As a professional truck driver, working and being away from loved ones during the upcoming holiday season can be very challenging. Over-the-road drivers often feel isolated and alone, left out of gatherings back home.
Here are some ideas to help manage those feelings and make your days (and nights) a little less stressful.
Remind yourself to be thankful.
Each day, take inventory of all the good things you have going on in your life. For example, you’re working, you have wonderful friends and family, and you’re healthy.
I try to practice two rules:
- Be thankful for what I have; and
- Don’t forget rule No. 1.
Create a familiar atmosphere in your bunk.
Before you head out on the road, try to make your bunk area as close to a homelike setting as you can. Surround yourself with a few comforts of home — for example, a favorite pillow and blanket. If you’re able, having a pet along for the ride can be comforting.
Remain a part of events back home.
Ask your partner, friends and family to record important concerts, plays, or messages from loved ones during gatherings you can’t make it back for. You can play them back when you have reached your destination.
Don’t forget to exercise.
Make sure you incorporate some form of regular exercise each day, even if it’s just walking around your truck or at a rest stop. Exercise can actually increase your energy levels, giving you more energy to manage stress more easily. I have found that whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed, exercise brings me back into a mind space that helps me step back and think. Usually, I find that the problem wasn’t as difficult as I had imagined!
Stock your fridge.
Make sure your fridge is stocked with healthy foods and snacks. You can even include a couple of special treats that remind you of home and family. While on the road, it’s all too easy to use junk food to fill the void of being alone and unhappy … and then we feel guilty for not taking care of ourselves.
Keep recent photos or memorabilia in the truck.
Having pictures of your family and friends nearby is a great way to help keep away the homesickness. When you’re stopped, you can scroll through photos and videos saved to your phone or tablet. Also, be sure to schedule “face time” calls with loved ones; this will help you feel a sense of togetherness and keep up with current events.
Bob Perry is a regular contributor to The Trucker. He has spent nearly the past four decades on a mission to educate professional drivers and share life-changing products and services to help them live healthier lives while on the road. Recognized throughout the transportation industry, from bus drivers to over-the-road professional drivers, Perry has played an important role in creating a paradigm shift helping regulatory agencies, private and public sector entities, and consumers understand the current health challenges of the professional driver. He has participated as a wellness advocate in several roundtable discussions, large audience groups and small forums as well as going “curbside” through a national truck stop tour.
Bob’s articles have been featured in The Trucker and a number of other national transportation industry publications and is the host of a weekly wellness call produced by Rolling Strong. Bob has been a regular guest on RedEye Radio and Land-Line Radio, and is often an invited guest on Sirius radio shows. He has been featured in the New York Times, Men’s Health Magazine, Drug Store News, American Road Magazine, WSJ, NPR, ABC National Radio, as well as hundreds of daily newspapers. He has appeared on television news shows across the nation, including a featured TV segment on ABC NightLine News.
