How to Make Driving Fun

While I don't advocate driving just for the experience (unless you're learning, that's important), 75.7% of U.S. commuters drive alone to their job. Alone. Allll byyyy themselvesssss. And while I'm not trying to be depressing here, it is not only inefficient (you can carpool), it is a time that I hear commuters complain about regularly. Here are some ways you can make your commuting experience positive. Then when your coworkers are complaining about their commute, you can smile and send them to read this list.

1. Carpool. I know some people don't have this option. You may be the only _______ Co. employee in a three county radius. And you may have different positions, which might make having a set time to arrive and leave difficult. So that's fine. If you do happen to leave near someone though, suggest carpooling. It will give you someone to talk to, and at the same time you can split gas costs.
2. Grab an audiobook from the library. When I first started driving, I was unhappy because I couldn't read as a driver. Super lame that I have to keep my eyes on the road, right? But several months ago, I discovered the lovely benefits of borrowing an audiobook from the public library. I was wary of becoming drowsy while listening to it, but it actually kept me more alert. I do switch off between music, an audiobook, and silence, though. It keeps me more on my toes. :) See my "book resources" tab above for recommendations.



Note: I don't suggest wiggling your head so much.

3. Get some exercise. Move that booty! On long drives, when I don't want to stop to let the blood flow back to my bum, I play some music to squeeze my glutes to. (Against my better judgment, I am telling the world personal information because I don't want you to suffer "dead-butt." It's really uncomfortable when your butt falls asleep.) I also wiggle my arms around (always keeping one on the wheel) and do a small gecko groove.
4. Drive in silence. It may be weird at first, but I get to those points where I just need to be able to think in silence, and it's very enjoyable. If you have a crazy-busy world with a lot of noise, try this out, you might like it. It's also easier to think-out-loud if there's no audio playing. Which brings me to my next point.
5. Talk to yourself. Yeah, you might feel silly. You may also feel awesome! Sometimes I don't even realize that something is on my mind or bothering me, until I let it out. Warning: I don't recommend this if you are prone to crying (joy, sadness, it might still get you).
6. Notice something new on every commute. It's amazing what paying attention can do. I can't tell you how many times I've driven past something and not even processed it exists. Now, staring out the side window probably isn't the best idea, but try to remember one or two new restaurants or such every day. You'll also develop a better memory about the area, and perhaps even discover a new place to eat.

I sincerely hope you enjoy your time driving. It's time that can be fun, I promise.


TL;DR: Your commute is what you make of it. Make it fun!


Statistics taken from here.

NTSS (a common syndrome, often misdiagnosed)

I know someone who claims she suffers from restless legs syndrome (RLS). According to the Mayo Clinic, RLS has no known causes, although there are suggestions that it may be a result of an imbalance of dopamine in the brain.

Now stay with me here. We're going back to when I was a wee gal. I was a rhythmic gymnast for several years, which meant that I got plenty of exercise. I would regularly feel a need to stretch. The only way I can describe how it feels is little blue monsters reaching through my skin and teasingly tugging at my muscles.

Maybe little green monsters. See? He's stretching and he's happy. (And "rawr" means I love you in dinosaur.) Also, not my illustration, unfortunately.

When I quit (about four years ago), I experienced this to a greater extent. Because I stopped exercising and stretching so much, I figured that it was my regular need to stretch syndrome (NTSS). In fact, I experienced NTSS last night. It was such a strong episode, that I actually started grabbing at my toes to relieve it. Finally, I made the connection to RLS. Who knew I had been misdiagnosing myself my whole life?

But wait! Doesn't exercise spark dopamine production? The very thing that RLS seems to be the result of? The Mayo Clinic suggests regular exercise and stretching. That's what I prescribed myself when I was experiencing NTSS! I have contacted WebMD to feature NTSS as a common name for RLS, but no word back yet.

In the meantime, those of you who thought you were experiencing NTSS, maybe you're really experiencing RLS! You can go stretch and exercise now, and then your little blue/green monsters may leave you alone for a day or two. Unfortunately, in order to keep them from their nasty habit of making you want to move your legs, you might want to consider daily exercise and stretches. I'm sure they will want to run around you in circles as you treat your NTSS. Go make them happy!

TL;DR: Do you have restless legs? You may be experiencing restless legs syndrome. Maybe they're restless because you haven't been moving them.

P.S. No, I haven't contacted WebMD.

P.P.S. I realize that RLS may actually be a symptom of something else that may actually be a serious problem. MY problem is that everyone has become so unaware of their bodies that they don't know when their body is telling them to go and MOVE something more than their fingers on a keyboard.

P.P.S. Happy September!