Avoiding Burnout isn’t just about how and when you drive, it’s about the company you work for…
Whether you just started your trucking career or you’ve got decades in the business, you probably know what a difficult job truck driving can be—especially if you’re driving long hours over the road.
Trucking is never as simple as hooking up a trailer and getting behind the wheel. That’s part of what makes it so rewarding—you work hard to earn a living.
But there’s a problem…
Working too hard, or working for a company that pushes you too hard can cause burnout!
Driving too many hours and getting burned out isn’t just a problem for you—it’s a serious safety hazard for everyone around you.
So, if you’re wondering how you can avoid burnout, keep reading! We’ll explain what you can do to keep yourself (and everyone else) safe from the dangers of burnout, as well as what you can do to avoid it altogether.
1. Take Breaks Often
The #1 worst thing you can do is drive beyond your limits. Even then, maxing out your limit without taking a few breaks is a serious risk. Take your lunch, and eat a meal you enjoy. Resetting the mind throughout your day can be more powerful than you know.
So, no matter what your company expects from you, drive within your limits—and know your limits. Rushing to get a load done isn’t worth sacrificing your safety. (and potentially, your CDL if you cause an accident).
2. Get in Touch with Family and Friends (Make some phone calls!)
Keep in mind that burnout doesn’t just mean trouble staying alert at the wheel. It can mean feeling stressed out, depressed, and unmotivated. You might even be physically in pain as a result of burnout.
So, if you can do it safely, give your friends or family a call—talk to anyone who can give you some support. This is a good tip in general if you’re spending days away from home, and simply talking to a loved one can help you beat burnout.
3. Keep a Tight Schedule
What we mean by this is to budget your time effectively. Staying in a routine can help keep you motivated, along with keeping your sleep schedule on track.
Getting enough hours of sleep, and keeping a consistent sleep schedule is vital for you as a driver—it’ll help you stay on track and awake during the day too.
4. Use your Vacation Time
Everyone needs a good vacation once in a while. As a trucker, it’s especially time off for you to take your earned time off.
We get it—you need to work to support your family…
But staying safe and healthy on the road means taking a few days off to relax and recuperate.
This is one of the easiest ways to stave off burnout. So, make sure you work for a company that values you and offers you your much-needed vacation time.
5. Be More Conscious of your Driving Style
If you’re like most truckers, you might be causing yourself unnecessary burnout without even realizing it.
So, it’s important to be conscious of how you drive. In other words, do you give yourself enough time to rest between driving times? Do you eat 3 good meals a day and drink plenty of water? Do you stay cool on the road, even when you run into problems?
Ask yourself these questions, and assess how healthy you are in general. Driving aggressively and skipping meals are often the root causes of burnout.
6. Drive Local, Not Over-the-Road
For some drivers, driving over-the-road (OTR) for long distances is what makes trucking so enjoyable.
Still, driving all those hours away from home and your family can quickly cause burnout. That’s why we recommend driving local routes if you’re worried about or experience burnout.
When you drive locally, you’ll typically remain within a given state—or an even smaller area depending on the company.
That means shorter days, more time with your family, and (sometimes) comparable pay to your OTR counterparts.
Here at JFW, we only drive local routes within the state of Colorado. Speaking of JFW…
7. Drive with JFW Trucking
Imagine driving for a company that drives local routes, pays well, offers benefits, and puts your health and safety FIRST.
That’s what you’ll get with JFW trucking. Unlike some trucking companies, we put the wellness of our drivers first so you’ll never have to worry about burnout.
And that’s not all! JFW offers:
- Paid time off: You’ll earn PAID days off that you can schedule and use down the road
- Paid Holidays: Paid holidays for all employees include New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day!
- Health Benefits: JFW offers health insurance, dental, and vision plans along with many other plan options to suit your needs.
- Quarterly Bonuses: With no safety violations for the 3 month/yearly quarter, you’ll be eligible for a bonus!
- Modern Equipment: We only want you driving the safest, most up-to-date equipment possible. That’s why JFW only utilizes trucks from 2019 or newer.
- Skilled Mechanics: A fully-staffed shop of expert mechanics to keep you on the road and making money.
JFW is a family-run company. We want to help you support your family as safely and effectively as possible. That’s why we offer some of the best pay and benefits you’ll find—we want to hire the best in the business.
So, if you’re sick of feeling burned out at your current trucking job, give us a call or visit our website to APPLY NOW!