5 Ways To Make Your Commute Better

Let’s be real, commuting sucks. If you commute more than 30 minutes every day to work, this is our mini support group session. We’ll rant then look at 5 ways to make your commute better.

Rant time, yay!

I get so tired of red lights, road work, and reckless drivers. Some days it seems like I hit every delay possible. My commute should only be 12 minutes one way but because of traffic, it takes 30 min to 1 hour.

I’m a master at finding an alternate route and improvising due to delays. Can anyone else relate?

Some days I get lucky and pick the fastest route. Other days a stoplight is out, roadwork started, or a wreck happened. A lot of days I get cut off in traffic and my anger tolerance gets tested.

People who know a lane is closed up ahead and cut off 50 cars who have been waiting drive me crazy. It’s like they think they are more important than everyone else trying to get home.

A recent incident with an impatient driver…

Recently, in my rearview mirror on the highway, I saw a big SUV racing down the lane about to end merging into my lane. In an attempt to forcefully merge, they made the mistake of swerving at my car. I was side by side with them when they tried. Apparently, they thought I would slam on my breaks and let them pass after I waited 10 minutes in backed up traffic just to get to this spot.

Now I don’t recommend doing what I did because people are crazy. You never know what crazies are capable of. Disclaimer aside here’s what happened… I did not budge from my spot and they nearly hit my side of the car. The cars behind me must’ve seen what happened because they wouldn’t let them over either.

So what do you think; did my ego get in the way of my safety? Yeah, probably so. I’m not proud of that moment. Don’t worry, my Mom already gave me a stern talking to. I won’t do it again.

It frustrates me to no end when people drive selfish and recklessly. Either way, I need to drive safely even when others make mistakes. It’s certainly not worth getting into a wreck over, right?

Besides that moment recently, I’ve learned to cope pretty well with traffic. If I didn’t, I would stay one angry person. Speaking of anger, check out my post on Why I No Longer Have Road Rage. Obviously, I need to read it again myself.

Below are 5 ways that have improved my commuting experience.

1. Listen to music
2. Drive-in silence
3. Pray
4. Listen to a podcast
5. Listen to an audiobook

Of course, your favorite music or radio station is a great option. But, sometimes we just need to take a mental break and drive in silence. We can’t expect to be at peace if we never take a quiet moment of nothingness. However, there are days I like to use my quiet time to mentally prepare for the busy day ahead.

We can't expect to be at peace if we never take a quiet moment of nothingness.Click To Tweet

Prayer is also another great option. No, I don’t pray the whole commute but I do take a few moments to talk with God. The people next to me at stoplights either think I’m crazy or talking on the phone. I’m learning not to care as much either way.

Motivational or funny podcasts also keep the ride interesting for sure! I just downloaded an app called Podcasts and it works nicely. Rick Warren’s Daily Hope is one of my favorites. You can search for whatever sparks your interest.

Lastly, listening to an audiobook is a great way to “read” a book that you never have time for otherwise. I was able to read the Bible through sooner because I listened to it some on my way to work. I think you can download your favorite Bible version and listen or read it while being disconnected from the internet.

So these are five things that have made my commutes more tolerable. If you have anything else to add, please feel free to share your ideas with all of us! In the meantime, let’s make sure to count our blessings and make the most of the time we have, even if a big chunk of it is spent in traffic!

*Pro-tip: don’t mess with your phone while you’re driving. I try to get my music, book, or podcast ready before I leave my driveway.

Stay hopeful!