Latest news with #commute
Forbes
19 hours ago
- General
- Forbes
1 Simple Shift To Restore Your Inner Balance — By A Psychologist
Your 9-5 grind may be leaving you more exhausted than you realize. In a life of endless deadlines ... More and meetings, here's what you need to do to feel more invigorated. As we go through life today, many of us feel entirely cut off from the natural world. We work in brightly lit air-conditioned office cubicles that might feel too hot or too cold. Sometimes, the only time we even think of nature on a random workday is when we're complaining about the weather and how difficult it was to commute to work, perhaps because of the rain. Maybe at lunchtime, you even remember that you forgot to water your plant again. You wonder, would it survive another day? You shrug and go about yours, mostly unbothered. After all, you can always buy another houseplant. The problem, of course, isn't that we forget to care for our plants. It's that we're so cut off from the natural world that we don't 'feel' for it as much anymore. We tend not to think of nature as a living, breathing entity in the way we think of humanity. Instead of thinking beyond ourselves, we hustle and grind and try to squeeze in more work, staying glued to our screens in the limited time of day we have. We want to thrive, but we forget how deeply tied our survival and well-being is to nature. One way to get past this disconnection is by building a sense of 'nature connectedness.' Nature connectedness refers to how close or emotionally attached a person feels to nature. It's feeling that nature is a part of who you are, something you feel 'one' with. Not only does this connection recharge us and ease screen fatigue, but it also reminds us why caring for nature matters in the first place. Why Does Nature Connectedness Matter? Our environment plays a huge role in how close we feel to nature. It can feel especially difficult to forge that connection later on in life, if we've only grown up seeing apartments and high-rises. Societal factors like wealth, urbanization and consumerism can weaken nature connectedness. Even our cultural and familial attitudes can shape our relationship with and access to nature. For instance, a 2020 study published in The International Journal of Ecopsychology explains how, from an Australian Aboriginal standpoint, nature connectedness is viewed as the balance of all living things — linked by kinship relationships between people, country and ancestors. Living in harmony with this connection also means following certain values like respect, responsibility and giving back. This is a mindset we can all benefit from, especially in light of the current climate crisis. Our connection to nature strongly indicates how well we care for ourselves and our environment. It's also well-established that contact with nature can enhance our mental health and strengthen community ties. For instance, a 2024 study published in Scientific Reports found that people who visit public greenspaces often had lower stress, anxiety and depression scores. How Do You Start Building Stronger Ties To Nature? 1. Have meaningful contact. Spend quality time with nature, just like you would with another person. Breathe in forest air, listen to the birds and animals that thrive in any ecosystem and observe the greenery around you mindfully. You can start with activities such as nature walks, birdwatching or simply just going to the park for a stroll. Techniques like mindful walking and meditation in the outdoors can help you have meaningful contact with nature. It's not about the quantity of time you spend in nature, but the quality of your engagement with it. 2. Invoke positive emotions, especially awe and gratitude. Not all positive feelings work the same way. Self-transcendent emotions such as awe, gratitude and inspiration tend to have the strongest link with nature connectedness. Journaling is a deeply reflective way to capture these feelings. Imagine finishing a hike, reaching the top of a mountain and taking in the view of the entire city beyond. How would you feel then? Being connected with nature expands our sense of self. We remember that we're part of something much bigger than ourselves, and that we have a finite amount of time to experience it. Additionally, the 2020 study on Aboriginal knowledge systems also distinguishes between two types of a sense of self: Nature connectedness can help us cultivate an interrelated sense of self. This sense of connection makes people more mindful of how their actions impact others, as well as the world around them. For example, in times of conflict, a sense of interconnectedness can help us pause and carefully choose words that dissipate tension, instead of pushing for our beliefs irrespective of how others feel. It can also help us tune into subtle emotional cues in our surroundings. For instance, if someone senses that a friend is uncomfortable in a social setting, they may step in to offer support without their friend having to say anything. So, after a stressful day, seek out a quiet park or beach to let the natural sounds and sights calm your mind. Walking barefoot on grass, listening to ocean waves or watching sunset are some other activities that can help you realign your inner state with the natural world. As we restore our sense of inner peace, we begin to overcome our apathy toward the destruction of nature or our lack of access to it. The more time we spend in nature, the more invigorated and recharged we're likely to be. Given the daily anxieties we face in our lives, turning off our phones, laptops and TVs to explore and experience nature can make us feel alive again in a way not much else can. How connected do you feel to the natural world? Take the science-backed Connectedness To Nature Scale to find out.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Washington DC overtakes Los Angeles for worst American traffic
Washington DC has overtaken Los Angeles as the US city with the worst traffic, in annual rankings from Consumer around the US capital spend more time in traffic than in any other city, with average daily commute times of 33.4 minutes, according to traffic data from the 50 biggest metropolitan areas in the average length of weekday congestion - the morning and evening rush hours - is six hours and 35 minutes, second only to Los Angeles, according to the report. That adds up to 71 days' worth of sitting in Affairs is a private company that reviews and provides reviews on a variety of American products and services. Miami, San Francisco and Atlanta round out the top five cities for worst traffic. Boston, Denver, Portland (Oregon), Chicago and Austin are the best."The cities with the worst traffic in America are among the cities with the highest economic output," Consumer Affairs said in its findings. That's because a region with a growing economy will attract new residents, while keeping current ones, who often choose to drive to work, Michael Manville, an urban planning professor at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, told Consumer Affairs. "Congestion is oftentimes a sign of economic prosperity," he notorious for traffic jams, Los Angeles is still the city that has the most congestion, with almost eight hours of traffic each day. However, the average commute time there is just over 30 minutes. President Donald Trump's orders that federal workers return to their offices, after years when many were allowed to work from home, has contributed to Washington's new top spot. While more people in the region are taking public transportation on weekdays than during the pandemic, bus and train use is still well below 2019 commuter Jonathan Roush told radio station WTOP he was not surprised by the findings, saying traffic in the D.C. region "stinks.""I schedule my work hours accordingly so I can avoid the traffic," he cities with the least traffic congestion in the rankings are Rochester, Salt Lake City, and ClevelandThose cities were once "centers of industry", but no longer are, said Mr Manville, and have more road space for vehicles.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Flooding from persistent rain closes sections of Stoney Trail
The Sarcee Trail S.W. exit to Tsuu T'ina/Stoney Trail has been closed due to flooding on July 22, 2025. Drivers who use the south portion of Stoney Trail will need to plan another route for their morning commute Tuesday, thanks to relentless rain overnight and into morning. Flooding on the roadway shut down southbound Tsuu T'ina Trail from Glenmore Trail to 90th Avenue S.W. Calgary police said it was expected to be closed for most of the morning. Police are also cautioning drivers to take extra caution on their drive in to work with heavy rainfall overnight creating large puddles and pooling of water. Flooding from persistent rain closes sections of Stoney Trail
CBS News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- CBS News
Coolidge Highway bridge Oakland County now closed to drivers for repairs
Drivers, heads up: if your commute takes you near Coolidge Highway and 10 Mile Road in Oakland County, a busy bridge is closed in that area starting Monday. Drivers say they are already anticipating a longer commute. "I just go around it. I use the side streets," said Oak Park resident Erica Johnson. "I'm not excited about it. I won't be driving that way. I definitely think it's going to bother a lot of people," added Huntington Woods resident Dan Rosenberg. Closed for construction, the Coolidge Highway Bridge is now blocked off to traffic. It's another road project folks behind the wheel must dodge. "It's a little bit of a headache having to go around and find alternate routes. It does impact my commute, but I just work around it," Johnson said. "It's only temporary. You want to see improvement, so they're making improvement," added Detroit resident Anthony Gavin. The busy bridge is on the border of Oak Park and Huntington Woods in Oakland County. The Michigan Department of Transportation is shutting it down for repairs. "We're going to be doing deck patching and joint replacement on the bridge; we've got false decking underneath the bridge already, so nothing will fall down onto traffic down below," said MDOT spokesperson Diane Cross. Coolidge Bridge is one of dozens of bridges to get improvements and is part of the multi-million dollar Restore the Reuther project between I-696 and I-75. "Unfortunately, it is a necessary evil. Once we're done, we're not going to have to be out here other than maintenance. We won't have any of these major projects for two to three decades," Cross said. A barrier drivers say will add a few more minutes to their commute, but a diversion they're fully equipped to handle. "Nothing we can do, so just be positive and hope for the best and just be patient," Johnson said. MDOT says this bridge work will take about a month and is expected to reopen late August, depending on the weather. However, the service drive on both sides of 10 Mile Road is still open to traffic. In the meantime, drivers can use the turnarounds to get to the other side of Coolidge Highway.
CBS News
4 days ago
- Automotive
- CBS News
Major delays on New England Thruway after tractor-trailer crash outside New Rochelle
Traffic on the New England Thruway is facing major delays for the morning commute after a tractor-trailer overturned just outside New Rochelle. All southbound lanes have been closed south of Exit 15, with delays stretching about 2.5 miles into Larchmont at Exit 17. One southbound lane just reopened. Crews are on the scene working to upright the tractor-trailer and remove its cargo container from the roadway. Drivers should avoid the area, using the Hutchinson River Parkway for non-commercial vehicles or I-87. Check back soon for the latest updates on this developing story.
