Driving can be fun, enjoyable, interesting and convenient, but it can also be stressful from time to time. Trying to find a parking space in a busy lot, navigating your way through a hectic morning school run, and breaking down at the side of the motorway are problems you’ll experience, but won’t wish to repeat.
If you’ve started to associate sitting behind the wheel with being stressed and frustrated, then it could be time to flip the script and to vent that in the healthiest manner possible. This can not only help you avoid stressful and annoyed reactions on the road, but it will help you fall in love with driving again, perhaps even looking to websites like ours to keep up to date with news and reviews.
Moreover, when you look forward to driving and enjoy it, you actually drive more safely and carefully on the roads. If there’s any worthwhile outcome you get from this post, we hope this is it.
With that in mind, let’s consider some great methods of alleviating driving stress, and restoring your love for all things automotive:
Explore Fantastical Surroundings
Sometimes you just need to get away from the standard grey commute you’re used to. Of course, even the most technologically advanced Tesla cannot replace the visual filter of your external environment, but you may find that taking a leisurely Sunday drive in rural surroundings, or renting vehicles on your next vacation and exploring the local towns can be wonderful. After all, you need only look to some of the most beautiful driving routes in countries like Switzerland to see what awe-striking vistas are out there.
In addition, you may decide to make a real adventure out of your next experience, for instance driving down the length of the coast to meet all of your family members during your next family event, making a day of it with your partner. Go off the beaten track (with a map in tow) and explore. Sometimes you just need to detach the idea of driving from necessity, and have slow fun with it again.
Use Conveniences & Comforts
Driving stress can accumulate over time. We all know how annoying it is to be lost or stuck in traffic when we’re late to an appointment. With a good phone mount you can make sure your maps access and GPS positioning is always relevant. Then with comforts like an audiobook or podcast subscription connected to your speakers through a system like AirPlay, you’re able to listen to content that interests you, even during the most boring car travel experience.
Comforts can also be helpful, be that a neck pillow that gives you a little comfort (make sure this is approved and won’t effect you if there’s a collision), car scents that help neutralize the stuffy ambience, or even opting for comforts like cruise control when selecting your next model. A comforting driving experience should help you remain aware and focused, not irritated or sleepy.
Attend Racing Shows
Sports fans will often head to the shows and support, cheer, sing and even swear depending on how well their team is doing (of course, this is less acceptable during quiet sports, like snooker tournaments).
Regardless, you can get the same kind of atmosphere at a race, be that a demolition derby type of show, or a more conventional Formula One or amateur league event. Picking a good spot and waiting for your chosen car to come whizzing past, getting involved in the personal history of each racer and what being there means to them, it’s all a fantastic experience that can serve as a great day out and feels amazing to share with your loved ones on top of that. If enjoyment can bust stress (which it can), consider this a primary example.
But what if you want to enjoy your own racing experience? Well, with a V8 drive experience, you can get as close as possible without turning professional.
Check Out Those Bombastic Video Games
There are many excellent racing games out there, some which are zany from a tonal perspective, but others that allow you to delve deep into the technical aspect of your hobby. Most people are looking for an experience between both extremes, but with the kind of freedom to play how they want.
With some of the best racing games you can experience all of that and more. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as throwing a digital vehicle around a race track without consequence. In some titles, you may even be able to tune up the car you drive from day to day, and see how that performs with a suped-up engine. Sure, you might have been stuck in an hour-long traffic jam today, but in the virtual world, you can lap everyone on the track.
Always Have A Car Comfort Kit
It can be healthy to have a car comfort kit in your car. This might be a flask of warm coffee you can easily sip without worrying about spillage, or even enjoying green tea to relax you during a stressful drive. This kit might also include herbal tablets such as those with valerian root, which are calming but aren’t relaxants or pharmaceutical influencers, meaning you can still remain focused and attentive on the road even with those anti-anxiety effects.
Your kit might also include a zen music CD you can listen to comfortably, or even a snack or two to help you avoid driving with that “hangry” feeling. You might not use this kit all the time, but it can be nice to have it there.
Plan Your Routes
Sometimes, stress comes from the unknown. If you’re heading somewhere new, or are planning a large drive such as for a house move or vacation, then plan ahead of time. Print out maps just in case, and set a few routes through your GPS device or smartphone map application. You can set it to avoid toll roads, heavy traffic, and more. This will give you the chance to feel more in control of where you’re going, and to avoid feel exasperated when that happens.
With this advice, you’re sure to alleviate driving stress in the best way. With a little care and attention, and the means to vent annoyance, you can view driving as fondly as you once did.
