Miserable Monday traffic? 5 calming rituals to crush the commute stress

Move, move!

I understood the anger. I was blocking some poor soul’s route as they were trying to drive into their office garage, and I was wrapped in my earphones. I take full responsibility for that person’s momentary annoyance: That morning had already been filled with jammed routes, and endless traffic, and I, myself was trying to cool off with music after a long 1.5 hour drive. I imagine this person had a similar start to the day, and I’d just made it a little worse.

Sorry, stranger whose name I’ll never know.

I don’t drive, but I’m acutely aware of how frustrating traffic can be, and especially on Mondays. The coffee hasn’t hit properly, the phone is buzzing with notifications, and the cars in front of you haven’t moved an inch. And it’s hot. 

So, if you need a little reset on how to make the Monday morning traffic less excruciating, here are a few ideas, courtesy some UAE residents, who admit that it took them years to craft their own calming routines to keep calm in the traffic. 

Here are 4 micro rituals to help you reclaim your Monday commute (and maybe even start to like it a little). Just remember not to block someone’s way while lost in your playlist.

The good playlist, podcast or a book

Dubai-based Sulekha Mitra swears by starting both engine and mindset with the right audio. She opts for songs that she knows by heart, so that she can sing along in the traffic. “That stops me from feeling sleepy and drowsy,” she says. On other days, she enjoys listening to a book, or a podcast. “That’s the best way to inject some joy into a jam-packed highway.”
Pro tip: Create a ‘Monday only’ playlist that makes you feel like the main character, even if you’re stuck behind a cement truck. 

Go to your favourite coffee drive-thru 

Yes, it adds five minutes. But it also adds five ounces of happiness. Your favourite barista, your go-to order, and the smell of fresh coffee in the car, is an instant mood shift, says Peyton Crawford, from Abu Dhabi. “I love this detour; it just adds a little life and colour to my morning,” she says.

Mindful breathing at red lights

Think of every red light as a reset button. Instead of drumming your fingers and muttering about traffic, try this: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 6, explains Raya Chatterjee, a yoga expert from Dubai. “No app, no yoga mat, just you and your breathing. You will arrive at work less rattled, and maybe—just maybe—with your sanity intact,” she says. 

Set one low-pressure goal for the day

Forget the overwhelming to-do list. In traffic, pick just one thing that will make the day feel like a win. It could be ‘take a walk during lunch,’ ‘actually drink water,’ or ‘respond to that email I’ve avoided for 3 days.’
It’s a tiny goal with a big payoff: momentum.