Staying Mentally Healthy on the Road

Workers who spend days on end in their work trucks driving from job site to job site know that maintaining good mental health is critical to safety on the job. Driving a work truck is a big job that takes physical strength and mental acuity. Here are 5 practical tips you can implement now to keep you at your best wherever you are on the road.

Keep Your Brain Working

Staring out the windshield for miles is exhausting but not particularly stimulating. In your down time, give your brain a good work out with jigsaw puzzles, brain teasers, crosswords, challenging books, and anything else you enjoy that gets your little gray cells cranking. While you’re on the road, try listening to education books and podcasts that will boost your knowledge, memory, and concentration.

Stay Connected

Quality relationships are important and are worth all the time you can give them. Make phone calls and video chats with friends and loved ones back home a regular part of your everyday routine.

Get Good Sleep

The importance of quality, restful sleep cannot be overstated. If you aren’t sleeping well or enough, you’ll be tired, irritable, and less safe. Your reflexes will be impaired as will your problem-solving skills, both of which are essential out on the road when you never know what might be around the next bend. Make the effort to establish and maintain good sleep hygiene practices which might include things like refraining from caffeine after a certain hour, adhering to a set routine when preparing for sleep, upgrading your bedding, or limiting daytime naps.

Exercise

Drivers need to take the time every day to work their muscles. Putting regular, vigorous exercise into your daily regimen will keep your body healthy, help you get better sleep, and keep your mind alert and focused. Movement gets the endorphins flowing, which is a quick way to improve your state of mind. Make time to really move several times a day, especially on days that involve hours and hours of driving. Your body and mind will thank you.

Stay Organized

Clutter is an enemy to good mental health. When you can’t find what you’re looking for when you need it and you have to spend time every day with disorder and confusion, your mental health will suffer. Disorganization is stressful. That bears repeating: disorganization is stressful. Your work truck is your workspace; make organizing it a priority just as you would any other type of workspace. High quality work truck toolboxes like a stainless steel underbody toolbox will help you manage your gear without taking up valuable cargo space.

The Bottom Line

Driving a work truck is a big responsibility. Bring your best self to the job by caring for your mental health.