According to a survey by PayScale, a US-based salary tracking firm, the average time spent in commuting by an employee in Mumbai is 47.26 minutes, followed by Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai with 42.96, 37.91 and 36.08 minutes respectively. Most people from these metros however, would put their commuting time much higher. Most of the stress experienced during commuting is due to a feeling of lack of control over the environment. While this cannot be changed to a great extent, a little bit of planning can help you regain some control over your commuting experience.
Planning
Change your work hours
If possible try an early morning or late morning work shift. This way you will beat the traffic hours both ways, while going to office and coming back. Check with your company whether you can opt for shifts that suit your lifestyle and commuting plans.
Carpool
Join or create your own carpool. With carpooling you don't need to drive everyday; you and the other members can take turns in driving. This will reduce your driving stress. The light conversations and humor you indulge in while traveling will elevate your mood. Carpooling can reduce your petrol costs besides leading to lesser road traffic and pollution.
Plan events close to office
Since the evening commute is more unbearable than the morning one because of the fatigue from the day, it is better to delay your departure. After work go to the nearest yoga/gym/meditation class. This will help you avoid the rush hour and manage your time and health. If you have any dinner/shopping/movie plans during the week, plan them close to your office.
Flexible working hours
Many companies today, allow employees to work from home for a certain number of days or allow employees to have longer working days and then take a few days off. If your company allows such facilities avail them.
When we are already hard pressed for time, wasting our commuting time in cursing and fuming seems such a waste. But you don't have to. Like some ingenious Mumbai local train commuters you too can transform your commuting from a harrowing experience to a stress busting one.
Enjoy your commute
Listen to music
As we all know music is a great stress buster. Whether you are traveling by public transport or your own car this is one easy thing you can do to feel lighter and happier. Drown the noise and commotion in your favorite music.
Read & Learn on the go
If you like to read but don't have time opt for books on cassette. Several full-length books on tape are available in the market. If you want to learn a new language or want to increase your vocabulary several tapes on the same are available. Solve crosswords, puzzles, sudokus while traveling and time will just fleet by.
Healthy Munch
Often we don't have time to eat breakfast and evening snacks. Result: we are famished by the end of the day. Carry cut fruits, healthy snacks or nuts with you and have them while travelling. A good breakfast will pump you with the energy and good mood.
Doing the Miscellaneous
While waiting for your transport or while traveling use the time to write down your 'to dos' and shopping lists.
Conversations and humor
If you and your friends work nearby, try to travel together. Social interactions can make commuting burden lighter. You can even make new friends when traveling by public transports. The sharing of food, thoughts, little joys, music will not only make commuting enjoyable but increase human bonding.
Relax and meditate
You don't need to always sit in the lotus position to meditate. Whether you are stuck in traffic, or at traffic signal or in a train/bus, relax and take deep breaths. It will you make you calmer and at peace with the surroundings.
Use the tips above or devise your own and see how you set the right tone for a stress-free commuting.
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