For many years, I worked outside the home and dealt with the craziness of the commuting population. By the time I ended up at work or at home at the end of the day, I usually had a headache and my shoulders were a knotted mess from the stress of commuting. Nowadays, my commute consists of getting out of bed and heading to my home office, and transporting children back and forth to school and activities. But even that kind of commuting can be very stressful, so I still need help relieving stress on the go. Here are some techniques that will make great use of your time sitting in traffic or the carpool lane.
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a widely used technique for stress reduction. Many poeple are surprised at how well it works. The idea behind it is simple, you evoke deep relaxation in the muscles by first tensing each muscle for a count of 10 and then relaxing. Traditionally, this is done in a specific sequence. But on the go, you’ll have to alter this a little for your specific situation. For example, if you’re sitting in the carpool lane, you can probably get through the whole sequence. But you won’t if you’re sitting at a stoplight. The most important ones to do for commuting are: hands, arms, shoulders and face.
- Deep Breathing helps immensely for both stress reduction and anger management 😉 This is really easy to do in the car, and doesn’t require you to be stopped. Simply breath in deeply for the count of 8 and out for the count of 4. To make sure you’re breathing deeply, you’re stomach should be moving, not just your chest. The best thing to do is practice it at home in a sitting position a few times so that it becomes second nature. That way, you’re not thinking about it while you’re in the car, you’re just “doing”.
- Classical Music soothes the soul. Don’t like Classical? Then try Lite music, or find a spa or relaxation CD at your favorite music store. It’s amazing how much stress can flow right out of you with the right kind of music. I know what you’re thinking, “But I like my good old rock, rap, _______ (insert your favorite genre here)”. Typically, most music on regular pop stations increases the stress level. It gets you pumped, wanting to rock out, etc, and a lot of it is also depressing. If you’re not already stressed, then listen to whatever you like. But if you’re stressed, pop in that relaxation CD long enough to bring your stress level down a notch.
So whether you’re waging war on the road back and forth to work, or sitting in the minivan with screaming children, try these techniques along the way. Just PLEASE be safe and have a stress-free day!
Guest Author Bio – Christine Grudecki
A mobile spa consultant, Christine has had training as a skin care professional and works with clients to help create and maintain beautiful looking skin. She is also the owner of PMICreations Mobile Spa & Gifts, as well as the author of the Spa Blog, which ranges in subjects from skin care to health to relaxation, and everything in between. You can also check out her Facebook Fanpage and Tweets for tidbits of inspiration and advice.
