The dreaded commute
For sometime while I was a part time instructor, I was commuting 2-3 hours daily and would always find myself in rush hours traffic in the afternoon. It was no fun and could honestly say that it was a stressor in my life that felt as if it got bigger and worse as time went on. After being offered a full time position and quitting my other part time job, my commute was reduced to 1 hour at the most on most days. There is a huge difference in how I feel, how I react, and how I present myself since reducing my commuting time. I am very glad and happy I was given an opportunity to reduce my stress, my commute, and my chance of having any health issues.
I'm in Atlanta, and it's the same. A 45-minute to 1 hour commute is nothing, when so many people drive several hours to and from work. I've started listening to books on the way to and from work and between jobs and it's made even more of a difference.
Especially LA traffic. It is very stressful but I listen to classical or jazz
My commute fluctuates; for my AM commute I always give myself an hour, that way if there is an accident or back up in traffic then I have a "buffer" time to sit...and wait if need be. My commute home, often late at night is about 35 min, I have started listening to CD's on learning Spanish. I'm focused on the enunciation and words not necessarily the drive or the not driving in some days.
Commuting is a big stress but a fact of life in many areas of the country. Two things I did to help counter the stress was to check out books on tape from the library. This helped pass time and I learned something. Next I would spend time praying and interacting with God. Of course this will only work for some people.
WOW!! That is a long time to be on the road, then still have to be in the classroom and deal with students, co-workers and just those unexpected everyday things. Having a hard day at work, then having to deal with rush hour traffic, along with being on the road for 2-3 can be very stressful. Glad to know you are stress free of the long commute
My suggestions -
Find good music or a radio station you like.
Find books on tape to help with the time.
Try different routes for variety and perhaps ease of commute.
Minimize your trips when possible.
See if varying your times actually can save you some time.
Don't dwell on it.
I live in southern California. I'm just used to the commute
My commute is at least an hour to and from the campus WITHOUT traffic and I found that just sitting in my car had my mind racing about all the things I COULD BE doing with that "wasted" time. This huge stressor affected my mood and I wasn't liking it. I found that listening to audio books during my ride or while in traffic was a big help in occupying my mind. Occasionally, I even look forward to my commute as I am eager to hear how the book will continue! This helps to actually RELIEVE some of my commuting stress as opposed to agonizing over the ride.
Santos, It sounds like this change was very healthy for your life and lifestyle. Gaining an hour back to your day is simply tremendous! I would love to now more about what you are doing with that time.
Dr. Melissa Read
I have a 45 minute commute to evening classes. It puts me in the middle of rush hour traffic on the way to the campus. The problem with traffic is that you can't take your mind off of it. Your full attention is required at all times to avoid accidents.
Boy traffic sure could be stressful.
