The very nature of the trucking job is quite sedentary and staying healthy can be a big challenge for many drivers. Driving all day, sleeping in a truck, eating at rest stops and being away from home for long periods of time can all lead to an unhealthy lifestyle.
Making a conscious effort to make some adjustments to the way you build your life on the road can help you develop healthier habits that will ultimately help you lead a healthier life.
Here are tips you can adopt into your over-the-road routine to help you live a healthier lifestyle:
#5 Keep Your Mind Busy
Let’s face it, the job can be quite boring and monotonous at times. Use your drive time to keep your mind busy. Listening to audiobooks or podcasts is a great way to break up the day and keep your mind engaged and sharp. Challenge yourself to learn new interesting things about subjects that fascinate you, or catch up on the works of your favourite author, or challenge yourself to learn a new language.
#4 Stay Connected to Family and Friends
It can be easy to disregard relationships when you are away for long periods of time. Trucking is an isolated career, and it can be easy to become lonely if you don’t take steps towards staying connected. While you can’t simply drive over to watch the game with friends, or sit down for a cup of coffee, you can stay connected using technology. Sending a text, facebook message, sharing a picture or making a phone call to the people who are important in your life should be a daily occurrence to help you stay connected to your life at home.
#3 Say No to Junk Food
Truck stops aren’t known for stocking their shelves with healthy choices. On any given day, drivers are more susceptible to picking up junk food because it is far more convenient. Avoiding junk food while over the road has very little to do with temptation or impulse, and everything to do with planning. Before you leave for your trip, make sure to hit a grocery store and stock up on healthy snacks that are easy to eat on the go.
#2 Don’t Skip Breakfast
As a driver, it can be very tempting, and easy, to skip the most important meal of the day. Making the time to eat breakfast before you start your day will improve your concentration and provide you with more energy throughout the day, two very important parts of every driver’s job.
#1 Get Plenty of Rest
Sleep and downtime are two important commodities for a healthy trucker lifestyle. In a world where every mile is a dollar earned, it can be extremely tempting for drivers to skip rest and downtime. Getting a proper night’s sleep is important, as is taking time every day to enjoy some downtime doing an activity that you like. Rest also includes taking time off between trips to reset your mind and body for the next trip and taking holiday time to rejuvenate your lifestyle. Getting out of the truck and off the road for these short breaks will go a long way to increasing your mental health and helping you live a longer healthier life.
Taking care of yourself will not only improve your well-being, but it will also help you become a better truck driver and avoid burnout.
