Beat the Traffic Blues and Improve Your Life

To say that traffic in the metro is a nightmare is an understatement. On average, Filipino commuters spend a little over an hour daily getting stuck on the road, especially during rush hours. It’s an equivalent to 16 days annually!

If you are a road warrior on a daily basis, the agony of Philippine transport can be a significant source of headaches. However, you can deal with it a lot better with these handy tips:

1. Exfoliate Your Skin

Your skin is one of the few organs that receive the brunt of pollution exposure. In its effort to protect you, it can accumulate dirt and bacteria on top of the dead skin cells. All these can make you prone to acne and skin inflammation. The best revenge for traffic is to be beautiful. Get rid of the traces of dirt, bacteria, dead skin cells, and oil through exfoliation.

You can find many exfoliating products in the market, and one of these is from Kedma Philippines. Its exfoliant’s main ingredient is Dead Sea minerals, which contain zinc, calcium, and magnesium. These can help nourish the skin to reduce potential infection or redness.

2. Listen to Audiobooks and Podcasts

Rather than spend the next 60 minutes complaining about the traffic, spend it listening to audiobooks and podcasts. It is a life-enriching activity in a lot of ways. For example, according to Psychology Today, hearing somebody else talk can decrease negative thoughts. In the process, it can help you cope with anxiety and panic attacks. It can also enhance your sense of empathy since it can introduce you to different kinds of experiences.

3. Be an Early Riser

There’s a wealth of studies that show the benefits of waking up early in the morning. One of these is the research of Christoph Randler, a University of Education biology professor. He learned that while the night owls are more likely to be creative, it’s the early risers who get the worm business or career-wise.

They are the ones who have a higher chance of being proactive. They also tend to perform better in school. It then increases their odds of studying in more prestigious universities or colleges.

If you’re used to doing work at night, it can be a challenge to shift to being a morning person. One useful trick, though, is to expose yourself to sunlight. It can help reset your circadian rhythm or “body clock.” Besides, you’re less likely to find yourself stuck in traffic during the rush hours.

4. Do Nothing

Filipinos seem to never run out of things to do. Some work for more than 50 hours a week, while others have to attend to different responsibilities such as child rearing. They also spend an average of nearly four hours on social media, according to Digital 2018 Report.

The sense of busyness can eventually lead to mental clutter, anxiety, and burnout. The antithesis is doing nothing. It can help increase mindfulness and allow you to stay in the present. In turn, it can reduce your stress levels, allowing you to cope with the challenges of commuting.

When it comes to Philippine traffic, it’s how you deal with it that matters. Don’t let it reign over you. Take control and make yourself even better with these ideas.