Dear Annie: I am in my mid-20s and spend at least two hours a day in the car driving to and from work. I live in Northern Virginia and work in Washington, D.C., and rush-hour traffic here is a nightmare.

I was getting so stressed. The situation got so bad that I told my boyfriend that I had to either quit my job or move into an apartment in the city. I just couldn’t take sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic for so many hours every day, week after week.

He suggested that I try audiobooks and helped me set up an app to listen to books through my cellphone. This has totally changed my perspective, and I wanted to share my story in case it helps other readers of your column.

Mainly, I listen to self-improvement audiobooks, and there are so many interesting ones. I also like biographies of interesting people. I feel like I am transported to another time and place and consciously remind myself to ignore the traffic jams and just sit back and relax and enjoy the story.

I arrive at work with a positive attitude — especially if I have listened to a motivational book — and I arrive at home feeling more relaxed and engaged. As I was searching for different audiobooks, I was pleasantly surprised to see that you have recorded one, “Ask Me Anything.”

I have been listening to it during my commute and want to thank you for recording such an interesting audiobook.

One person reads the question, and you read the answer. I know that these are from columns that have already run in the newspaper because I recognized a number of them. It’s amazing how many times, even though I had read the column before, I forgot your answer. Then, when you read it out loud, I was impressed all over again by your empathy and sound advice. — Less Stressed

Dear Less Stressed: Thank you for your letter, and you should know that you have made me less stressed. I am really glad you enjoyed the audiobook, which was recorded with my co-writer, Courtney Davison, who read the questions while I read the answers.

Using audiobooks as a way to train your mind not to focus on long, rush-hour commutes — to get lost in other people’s stories — is a wonderful idea. Thanks again for sharing.

Editor’s note: “Ask Me Anything: A Year of Advice From Dear Annie” is out now! Annie Lane’s debut book — featuring favorite columns on love, friendship, family and etiquette — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.