Five things that are certain to make your Tube journey slightly less taxing…
A Colouring Book
For the kid on the train? Err, no. It’s called mindfulness, actually. We highly recommend the Harry Potter one for relaxation and stress-free travel, but maybe put it away if you see anyone you know.
Scentered Balms
OK so the names might sound like new types of Innocent Super Smoothies, ‘Sleep Well’, ‘Memory Boosting’, ‘Focus’… But these scented balms are therapy in a tube. Kind of like the grown up version of gel pens… You can rub the ‘De-stress’ stick on your neck or wrist and let the ‘feel good’ scent of Chamomile, Neroli, Mandarin and lots of other nice-smelling things make rush hour feel a little less rushed.
Podcasts
The saviour for red light signals and the Northern Line. Sit (stand) back and let the soothing voice of Kirsty Young whisk you away to a Desert Island full of discs…
…let Melvyn’s stark remarks on In Our Time fill you with a sense of knowledge and self-worth…
Or, you know, be the creepy one in the carriage and let Hugh Dennis’ The Now Show make you chuckle.
Stress Pig
Slowly squeeze repeatedly on your stress pig and not only will you find your shoulders unclench, but you will also find you have lots more space as people move away from you.
The Monktonator
If all else fails, insert your problem into The Monktonator and let Edward and his animal friends solve all of life’s worries with their sage advice.
Feature image: Photo by George Rex