How To Beat Boredom While Driving

Today’s truckers face a lot of challenges that come with the nature of the job and lifestyle. A recent survey from Convoy ranked boredom among the top challenges facing truckers today. As a trucker, you are used to driving long hours, but after a while, the boredom can really start to get to you. Being bored during all that time on the road can take a toll on you both mentally and emotionally. While there are a lot of things that you cannot do legally while driving like texting or watching a movie on your tablet, there are still plenty of other things you can do to cut down on your boredom.

Get Caught Up with Friends and Family

Spending long hours on the road can really cut down on time spent with family or friends. You can alleviate some of your boredom by checking in with them while you are on the road. Just make sure you are doing it with your phone’s hands-free device and not by texting while you drive.

Learn a New Language

You can keep your mind active and impress your friends and family by learning a new language while you drive. Learning a new language with an audio learning program could teach you a language faster than using a book. With most audio language programs, you will need to listen and repeat what you hear. Programs are available in MP3 formats that can be played on your iOS or Android devices or on playable CDs available from your local library.

Take the Route Less Travelled

Check out alternate routes to your tired old routes. A change of scenery from the same old bumper-to-bumper traffic can help make your long-hauls a little more interesting.

Listen to Audio Books

Get a subscription to Amazon’s Audible or OpenDrive’s Libby through your local library and listen to the latest New York Times’ bestseller or favorites that you have previously read. Keeping your mind entertained with an audiobook will make your route less tedious.

Become an Expert

Do you have a hobby or want to learn more about a certain subject? With all the podcasts available, there is an unlimited supply of things you can fill up on knowledge with and keep your mind active on the road.

Catch Up on the News and Weather

Taking some time to check in on what is going on in the world will keep you informed about what is going on. Tune into public radio or NPR to hear news that you might not normally hear about on local radio stations. It also gives you an opportunity to hear different viewpoints that you might not have thought about before.

Plan Your Next Vacation in Your Mind

Ever drive through a town that you would like to spend a little time in? Chances are, you probably have passed through quite a few places that might be interesting to check out further. Start taking mental notes about where you would like to spend your next vacation and get planning.

Listen to Your Music

A good thing about driving alone in your rig is that you can play whatever music you want and as loud as you want. And you can sing out as loudly as you want without dealing with a disgruntled passenger.

Play Silly Games

All work and no play can get pretty boring. Count red cars, yellow cars or license plates to cut down on boredom that can dull your attentiveness. Ask silly questions to Bixby or Siri to hear some of their off-the-wall answers.

Keeping your mind occupied during your long runs will help reduce your boredom on the road. Just make sure that whatever activity you choose, you do it safely and do not allow yourself to become distracted from the road.