Professionals in every field of human endeavor have a responsibility to recognize the following undisputable facts:
– Every professional need to have a life
– The life of any professional must not start and also end with his job
– There are much more important things in life that makes life worth living than just the routine and the demands of your job
– A life that does not take care of these ‘other things that matters’ usually do end up a frustrated or shortened life.
The body of knowledge or concept under Human Resource Management committed to advancing and exploring the above stated is known as Work-Life Balance.
The Truck Driver just like every other professional must strike a healthy balance between work and life generally. It is when an unhealthy relationship exists in these two fundamental areas that a whole lot of issues bothering on wellbeing, output, attitude and behavioural complications develop.
One clear takeaway from the demographic trend of truck drivers in recent times is the rising rate of an ageing workforce than a youthful one. Many are of the opinion that truck driving by its very nature does not allow for a healthy work-life balance hence the reluctance among the young and agile population to take up truck driving as a career of choice.
However, maintaining a healthy work-life balance as a truck driver is not totally impossible. The following action plans are highly recommended for truckers seeking to have a healthy life on and off work:
How much of your job do you know?
The first place to start is having a clear view or understanding of the demands of your job. What are these demands?
– You will be away from home for days and sometimes weeks depending on the distance and terrain of where your deliveries are required. Hence, the feelings of sadness, increased negative thinking, hopelessness and loneliness is a clear and present threat to every long-haul trucker.
– You will miss the warmth of your bed, the warm embrace of your wife and the delightful ‘sweet noise’ of your children for most days while you’re there slogging it out in the cold.
– You will drive through some of the most dangerous terrain and experience some of the most bizarre incidents on the freeway and sometimes come face to face with life-threatening terrors on the road.
– Your back will have lots of stories to tell and would probably give some of the most painful complaints a body can give.
– Your companions for most nights and days will be you and if you are lucky, an amiable motor-boy.
What do you want in Life?
– This has to do with what your life demands of you.
– What do you want in life or what are your life goals?
– Where would you like to be say 3-5 years or even 10years from now?
– What are those things are in life that makes you happy?
The Action-Plan for a Healthy Work-Life Balance
Here’s a framework for getting a handle on what you need to achieve a healthy work-life balance in the trucking lifestyle.
Plan your off-days: Your schedule may be inconsistent, but it helps to plan ahead as much as you can, and keep family members informed. Lining up activities for the time you will be at home gives you something to look forward to while you are away on the roads.
Body Fitness: While the truck is your vehicle, your body is actually the instrument that keeps the truck moving. Sitting in a single position all day takes its toll on the body just as much as working out all day does. While you may not be building muscles and cardiovascular fitness, driving a truck puts strain on your neck, lumbar spine and hamstrings. Learn about exercises and stretches you can do while you’re on the road. Taking time to stretch will not only prevent burnout, it will keep you fit for the days at home when you may want to engage in some other physical leisure activities.
What goes in – Eating Well: How you fuel your body is important, both on and off the road. Eating as well as you can while you’re out will not only prevent future health problems, but also improve your mood and stamina. NOTE: The wellness of a food is not in the size! Plan or request meals that you love when you’re at home so you can have something extra to look forward to after days of fast food meals and packaged foods or junks.
Family Time: Depending on where you are in life, your home life can have many components. You will want to spend quality time with your spouse or partner and children if you have them. Make sure they know both what you can offer and what you would like to do with them when you are back. The key is to communicate your needs, but also listen so that you can be there for them when they really need it. And for the many truckers that indulge in the ‘frills and thrills’ of the road, it is instructive to note that these must never be allowed to overtake or shove aside the core responsibility of keeping the home front safe and happy. Even the President of the United States of America has time for his family!
Chores: Whether you live alone or not, you will have to do chores around the house, like laundry, doing dishes, car maintenance, etc. Instead of feeling like these activities are burdens, it pays to see the positives in them. While mowing the lawn may be the last thing you want to do after driving for two weeks non-stop, you can certainly appreciate that you are on grass instead of pavement, outdoors instead of inside the cab of a truck, sweeping your room instead of your cab.
Social Life: As a truck driver, chances are that you will miss the companionship and friendship of the people in your social circle around the home. Instead of feeling sad about what you might be missing, it helps to focus on what you can do, even if it’s just catching a game of your favorite sports team with your friends or engaging in healthy debates with your colleagues at work. The message here is: Don’t let friendships fall away! Stay updated with people through phone calls and text messages when your truck is safely parked.
Don’t Forget Fun!
All of the above components of life can have an aspect of fun. You can listen to comedy shows while you are driving or listen to your favorite music while you exercise. When home, you can play games with your kids or spouse or watch or play sports with your family and friends. The key to work-life balance is finding the spice that makes you smile whoever you are with, whatever you are doing.
Trucking is an exciting career that allows you to explore the country, but also is a career that will influence your lifestyle.
Remember, the key to being a successful trucker is taking care of yourself and your family. If you isolate, this hurts you and everyone around you. I don’t think anyone wants to be known as the absent parent. You might have no choice about the amount of time you are on the road. However, you do have a choice to communicate clearly, often, and with good spirit.
Always remember that you have just one life to live and you must make the best of it!
