Get some Sleep
The main thing that you have to do before you go out on a family road trip is make sure that you get plenty of sleep the night before. If you are running low on sleep then this could be a main contributing factor to your road rage. This is especially the case if you have kids because you may feel as though there is just so much to do and so much to plan for to make the trip a memorable one for the family! If you want to get more sleep at night then one thing that you can do is make sure that you plan out how many hours you need and then go to bed an hour before. This will give you time to unwind.
https://www.pexels.com/photo/road-landscape-nature-sky-56832/Always Plan
If you whiz through your morning routine every single day then it is more than understandable that a family road trip will include ten times the chaos. It’s important that you add on an extra 30 minutes or so when planning your various trip activities because some things are almost guaranteed to go wrong. A lot of people get road rage because they have to be somewhere by a specific time. Remember that you always have more time than you’d think and the hotel isn’t going to refuse letting you in if you arrive an hour late. For this reason, you need to take your time and plan out when things are going to be happening so that you can allow a little extra time for things to go wrong. This will make it way easier for you to really keep on top of everything.
https://www.pexels.com/photo/adult-book-business-cactus-297755/Turn the Bass Down...and Go Back to School?
The next time you are out and about, make sure that you take some music with you. Relaxing music is great when you are on the road and it is also great if you want to unwind after a stressful morning. You can take a CD with you or you can easily connect to soothing music with your phone. When choosing your music, you may want to select tunes with little less heart pumping bass for a more soothing ride. This is a great way for you to really keep your concentration up when you are on the road and it can also shut off your mind as well. Now--if you really do struggle with road rage then, you may need a little outside help. It may be time to head back to school! One thing that you can do is go to a school for defensive driving to see if they can give you any support. This is a fantastic way for you to get control of your road rage and it is also a great way for you to really be a better driver--and learn what to look for on the road.
Breathe!
Sure, the family road trip is all dependent on you getting everyone to their destination on time, but if you feel yourself clenching the wheel in a death grip then just try and breathe. Loosen up your fingers and set the cruise control if you are stuck in really slow moving traffic. It helps to take regular breaks as well and this is especially the case if you are going to be on a road trip for longer than three hours. The main reason for this is because your muscles and your joints will tense up after long periods of time and this will make you more prone to feelings of stress. It’s understandable that when you have the family in the car, that you won’t be able to take much of a break, but a simple stop-off at a shop can work wonders for your stress levels and it can also be good for your family as well.
Remember that It’s Not All Your Fault
If you find that another driver has cut you off or if a car has stopped in front of you erratically then it is normal for you to feel stressed about this. You may feel your anger levels rising or you may even feel as though they put your family in danger when they did that. You can’t help things like this, but don’t take it personally and always make sure that you are being respectful on the road.
Long family road trips put you into a number of different driving situations--with many not-so-respectful-drivers sharing your road. Practice these tips to help you prevent some road rage when venturing out on a family road trip this summer!
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