Tips to Avoid Trucking Burnout

Trucking is a tough job, and it's easy for drivers to face burnout given their grueling work schedule and constant pressure to deliver. On top that, truckers are often alone, away from family, and dealing with a whole host of issues not typical of any other job (weather, accidents, etc.). Understandably, this can hamper ones motivation to stick with it and getting through rough spots isn't always easy, especially for those looking to get motivated from external sources.

The good news is that there are a few ways to avoid trucking burnout and to maintain your motivation. These tips come from seasoned veterans of the industry who've had to shake it up a time or two. Here are a few ways that you can shake off the monotony, and refocus your passion for trucking:

Adjust your mindset

Motivation is rarely going to come in external form - at least, not in one that many would respond to. Nagging dispatchers, upset supervisors and unhappy clients are not the kind of motivation you want to encounter - so adjust your mindset. Your work ethic and ability to work independently is most likely what attracted you to trucking in the first place, so re-center your thoughts and remember that motivation comes from within. Remember why you started it all and remember what you hoped to accomplish at the very beginning. At the end of the day, take the initiative to do excellent work, and your success as a trucker and your happiness will follow.

Set small goals

Sometimes motivation can be hard to achieve because you aren't sure what your goals are. And if you do have goals, sometimes the end goal is either too big, or too far way. Breaking down your goals to more achievable steps so you get the behavior benefit of accomplishment is one of the most rewarding ways to motivate yourself. For example, let's say you got into trucking to help you achieve some financial goals and to pay off debt. Rather than working towards your overall debt amount, tackle one debt at a time and break it down into smaller steps so you can really see the progress and get the behavioral benefit of working your way to the top.

Change it up

Sometimes a loss of motivation can mean your routine has become too routine. What sounded great when you started out may not be the best suited for your life at present, so changing up your type of trucking may help re-focus your dedication to trucking. Drive OTR all the time? Try gigs that keep you closer to home. Need a change of scenery? Get into long-haul trucking and travel the nation! There really are so many options when it comes to types of trucking, so don't let yourself get stuck in a rut - change it up sometimes to challenge yourself and supplement your will to succeed.

Many of our readers have been truckers for a long time - what other tips would you provide for those looking to avoid burnout?