Last week, I attended a lovely lunch with my friends from Ford with a panel featuring moderator and E! News anchor Catt Sadler, Ford’s Amy Marentic, Flywheel co-founder Ruth Zukerman and NY Times bestselling author/Bad Boy Steve Santagati.  The topic of the day was how to have a happy commute. Whether you drive, take public transit or bike, you can have a happy commute!

THE FINDING: Two-thirds of Americans spend at least 30 minutes commuting, which is more than they are exercising (57%).  The majority of drivers say that their commute has little positive impact on maintaining a regular exercise routine or supporting overall health goals like eating well or maintaining a healthy weight.

• SPRING CLEANING CURE: Stay on health track while on the road with apps such as Food Tripping, an app developed by FORD and SHFT.com that allows users to easily locate sustainable food options on-the-go and in the car. The free app provides people with a variety of sustainable food options from farm-to-table restaurants and juice bars to fresh produce stands and organic grocery stores, allowing drivers to make smart, healthy and sustainable food choices on the road.  

THE FINDING: The majority of Americans feel that their commute has little impact on spending quality time with friends. In fact, 43% experience traffic during their commute and one in five describe it as “unpredictable” which can affect their relationships –for instance not making it to things on time or being overwhelmed when they finally get there.

• SPRING CLEANING CURE: To avoid traffic jam headaches – specifically in LA where drivers waste an average of 64 additional hours behind the wheel due to traffic – use Ford’s Advanced Navigation to avoid traffic jams by providing you with multiple alternative route options.

THE FINDING: The majority of Americans say that their commute is typically not enjoyable – using words like stressful, frustrating and boring to describe their daily drives.

• SPRING CLEANING CURE: The “Myth of Multitasking” trend from the 2014 Looking Further with Ford Trend report shows that there is an importance to disconnecting during ones commute. To help commuters do this, Ford has developed a “Do Not Disturb” feature to block calls – helping drivers truly disconnect on their way home and decrease stress levels.

Commuting can be a tricky thing to navigate, but as you are focused on your spring cleaning and getting organized, we encourage you to pursue a happy commute with these helpful tips from Catt Sadler and Ford.