When Driving Becomes Your Job – A Survival Guide
For most of us, the joy of driving is rewarding enough. Of course, a few of the luckiest people get to earn a living from driving too. Unfortunately, like with many passions, driving for your job isn’t always quite so pleasurable as you expect. For a start, you find yourself up against a number of challenges and obstacles. Many driving jobs require you to meet certain targets in terms of time spent on the road or number of stops achieved. And if you find that you’re self-employed, you’ve got nothing to fall back on should things go wrong.
There are several very successful businesses that involve vehicles and driving. Delivery firms and logistics enterprises have done well. Of course, many have failed as well. If you want to cash in on the high demand for couriers and transport right now, you need to make sure you approach it in the right way. The first thing to consider is your start up costs.
You’ll need a vehicle to get you going. If you don’t already have a number of client or customer leads, try not to invest too heavily just yet. You might find other options like rent to buy or finance solutions here at RobSinclairFinance.com.au. This might make life financially easier for you in the beginning while you’re building your business. Making your business financially viable takes time and care.
Of course, one of the biggest worries for any professional driver is their health. A pleasure drive might only be a couple of hours. But driving for eleven hours a day is very physically and mentally demanding. You need to pace yourself carefully so you can meet your timed stops but also still get meals on time. And you also need to make sure you can sleep enough when you’re driving through the night.
Physical aches and pains are quite common too. After all, you’re spending long periods of time stuck in one position. When you do take a break, make the most of it. Get out of the cab, stretch, and go for a brisk walk. Try to choose healthy options for meal breaks if you can. Driving can be lonely too. Try to check in with friends and family when to take stops as well.
Perhaps one of the biggest stresses when you’re on the road is traffic jams. Getting stuck going nowhere is frustrating for every driver no matter what their journey might entail. It’s important not to let your stress levels build up. Take a break and choose a quieter time of day to travel if you can. If you lose your focus on the road, it can become dangerous for everyone.
So where is the pleasure in driving for a living? Well, there are lots of jobs that offer more than just a paycheck. You might have your own trucking or delivery company that you’re building up. Or maybe you’re a chauffeur driving wedding limousines? Perhaps you deliver flowers to customers and take a little delight in seeing their faces light up? Find the fun in your drive to really enjoy driving for a job.
