How to handle stress on the go

COMMUTER ANXIETY IS ON THE RISE SO WE ASKED AN EXPERT HOW TO MANAGE IT

GET to the platform, swipe the travel card, and take a seat next to a friendly stranger – it’s the routine thousands of Australians effortlessly followed every morning.

But in the post-COVID world, the simple act of catching public transport has gripped many with anxiety and panic.

Positive Psychologist Dr Tim Sharp, also known as Dr Happy, said some degree of commuter anxiety is a “normal” part of the current environment but it is important to ensure the concerns don’t get in the way of day-to-day life.

He said he has seen an increase in people seeking help for managing anxiety about public transport and the expert himself has cut back on commuting.

“A certain amount of anxiety is appropriate and we are seeing a lot of anxiety and stress among people generally. It’s understandable and appropriate because we want people to be careful,”

Dr Sharp said.

“The question is, when does it become too much? The warning signs are if it’s excessive, prolonged, and interferes with your ability to do normal tasks.”

Dr Sharp said one red flag is if people are unable to think or work properly after commuting.

“If it’s causing you so much stress that you are avoiding trains and buses or that by the time you get to work you can’t function (that’s concerning). Or if it’s causing you to call in sick when you’re not sick, then it functionally interferes with your life,” he said.

“The first step to dealing with it is to recognise it’s happening. Without that mindfulness and awareness, we can’t really do anything about it.”

Dr Sharp recommended incorporating meditation and exercise into your daily routine and using mindfulness apps for support on public transport.

“Start a daily relaxation and meditation practice. It can calm down the nerves and fix the physiological side of anxiety. Exercise is really good for anxiety and it’s a potent stress buster and mood manager,” he said.

“Focus on what you can control and not what you can’t control. There are things beyond our control – we can’t control other people’s behaviour. What we can do is follow the rules, wear a mask, wash our hands and keep social distancing.”

The happiness guru added that parents concerned about children catching public transport need to translate the health advice into appropriate language to avoid anxiety among kids.

“Try to not talk to them about the doom and gloom. Talk to them about the progress that’s being made and model calming thoughts,” he said.

“Translate the information into language that’s appropriate for your child’s age. On the more extreme ends, if they really are struggling then talking to the school counsellors, teachers or professionals can help.

“It’s really difficult because we want people to live as normally as possible but these aren’t normal times.”

Try to not talk to children about the doom and gloom. Talk to them about the progress that’s being made DR TIM SHARP