5 effective ways to maintain a strong relationship as a truck driver
If there was a ranking of jobs that makes relationships very difficult to maintain, long-haul truck driving job would probably be somewhere on the top. The reason is pretty obvious. Presence. Or more precisely, its lack. Sometimes, for multiple weeks. That does not, however, mean that it’s not possible for you to live in a long-term relationship or hook up with someone new. In this article, we’ll delve into the topic and share some tips on how to keep your distance-relationship going.
Learn to enjoy your own company
Being on the road for a long time automatically means physical isolation from our partner. Without good communication, strong mental connection and compassion, it may prove challenging for both sides to keep the fire going. Driving a truck, spending days in a truck cabin on the one hand and running an entire household and chores without any help on the other hand. Those are things that just have to be accepted as a part of this job. With modern means of communication, however, you can do a lot to make up for the shortfall of time spent together.
Strong communication on the road is just as important as it is off the road. Consider purchasing a good CB radio to practice communicating with your fellow drivers.
Don’t let the distance destroy the connection
In the first place, we suggest you set up a communication system. Agree on hours of the day to call home. You can make it flexible but having a “system” allows you to do it automatically and ensures that the communication is steady. Having a break, using your smartphone, tablet or skype to make a phone or a video call. Share stories, talk about things you have in common, try not to touch on sensitive matters. If there’s an issue, hold yourself back to talk about it at home. It’s way harder to get things right over the phone and it will also impact your focus and driving ability.
Take them for a ride
Take your partner with you. If you don’t have kids and she or he is available – it may be quite an interesting adventure. This will also let your partner understand your position better. Having limited mobility while driving, eating unhealthy meals at rest stops and sleeping in the sleeper cab may very well put things into perspective. Mutual understanding and empathy are the foundation of a good relationship, and it works both ways. You also need to be aware of how it feels for your partner to be alone and self-reliant most of the time at home. It’s an emotional roller-coaster for the other party.
Trust is a must
Apart from communication, another major challenge for maintaining a healthy relationship when you’re on the road is trust for your partner. And resisting easy opportunities yourself. Let us not fool ourselves. If you’re a male on the road for an extended period, it’s hard not to think about sex even if you love your partner. And of course, there are "lot lizards" ready to offer their service to you anytime if you pay. Our only piece of advice about that would be to learn how to enjoy being alone and abstaining from sex for a while.
Talk about it openly with your partner. Tell them how bad you want them, talk dirty over the phone, fire up some excitement for them and if necessary, release the excitement yourself. It’s up to you to turn this disadvantage into an opportunity. Your sex may be less frequent, but you can learn how to appreciate and celebrate it better. As for trusting your partner, if you are committed…you need to trust that they’re faithful and cut out dwelling on the negative.
Take care of yourself, stay attractive to others
One more thing worth mentioning here is that staying fit and healthy on the road (we even wrote an article about it) will make you feel way better. This will have a direct impact on the way you think, behave and communicate with your partner. It’s also up to you to make sure you don’t overwhelm your spouse or significant other with negativity, complaining only because you feel tired, sluggish or the job is giving you a hard time. Staying in good shape will also make you more attractive to your partner. Who said that if you drive a truck professionally, you need to have a belly or back problems.
Be ready to plan holidays spontaneously and have some ready-ideas prepared for the time when you’ll be free. Part of being a truck driver is the readiness to give up all traditional holidays and be ready to enjoy the time off whenever you have it. To make it easier, you need to get the right mindset. After all, it’s not only about the quantity or time of the year but also the quality of time. Being a truck driver lets you have more than enough time to think about creating quality time with your significant other.