When I started driving full time a few weeks ago I decided to try something new to lower my driving stress, namely background noise.

I didn’t have anything that would work on hand so I went to the library and checked out the CD “The Most Relaxing Harp Album in the World… Ever!”. I’d play it during my commute and it did actually make a difference! I wouldn’t really hear it while driving but every time I stopped (streetlights, stop-and-go traffic) it’d register and I’d sit back, unknot and destress a bit.

After my success with the music tape I decided to try something else I’d been thinking about for a while. I spend six plus hours a week in a car; over the course of 2012 that’ll probably add up to 350 hours or 14.6 days. Even ignoring the fear factor, that’s a lot of time for my brain to idle.

So, audiobooks. I went back to the library (<3) and checked out a 17 hour book.

WOW! A fraction of my attention goes to the book and most of it stays on the driving but the portion of my lizard brain that is responsible for my fear of driving is overwritten by the passive listening. It’s AWESOME!!!