Stop complaining about the traffic on the Garden State Parkway. No more complaining about traffic circles and jughandles. And forget the fact that you either flipped the bird or had it flipped on you multiple times on the way home yesterday. The experts say your dreaded commute is actually good for you. Wait. What?

Traffic jam with rows of cars
Aleksandra Glustsenko, Getty Stock / ThinkStock
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It turns out that a study published by the Harvard Business Review claims that despite all the blood pressure soaring, teeth clenching, head shaking moments that happen during your commute, the experience is beneficial for you. This we have to hear.

I'm not sure that anyone at the Harvard Business Review ever drove on the Garden State Parkway or Route 9 or Routes 35 and 36, but here are some of the reasons they point to that make your daily drive so constructive.

There is "structure" which helps us start and end the day in a pattern, and apparently our brain likes that sort of thing. Has the word structure ever crossed your mind at the Route 35/36 intersection in Eatontown? I didn't think so.

The report also claims the commuting experience is a "shared experience". In New Jersey that "shared experience" is more like the one between a dog owner and dog at walking time. It starts out nice and ends up with one participant prancing away while the other picks up poop.

The study also claims the commute gives you "preparation" time. In the Garden State we prepare from the moment we get in the car. We prepare to send our blood pressure soaring, and we prepare some unique strings f curses that may have never been used together before.

I think a routine ride to work in other parts of the country make all these positive commuting aspects happen. But most drives to work in New Jersey don't offer us the same possibilities.

And if you don't think that's true, let me throw this phrase at you. "Long term construction". I thought that might change your mind.

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The Commute Might Be Easier From These NJ Towns

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in New Jersey using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.

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