Being stuck in gridlocks can be harrowing and one can only manage the stress that comes with it. Maximising the hours spent in traffic to engage in productive activities can be achieved with proper strategies to reduce stress and increase one’s output.

A management consultant with a speciality in leadership, emotional intelligence and personal productivity, Mr Kunle Adefila, stated that research had shown that the average city dweller spends an average of three hours in traffic daily.

More so, he said that many people develop hypertension, worry and negativity during the period of compulsory “road duties,” adding that it would be sensible to deliberately minimise the negative impact of being on the road, while positively utilising it to enhance productivity. He added that productivity was usually independent of situations but dependent on one’s choices in those situations.

Similarly, a senior lecturer and clinical psychologist at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Dr JohnBosco Chukwuorji, stressed that unproductivity and stress caused by gridlocks were of great concern since it affected the average Nigerian and one could easily exhibit the default reactions called ‘road rage’ (undue anger and cursing) resulting in stress.

2He added that people get stressed in traffic because they feel they are wasting time on an unproductive activity. He recommended preventive measures and taking full advantage of the time to manage stress.

The experts accentuated ways to reduce stress and increase productivity in traffic.

Prepare your mind ahead
Stress is both physical and emotional. To effectively manage stress, one must first try to manage one’s mind and emotions. Adefila stated that when one’s mind was prepared, one would manage stress more effectively, adding that one’s experience was determined by just 10 per cent of what happens to one but how one chooses to respond to it was more important in determining one’s experience.

He advised individuals to avoid taking anything or anyone too seriously in traffic since the roads have become a venting ground for many that might ordinarily not have the opportunity to even meet with one. “Don’t permit brief encounters with strangers to cause a deep negative impact on your life,” he added.

Plan your day
“As they say, proper preparation prevents poor performance. Use this time to plan your activities for the day, identify priorities and devise strategies for accomplishing your goals. Even if you’re driving, you can speak your thoughts on a recorder. I often do this,” Adefila said. Chukwuorji added that planning one’s day ahead and mapping out less congested routes would relieve stress and increase productivity.
A popular saying says, “A stitch in time, saves nine.” If one sets out early, one would have less apprehension while stuck in traffic. Adefila noted that the major cause of anxiety, fear and desperation in traffic gridlocks was the concern that one would be late, stating that nowadays gridlocks were predictable on most city roads and it would be proactive to build extra time for trips. He added that it was better to arrive early and be rested than to have a panic attack on the road, losing composure. Chukwuorji also said that setting out early was a smart move to stay productive and less stressed.

Leverage on technology
Technology has brought a lot of ease to daily lives and routines. Adefila stated that Google maps and others could be used to check the best route to follow and how much time one would need ahead. This, he said, would aid one to plan ahead and be in control of situations. He added that one could take courses online to increase one’s chances of getting a high-paying job.

Read, send out emails
If one is not driving, being stuck in traffic is a valuable time to proactively send reminders to colleagues and customers. One can also catch up on emails and respond to less urgent ones from the previous day. Try to create your own environment even in traffic as much as possible.

Listen to podcasts, music

Adefila said, “After listening to an expert speak daily for six months on a particular subject, you will definitely become well-versed in that area and be confident enough to translate your knowledge into practical achievements.”

Also, listening to music or inspirational messages helps to create a good environment to condition one’s mind for success. Adefila and Chukwuorji added that taking time to listen to music, inspirational messages, books or read educational materials makes one more resilient to negative occurrences and counter any contrary external influences trying to steer one’s mind in the wrong direction.

In addition, Adefila said that reading books, either devotional, professional, or recreational builds capacity, feeds the spirit, relaxes the mind and creates a sense of satisfaction. If you are driving, you could opt for the audio version instead, on any subject you desire.

Taking deep breaths
Practising deep breathing is a simple but therapeutic technique. The psychologist noted that taking deep breaths; exhaling and inhaling gradually for a period of five seconds, for about two to three minutes when stuck in traffic relaxes the nerves.

Afang soup is a vegetable soup that originates from the Efik people of the Efik kingdom in Cross River State and the Ibibio People of Akwa Ibom in Southern Nigeria. It is a dish popularly known by Nigerians and also in some parts of Africa. It is especially popular among the Ibibio and the Anang people of Akwa Ibom and Cross River state who have adopted this cuisine as part of their cultural identity. It is served at homes and also sometimes in ceremonies such as weddings, burials, festivals etc. mostly in the southern part of Nigeria. Afang soup is very nutritious and the cost of preparation can be adaptable based on family needs.

It is a slippery vegetable soup loaded with chunks of multifarious types of meat – smoked and fresh meat, and that you can lay your hands on. The star vegetable in this soup is shredded afang leaves which are known by various names- “eru“or “kok” in Cameroon, “Ukazi” or “Okazi” in Nigeria and different parts of Africa.

Traditionally the leaves are sliced thin, then pounded with mortar and pestle and mixed with water leaves to achieve a slimy consistency. Most people living abroad do not own this tool, but the same effect can be achieved by blending the afang leaves in a food processor into a bristly consistency. Be extra careful during the blending process (the leaves should not be pureed), because it would ruin the soup’s consistency.

Okazi leaves are not available in major supermarkets. So, if you are living abroad you can locate these leaves in most African stores and even online. Swap the water leaves for spinach it would not hurt. The other ingredients crayfish, palm oil, and meat can be found in most Asian or Hispanic stores depending on your city. Afang soup is generally eaten with pounded yam or any sort of fufu or eba and is best served warm.

INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Stock Fish, Shredded
10 Pieces Of Goat Meat
1 Cup Palm Oil
8 Cups Waterleaf, Washed and Cut
3 Cups Afang Leaf /Okazi
Salt To Taste
Seasoning To Taste
1 Cup Periwinkle (In Shell)
1/4 Cup Ground Crayfish
1 Tablespoon Ground Pepper
6 Pieces Ponmo (Cow skin)
Water

PREPARATION
• In a pot boil goat meat, add salt, water and a seasoning cube. Allow cooking. When it is halfway cooked, add pre-boiled Ponmo, washed and deboned smoked fish, and crayfish, stir and allow to cook some more till it is done and the liquid level is reduced.
• Chop and wash Waterleaf with a scrubbing method.
• Wash Afang leaves and slices them. Next, it would need to be pounded (with crayfish) or an easier method I use is to place it in a blender, add some water and blend.
• Add washed Waterleaf to the pot of boiling meats and fish, add periwinkle, and more crayfish and season to taste.
• Cover and allow to cook some more for 5 minutes, you will notice the Waterleaf will release water and if your initial stock was not properly reduced, your soup may end up being too watery.
• After 5 minutes, add blended Afang leaves and stir the pot. Add Palm Oil, cover and allow to cook for a minute.
• If you leave the Afang to overcook, the colour may no longer be appetising.
• Serve with Eba or my favourite, Fufu.

Nutrition Information:
Calories: 358kcal (18%)| Carbohydrates: 4g (1%)| Protein: 49g (98%)| Fat: 15g (23%)| Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)| Cholesterol: 157mg (52%)| Sodium: 1140mg (50%)| Potassium: 778mg (22%)| Fiber: 2g (8%)| Sugar: 1g (1%)| Vitamin A: 4365IU (87%)| Vitamin C: 13.7mg (17%)| Calcium: 93mg (9%)| Iron: 4.8mg (27%)

Interview Responses

 I remember the first time I tasted Afang Soup; it was many years ago...my roomie then took me to a Restaurant, and I tasted Afang Soup and White Soup -it was like heaven! That memory did not leave me and since then I have tried to make it so that it tastes as delicious as my first experience which I am happy to say I have nailed- Sarah 24 years old.

 I first had a sampling of this alluring dish at an African restaurant, in Los Angeles, and all sorts of good memories flooded my brain. I instantly took a fondness for this soup. It reminded me of eru (a soup that is cooked in Cameroon using the same ingredients). This one is slippery and oh-so-tasty- Gabriel is 38 years old.

 At 16, I clearly understood how the Afang soup was prepared but the magic that made it taste so delicious was what I failed to understand. From the sweet savouring fish from different species and different forms of preparation to the mouth-watering beef and the delicate aroma when these recipes are cooked together. I could not understand what made the dish flow with every other swallow, ranging from cassava flour, semovita, wheat and even amala that even made the adults soiled their dresses with a never-ending trail of oil on their elbows- Deborah 28 years old.