic and find a way out of the situation but increase your stress level due to traffic is unnecessary. A lot of people face with a lot of anxiety, tension, and anger when they are forced to sit for a long period cramped in a vehicle in traffic but it can all be dealt positively. You can find means to tackle the situation without losing your mind over it. 

Here are 7 tricks to keep calm while you are stuck in traffic.

#1. Keep Your Cool!

Yes, you are stuck in traffic, but many others are facing the same situation as well. Continuously fretting over the fact that you will be late for your work and get mad will not help you in any way but instead drive you over the edge. Instead of calm down, this is not the kind of problem that can only be resolved with patience. You need to stay calm and wait for the traffic to move. Excessive stress will affect not only your mental health but also physical health.

#2. Stress Buster

Driving for a long period can stiffen your hand, and a traffic jam is a perfect time to let go of the wheel for a while. You can engage in some hand stretches that can release the tension from your fingers and give them some much-needed relief. Apart from that, there are many stress busters on the go that you can stock your car with such as a stress ball or a fidget spinner; they can be a great distraction during such time.

#3. Audio-books

Well, firstly reading an actual book is just out of the question during traffic and these days most of us are either way too tired or disinterested in reading an actual book. Audio books though, don’t require any efforts, and it is very calming to hear someone read to you. Traffic jams are perhaps a perfect opportunity to take out your headphones and listen to a good book.

#4. Call Up Your Friends

A tight schedule has us on the move all the time; we barely get the time to catch up with our loved ones and friends. Instead of delaying those phone calls that you have wanted to make for a long time, use this opportunity and call all your friends, old colleagues and also your folks. You often also miss a lot of work calls that keep piling up and the countless hours of the traffic jam is a perfect time to deal with them.

#5. Breathing Exercises

Mindfulness can be practiced anywhere. Instead of focusing on the negative that surrounds you, instead, focus on your breathing. Inhale deeply and exhale, think of the delay as a respite from all the work and relax. You can’t overlook everything, and you are not expected to, instead see everything around you in a non-judgmental way. Turn your thoughts inward rather than outward and you will de-stress yourself.

#6. Soothing Music

Music is a mood stimulant, and most of us prefer listening to thumping music while driving. This aggression though takes a downturn when you are stuck in traffic and are experiencing a lot of stress. Your blood pressure increases, while you are stuck in a traffic jam and the overall surroundings, don’t help either. To make matter worse, if you listen to aggressive music, your blood pressure tends to increase even more, and that’s bad for your health. Instead, listen to soothing music like a slow number or jazz that will keep you calm and in a good mood.

#7. Clean Your Car

Here is another task that is thrown on the back burner and is either delayed or completely avoided. Being stuck in a traffic jam is the ideal time actually to clean out your car. Take out all the stuff in your dashboard and organize it. You can’t throw anything out of the car, but you can surely segregate stuff properly.

How do you deal with traffic jams? Do you lose your cool or utilize your time efficiently. Do share your views and opinions using the comment box below. We look forward to your replies.

(Image Courtesy: 1. KeepCalm o Matic, 2. Mental Health Guru, 3. Lifewire, 4.Bankarate, 5. The Bump, 6. Ecardlr, 7. MotorBeam; Fortune Builders(Featured Image Courtesy)