How to Use Time Spent Waiting in Traffic

Getting stuck in traffic makes most people frustrated and stressed out. Our time is valuable and none of us likes to waste it. What if you could find some useful or entertaining things to do that would make that time pleasant? Read on and reduce the stress when you drive.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Plastic grocery store bag
• Pop up cleaning cloths
• Cell phone, purse, wallet, address book
• Hand held tape recorder with extra tapes
• Index cards, Talking Books
• Fingernail file, nail polish remover
• Makeup bag

1. Make some phone calls to people you haven't heard from in a while. Check on a sick friend or catch up with your mom. Call someone who'll be really happy to hear from you and the time will fly. You can also make calls to that cable company or lawn mower repairman you never seem to have time for. Feeling you're accomplishing something is also relaxing.
2. Clean out! Go through your phone messages or numbers, deleting what you don't use. Clean out your wallet, throwing garbage into one of the trash bags. Clean the door pocket next to you or declutter the glove compartment. Run pull up cleansing cloths over the dash, the door and wherever you can easily reach. Do one small thing at a time and don't take your eyes off the road. Use your dead time to grab and sort items, one thing at a time and use one garbage bag to toss and one to save.
3. Learn! Listen to a talking book that will teach you how to make wine or speak Spanish. Or listen to that classic you've never had time to read...War and Peace, anyone? Poetry or inspirational writing is a perfect relaxer. There are subjects on just about everything available at a mid sized to large library. Check them out and make this time valuable.
4. Use your hand held tape recorder like a notebook. Plan a dinner party menu, to do list, or make a long list of things you can do when you have moments of free time like this. Record a tape for someone you love or someone overseas. Compose a letter telling your child or your dad the wonderful things you don't make enough time to say. Make a tape of personal affirmations that will encourage you or do one on the things you have to be thankful for.
5. Look better. Use bottled water and do arm curls. Tense and relax stomach muscles. Do neck stretches--up and down and back and forth or shoulder shrugs. They relax and tone up at the same time. Refresh your makeup, comb your hair, straighten your tie. Remove nail polish (use the tubs with sponges that don't spill)or file nail snags.
6. Pray for those in need or for yourself. Rehearse what you'll say on that job interview or when you ask for a raise. Practice talking to that person who intimidates you at work. Practice making sexy eyes in the mirror--who knows someone wonderful may be watching...and probably laughing with you.
7. Laugh! Get some comedy tapes. Keep a book of short jokes in the car and read a couple when you're stuck. Laugh out loud even if they aren't hysterical--it'll make you feel less tense anyway. Sing along with the radio and giggle at how good or bad you sound. Practice your reaction if you won a million dollars-then mentally spend it where it would do a great good. It's impossible to be silly and aggravated at the same time.
8. Use this time, one moment at a time, to do something positive instead of banging the steering wheel or cursing under your breath. All that negative energy isn't helping the situation -- it's actually making it worse--so turn the negative into as much of a positive as you can! In time, this will be one less thing that makes you bonkers. In fact, you may even look forward to some of these things.

Tips & Warnings

• Sort things one thing at a time. Don't pick up too much or do anything that you can't throw down instantly.
• Work in moments only! Your first priority is watching the road. Do busy things like dialing the phone when the car is stopped. (Make sure that your state hasn't made talking on the phone illegal!)