We’ve all been there: stop and go traffic at 5pm due to rush hour. Unfortunately, this frustrating occurrence is unavoidable for many, and as the population in Colorado continues to grow, traffic seems to be everywhere. However, traffic doesn’t have to be a constant headache. Here are a few tips on how to stay calm and deal with rush hour.
1. Leave Early, Stay Late
One of the best ways to avoid traffic is obviously to leave work when it isn’t so busy. Peak traffic hours are between 8 and 9am, and 4 and 5pm. If your job offers you the flexibility to leave earlier or later by adjusting what time you come in, consider adjusting your working hours for a smoother drive home.
2. Change Your Route
If you can’t avoid the peak traffic times, see if you can find a better route home. Avoid interstates and busy highways. This might add a bit more time onto your commute, but it might save on the time you’d be sitting in your car during a traffic jam.
3. Music Therapy
Help yourself enjoy the ride home by playing music you like or listening to a book on tape. If your mind is engaged in something other than the annoying stop-and-go, the traffic will seem less of a bother. Instead of getting impatient and annoyed, change your perspective on the situation. Carve out this car time for yourself as a time to wind down and free your mind from work before you get home.
4. Carpool
Not only does carpooling help the environment and gas bills, traveling to and from work with friends or coworkers allows time for chatting and visiting that will distract you from the traffic situation. Time spent with others never seems wasted, even if it’s during a traffic jam.
5. Stay Positive
One of the worst things you can do during rush hour is allow road rage to take over. Stay calm and be respectful of others around you. Patience and courtesy on the road is just as contagious as road rage, so practice positivity and others will follow.
We hope these tips will be useful to you if you have to fight traffic on a daily basis. Above all, remember that it’s not a race, not everyone is out to get you, and time spent on the road is not necessarily wasted. From all of us here and Quick-Set Auto Glass, drive safely out there!
