Austin's traffic trouble means you have to build in a huge buffer for any meeting. I literally add forty-five minutes just to account for the inconsistent delays. You end up planning your whole day around the worst possible drive.
I totally get the need for a buffer. Downloading a reliable traffic app worked for me. I check it before leaving to adjust my departure time based on real traffic. This helped me cut my buffer to thirty minutes most days. It's not perfect, but it makes planning less stressful, and I try to travel when roads are clearer.
Switching to a flexible work schedule was a game changer for me. It lets me avoid the worst rush hours completely, which cuts down on that constant planning stress. The mental load of always building in that huge buffer just went away.