To reduce stress, it is better not to leave the house during these periods of time. If your working day starts at the standard 9.00, try to negotiate with the manager and shift the schedule by an hour or work from home in the first half of the day. In the meantime, everyone is stuck in traffic jams, do other things: for example, go to the bank or supermarket and enjoy the absence of lines.

Get to know your neighbors
The vanilla phrase about the fact that nowhere is loneliness felt as acutely as in a crowd of people appeared for a reason. Lack of intimacy is another stressor in big cities. It is not easy to see many faces day in and day out, but to know that none of them care about you. And even the neighbors are at best polite strangers who nod at you in the elevator.

In Britain, researchers even took up this issue and found that 75% of urban residents are not on friendly terms with their neighbors.

You will feel more comfortable if you try to get to know the people who live nearby. Expand communication from greetings to full-fledged dialogues. In order not to look intrusive, it’s better to start smoothly: scold the weather together, ask about the breed of the dog, offer to help with heavy bags. Over time, short conversations can turn into visits or even mutual requests to look after the apartment when someone goes on vacation. But even if not, there will be more acquaintances in your immediate environment.

3. Move in comfort
If every trip around the city exhausts you, think about what exactly takes the most energy. Looking for free (or at least some!) parking for a car, a flea market in transport, a long wait for a bus on a cold street, or endless escalators in the subway? For each of these problems, there is a solution. For example, a car from car sharing can be parked for free even in paid zones. And getting up early and walking a few kilometers on foot is more pleasant than pushing in transport.

Calling a taxi so as not to go to a stop in the snow or slush is also a great respite from the rhythm of the metropolis.

Ride the way you want!

Remind yourself of the advantages and possibilities of the city
Residents of coastal cities often say that they do not have time to go to the sea. And those who settled in the metropolis do not have time to notice its advantages. Answer yourself the question: how much is your life connected with this city? Do you take advantage of the chances it gives, or do you rarely go beyond the supermarket on the next street?

Remind yourself that there are plenty of opportunities around. You can find an ethnic restaurant, go to an art or technology exhibition, sign up for a ukulele course, attend a vegan cooking class, and order take-out late at night. Yes, there is enough smog and noise around. But there are much more interesting places than in small and quiet cities.