Learning proper time management while working for a professional trucking company like Bay and Bay Transportation is a little bit like being a professional juggler. You have to learn how to keep a lot of things moving at once, and a single slip-up can throw your whole operation out of whack. The secret is to practice a lot and make sure you develop a good rhythm. After that, it’s like second nature. How exactly do you practice something like time management? For truck drivers in Columbus, OH, much of the learning process occurs if you just work on taking care of yourself first.
Perhaps unexpectedly, the most important factor in time management is your body. This is the number one aspect that far too many truck drivers overlook. You might have the perfect plan, the perfect route, no traffic, and sunny skies… but if you’re exhausted, sick, or burned out, all of that goes to waste. Truck driving is a profession that includes some sacrifice, such as eating on-the-go instead of with family and friends. That doesn’t mean those on-the-go meals don’t have to be good for you. Maintaining efficiency is important on the road, but you still have to think about what’s going into your body in order to operate at peak performance. Drink plenty of water, get enough sleep, and eat right. If you do all of this, time management follows as an easy second.
Of course, planning ahead and getting rest is always easier said than done in professional truck driving. You can’t rely upon the weather, traffic, or even your normal routes to stay predictable, so you have to learn how to roll with the punches. Truck driving is all about making a plan that will work best for you, but then having two more in mind that may not work as well, but will get the job done. In order to maintain effective time management with your trucking company, always have a backup plan, even if it’s something as simple as where to get lunch.
Finally, having strong time management skills means not pushing yourself too hard, and not just in the health department. It’s fine to have daily goals for how much progress you want to make, whether it be in distance or deliveries made, but set those goals right at the threshold of what’s comfortable, not ten feet beyond it. Setting unrealistic daily or weekly goals can cause physical tension, stress, and poor overall performance. Truck driving is certainly about pushing some limits, but never in a way that will compromise your safety or health.
Anyone interested in truck driving positions or assistance in improving their truck driving time management skills can contact the Columbus, OH, trucking company Bay and Bay Transportation at (888) 801-3026, or visit our website here.