A recent study has found that many in the transport sector often experience loneliness. For those working in the haulage work industry, this might not come as too much of a surprise. Yet the fact that over half the people in the logistics and transport sector feel always, often or sometimes lonely is sad news.
However, there is hope for hardworking hauliers. If you’re feeling a little lonesome, these tips for combating the isolation you might encounter on the roads will help.
Become Comfortable with Being Alone
In many ways, this is the most important tip. Unless you are planning on leaving the job behind – and we hope not – you will spend a lot of your time alone. But that’s ok because there’s nothing wrong with spending a lot of time alone, in fact, many people do. What you need to do is find ways to be happy and comfortable when you are by yourself. This might mean discovering audiobooks, radio shows, music or podcasts that you love to listen to whilst driving. It might just be looking in the mirror and deciding to be friends with the person you see there. A little self-acceptance goes a long way.
Discover Why You’re Feeling Lonely
You need to find out whether it is the long hours away from family and friends that are often part of haulage work that are making you feel lonely, or if it is something a bit deeper. Do you struggle to talk to family, friends or close colleagues when you are not working? If a lack of close friends is making you unhappy, try to be proactive – start putting yourself out there and making new friends when and where you can. You might find out that you totally love your job and just need some good friends to cheer you up.
Don’t Forget Your Family
If you’re fortunate enough to have a loving family, don’t forget what a great support system they can be. When you’re working you can keep in contact via text and calls – always observing proper safety measures of course – and you can speak to your family about your concerns and worries. Don’t be afraid to open up and reach out.
Talk to Those Around You
When you’re out on the road engaged in haulage work it might seem like there are not many opportunities to chat with others – but that’s just not true. You’ll meet cashiers, other drivers, waitresses, workers and many others. Why not strike up a friendly conversation? If you drive the same routes repeatedly or make the same deliveries often, you will probably find you can build up a network of people who enjoy chatting to you and whose day you’ll actually make better.
We hope you’ve enjoyed these little tips and reminders on how to stave off loneliness while you’re doing haulage work. Remember, there is a huge community of people involved in this industry and you are never alone.
Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching haulage work with available drivers. Over 5,400 member companies are networked together through the Exchange to fill empty capacity, get new clients and form long-lasting business relationships.
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