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ENGLAND - Sitting in a car locked in stationary traffic, crammed on to an over-crowded bus or standing on a platform watching three full trains go by - however you travel, this can be one of the most stressful parts of an office worker's day.
Now English research has revealed that there are nine different methods of dealing with the grind of the daily commute. But be warned; some are more effective than others.
The report - Resilience and Positive Coping as Protection from Commuting-Related Stressors and Strain by Dr Glenn Williams and Rowena Hill of Nottingham Trent University - lists the methods as:
More Effective
1. Self-generated audio coping: singing/humming/talking to yourself.
While singing out loud may incite physical violence in those around you, Dr Williams said "sub-audible talking or singing" was effective and was used by most of the 561 commuters in the study to reduce stress.
"People may talk in their heads, wondering to themselves what Joe was thinking at work or chattering internally. Other people have the equivalent of a personal theme tune, a song that makes them feel better about going into work and keeps them distracted."
2. Planning for the day ahead or after-work activities.
Although many people prefer to use their journey as a reprieve from work, planning for the day ahead actually reduces stress. If that is likely to make you more stressed, then focus on your plans post-work.
"Commuting can be constructive; it can be used as a transition time between work and home, to enable people to ready themselves for the next part of their day. This could be planning what you will say in an argument with a spouse or, more positively, planning to buy flowers or make a meal for them."
3. Cognitive work - on a laptop computer, writing, reading - and making the effort to travel outside rush hour.
For those using public transport, rather than driving to and from work, "brainwork" (relaxing with a book, writing, or working) can distract from the horrors of being crammed into a commuter train or bus.
Dr Williams said: "Commuters can use the time for rest and recreation, or as an alternative workspace." But he warns that going straight from working on a laptop to plugging into a computer at work does not provide much of a break.
Also, using different routes to work, or planning a journey that avoids rush hour, helps to diminish stress levels.
4. Other generated audio coping - listening to music or an audio book.
The shiny white earphone brigade may think they are simply listening to their favourite tunes on their journey. In fact, they are relieving stress. But beware that turning up the volume may be increasing the stress levels in other commuters.
5. Oral gratification - chewing gum, talking on a cellphone, chatting to other commuters, eating.
"Talking with other people reduces a sense of isolation on a journey," Dr Williams said. "Car pooling with friends or colleagues is a popular strategy, and the research found that commuters then actually enjoy journeys with friends."
But over-crowding played a big part in commuters' stress levels, he said, and chatting to strangers on public transport might be ineffective if others are bothered by chatter.
Snacking and eating gum acts as a distraction and can replenish energy levels on a long commute.
6. Religious/spiritual - meditating, praying etc.
If the doctors and counsellors have been unable to help, seek help from a higher power - God. Praying can help to reduce stress, as can meditation, although reaching a higher spiritual plane may be tricky if you are crammed beneath someone's armpit on a packed bus.
Dr Williams said people who used prayer to combat commuting stress tended to have high levels of resilience to the stress of travelling to work, possibly because "they naturally have a strong sense of meaning and purpose over their lives".
Less Effective
7. Emotion-focused coping - anger at other commuters, admiring attractive people etc.
Using a commute to eye up potential partners may distract from a mundane journey, as may ranting at a teenager using their phone to play tinny tunes to fellow passengers, but Dr Williams said it was better to do something more productive.
Although he would warn anyone against "stalker syndrome", the popularity of personal columns in giveaway newspapers referring to strangers spotted on a commute suggested that many people use infatuation to keep themselves occupied on the journey.
8. Substance use - tobacco and alcohol.
"In the short term," said Dr Williams, "this is a crutch that can control emotions and help to alleviate anger or anxiety." But this method of coping was associated with people with low levels of resilience to commuter stress and was not effective in the long term.
9. Psychological/medical support - seeking counselling or medication to cope with stress.
If the commute has become more than a daily irritation and is affecting your mental health, then seeking help from a doctor or counsellor can make the journey more bearable.
Dr Williams said: "I would not suggest that doctors should be prescribing medicines to cope with a commute, but employers could help by offering tele-commuting [working from home] or supporting employers so they can avoid the rush hour."
- INDEPENDENT
