The third Monday in January is designated ‘Blue Monday’ – officially the most depressing day of the year, thanks to long nights, damp weather and the post-Christmas blues.
Even if you enjoy driving, spending long hours in the car may also worsen your mood and pose risks to your health, including through stress and a poor diet.
With Blue Monday in mind, we’ve put together some easy-to-follow tips for staying healthy, happy and safe on the road.
Take some time for yourself
One of the nice things about a long commute is you have time to yourself. How you keep your mind busy, while of course paying attention to driving, can be the difference between a bad journey and a good one.
Time for reflection is helpful, without the distraction of text messages, social media and so on. Enjoy the downtime and you’ll hit the ground running when you arrive at work.
Long commutes are also the perfect opportunity to educate yourself with audiobooks, podcasts and music. You could learn a language, develop a new interest, or work your way through every album Bob Dylan has ever recorded. Just us? OK, fine.
Make your commute more fun
It may sound obvious, and maybe a bit silly, but a good first port of call for a pick-me-up on the road is putting on your favourite tunes and having a good singalong.
A study by Nature Research found that listening to ‘heroic’ music can up your mood. Line up that Bonnie Tyler album. Just us again? Hmmm.
Listening to music too loudly can get you in trouble, though. Bradford council tried to pass a law that would see drivers playing loud music fined £100.
Dare we suggest the right car could also boost your driving enjoyment? Thankfully, that doesn’t mean spending lots of money: a second-hand Mazda MX-5 or Volkswagen Golf GTI will make any commute more fun.
Take up a hobby
Being crafty around your commute can free up time. Finish work at half-five, but the traffic doesn’t disappear until seven? Get a gym membership near to your office, so you can either get in early or leave late. Either way, that hour-and-a-half commute might shrink to 50 minutes if you devote a bit of time to your fitness.
The other plus-points are well known. Burning calories will keep you healthy, and a bit of exercise releases good endorphins. A good mood, made better by clear morning or evening roads, is a win-win.
Work in the city? Break up your commute by leaving your car on the outskirts, then walking or taking public transport. It could save you time, money (depending on where you are) and boost your mood. A bit more exercise is rarely a bad thing.
Give yourself enough time
Needless to say, a rushed drive is a stressful drive – and you’re more likely to make poor decisions behind the wheel. Get ahead of the traffic, roadworks and any other obstacles by leaving with time to spare.
Then there’s the obvious problem of the law. Driving carelessly can land you with a fine and penalty points on your licence. The job of operating the car should always be top of your priority list.
Keep your car tidy
We’ve saved the nagging for the end, but it’s necessary all the same. Maintain the place where you spend several hours of your day, and your mood and health will likely improve.
From crumbs to clutter, you’re better off without it all. Have a good clear-out and rediscover your car’s cabin.
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