Like it or not, commuting is a fact of life. According to the US Department of Transportation, nearly 130 million American workers share the roads each day. That’s a lot of annoyed, caffeinated drivers. But the daily trek to the office doesn’t have to get the better of you. Try these simple tricks to ease your nerves en route and find inner peace behind the wheel.Plan Ahead
A little advance preparation can make your morning routine a lot less hectic. Make the kids’ lunches the night before, and while you’re at it, take out the garbage, figure out what you’re going to wear to work (iron that shirt if need be) and set the timer on the coffeemaker to greet you with a fresh cuppa java on your way out the door. You’ll be surprised how much calmer you’ll feel with a few items crossed off your morning to-do list.
Listen to Music
When you get cut off for what feels like the 40th time, throw on some Chopin. In addition to lowering your blood pressure and anxiety levels, listening to classical music also makes you smarter (it’s called the Mozart effect). That means classical music puts you in prime condition to own the workday, when you eventually make it through the traffic jam you’re sitting in, that is.