Love it or hate it, as a truck driver you are legally required to take a set number of breaks while you’re working. So that’s why we decided to put together this quick list to give you some tips on how to spend these break times to your advantage—especially your 30 minute break. You’d be surprised with what you’re able to get accomplished during this break and the more productive you are during it the more you’ll be able to appreciate it.

Direct Connect works with drivers all across the United States and overseas and these relationships is one of the reasons why we were able to write this piece. And if you’re an independent operator out there we haven’t worked with, we would love to hear what you think about this list and we encourage you to reach out to us.

So, without further ado, our first item on this list is:

Sleep

Litle Boy Sleeps In Safe Chair In Car

Everyone knows how important sleep is, but on the road that need is heightened. Driving while tired can be just as dangerous as driving while under the influence of alcohol. You have impaired reaction time, judgment and vision as well as decreased performance and vigilance. And it should come as no surprise that you’re at an increased risk to be involved in a car crash. Roughly one million crashes, each year, are caused by lapses in driver’s attention. Luckily, it isn’t difficult to find time to recharge your batteries. In fact a 30 minute break is the ideal amount of time for a nap. Sleep any longer than 30 minutes and you run the risk of feeling more tired when you wake up than when you went to sleep. That’s because of the cycles your body naturally goes through while sleeping and after 30 minutes your body is in a deeper sleep that is more difficult to wake from. So if your 30 is approaching you should strongly consider grabbing some shut eye.

Relax

Driver Sits Next To His Car

This entry will greatly depend on your own personal tastes. Thanks to the advances in electronics and in the trucks themselves, these rigs have truly become homes away from home. So this means you’ll be able to enjoy many of the same comforts you have at home. Everything from video games, reading, surfing the web or watching TV is available to you. It’s all about what you prefer to do to wind down. And believe it or not, many truckers have even taken up knitting and quilting in their sparetime.

Be Productive

African American Truck Driver Using A Onboard Computer And CB Ra

There are a lot of different ways you can be productive while on the road. As an independent driver one of the first things you should consider doing is look for new loads. As a trucker, being on the road is your life’s blood, so it’s only good business to try and secure your next load whenever you have a moment to yourself. Here are a few popular load boards to utilize: Landstarbroker.com and Truckstop.com. Aside from looking for new loads there are a number of things you can do, things such as taking a shower, eating or even cleaning out your cab. They’re all things that you have to do anyway so it’s a good idea to knock them out during your break.

Exercise

Fit male and female athletes doing tire-flip exercise outdoors

This may not be the most popular entry on the list but it could be a life changer and saver. It should be common knowledge by now just how bad sedentary lifestyles are for people. And it doesn’t get any more sedentary than spending hour after hour sitting in a cab each week. Studies have established an irrefutable link between long periods of physical inactivity and a higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer and obesity. So when possible it’s a fantastic idea to find time to get the blood pumping. You may not think that 30 minutes is enough to get a good work out in but that’s really all you need. And any time spent doing something healthy for your body is better than no time.

We hope these tips are useful and will help you get the most out of your 30 minute break. One thing we want to take a moment to stress here is the importance of actually taking your break. These breaks are federally mandated and you’re in for a world of hurt if you try to cheat it. They’re able to tell if you try to pass your fuel time off as your break or just skip it altogether. It’s just 30 minutes and it’s just not worth putting yourself into a precarious position. Besides, with the help of this list, you should have a good idea of how to spend that time.

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