10 Ways to De-Stress Your Driving

I enjoy driving. I really do. I love seeing the beautiful countryside, especially driving somewhere new.  Driving down country roads, up and down hills, not knowing exactly where the road may be taking you is fun and exciting to me. Even a bit relaxing.

That said, I do not enjoy driving on the road with others.  Truth be told, I can’t stand someone driving in front of me and will do my best to get around them.  And city traffic?  Ugh. Nothing raises my blood pressure more than to be sitting on the freeway, going nowhere because I’m stuck in traffic.   And the holidays only brings more traffic – with more people on the roads, rushing to a holiday party or out shopping.

So this season, I wanted to approach driving in traffic a bit differently.  I wanted to not feel so stressed to get behind the wheel.  And when State Farm approached me to work with them on a Holiday Aggressive Driving program, I thought it was the perfect match.

Last week, I wrote about great tips for Holiday Driving and this week, I wanted to focus on creative ways to de-stress yourself before getting behind the wheel.

10 Fun Ways to De-Stress Your Driving

1. Let Go of the Tension – Before you start your drive or at a stop, let go of all the tension you have in your body.  Grip the wheel and clench every muscle in your body tightly, then let it all go in one big breathe.  Do this as many times as you need to get it all out.  It may sound silly, but trust me, it totally works.
2. Big Breathes at the Stop – Take a moment to focus your breathing.  When you come to that stoplight, take a deep breath.  There is nothing more relaxing than a simple breath.  Make it a habit to do one every time you come to a stop light.
3. Sing It Out – Sometimes the best way to let the stress of the day go is to crank the music up and sing aloud with your favorite song.  The endorphins you release by doing something enjoyable will instantly calm you down.
4. Snack Break – Pull over and grab your favorite coffee drink or ice cream cone.  It takes your mind off of the mundane commute and gets you a treat!
5. Sit Up Straight – Observe perfect posture while driving in the car. Pull your neck up and straighten your back. Not only will your body thank you in the long run, but it put you in a better driving position.
6. Let Someone In – By “paying it forward” while behind the wheel and letting someone go ahead of you, you can’t help but smile and wave to them.  And isn’t that what we all need to do?  Smile a little more?
7. Story Time – Remember how relaxing it is to have someone tell you a story?  Pop in an audiobook and get lost in the story – but not so lost that you forget to stay focused on the road.  The whole point of de-stressing is to not be distracted while driving.
8. Drink Water – Take a sip of water each time you start feeling stressed. It’s great for your body and it delays you from reacting to any stressful situation.
9. Blow Bubbles – Keep a pack of bubble gum in the car and blow some bubbles – it will make you feel like a kid again!
10. A Good Old Conversation – If you have others in the car with you, take this opportunity to turn the radio off and try to have a meaningful conversation with them.

Here are some more great tips to avoid aggressive driving from State Farm.

And to make your Holidays a less Stressful one, State Farm is giving away to a lucky reader, a Stress Relief Kit filled with these fun items:

• Gel Squeeze Ball
• The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World…Ever!
• Water Bottle
• Sportster Mug
• Foam Can Holder
• Orville Redenbacher 100-calorie Smart Pop!
• Insulated State Farm Tote

Giveaway begins on Monday, December 9, 2013 at 9:00 am and ends on Sunday, December 15, 2013 at 11:59 pm.  Winner will be randomly selected an contacted via email.  Winner will have 24 hours to respond to the email or we will select another winner.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am working with State Farm  this winter in a series of sponsored posts.  All opinions are strictly my own and not endorsed.