As humans, we have plenty of habits: good and bad.
This is one of my bad ones: texting behind the wheel.
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In a traffic jam or at a red light, I'll pull out my phone and start typing away--whether it's a response to a text message, or scrolling through social media. I realize that even when stopped at a red light, doing this is pretty dangerous (and, on another note, can contribute to jamming up traffic even more: because once it starts moving, if you're too sucked into your phone to notice, you're just continuing to hold up the line!!).
This time of year, especially in cold, snowy Michigan, traffic jams are commonplace. Especially on the highways that we can navigate, no matter what situation it is, our cars will end up stalled in a line-up and we can drive ourselves to boredom...
Are there other ways we can occupy our time during a traffic jam?
1. Jam to some good tunes.
One of my favorite things to do when caught in a traffic jam is to... well, jam. Turn up the music and sing out loud. Who cares if anyone's watching? Just go for it and enjoy yourself. And if you start dancing, and you're anything like me and you're an awkward dancer, then it's even better because you get some good practice in! When you're singing and dancing alone in your car, you feel like the most talented performer to ever exist.
2. People-watch.
Don't do it too obviously. People-watching is a fun way to pass the time in any situation! When caught in a jam due to weather or any other frustrating inconveniences, peeking over at what the people in other cars are doing can have some pretty funny results. Give them names, conjure up some interesting backstories in your head. Why is the guy behind you in such an angry rush? He probably just robbed a bank or is a con man and is worried he'll get arrested. It keeps you alert to the people around you and it's fun!
3. Audio books.
Something that I have yet to try for myself, but I decided to note here just for the sake of a mental reminder, is to start getting audio books. Playing a book over the speaker during a bad traffic jam will allow me to focus on the words of the book and better visualize. There's no way I can read during bad traffic for the sake of staying focused on my surroundings, but having an audio book to pass the time is certainly a healthy way to multitask and make good use of that time.
4. Memorize something.
A big thing that I would always do was paste some sticky-notes with scripture verses on my dashboard. When stopped at a light or in a jam, I could refer to these scriptures and help me with memorization. Doing something like this, whether with religious text or even school vocabulary, will help with memorization. Just stay focused on the road and the movements of traffic, but briefly referring to the words on your dash for the sake of a memory bump won't be any more distracting than changing a radio station or glancing at the time.
5. Talk to yourself.
I talk to myself all the time. Is it weird? Maybe you might think so, but you can really learn to enjoy your own company--which is an important thing--and grow some self-confidence in this alone time. Feelings of loneliness are something I struggle with constantly. Tackling this by talking to yourself and keeping yourself company is a great way to pass that time while also growing toward being more comfortable in your own skin.
The most important thing is to be a smart and cautious driver! Stay safe, everyone!
