The global economy couldn't exist without the trucking industry. Cargo planes and ships play their part, but truckers around the world make sure a product makes its way across the country. Truck drivers, sadly, must deal with a job that doesn't always come with thanks. Because of that, the field is becoming less and less populated. The job does come with its dangers, so it is no surprise truckers face tremendous stress. Here are three main reasons why a trucking career can be stressful.

Long Hours Behind the Wheel
Driving to a destination and arriving on time may require spending 10-hour days on the road. Fatigue sets in after a while. Struggling to deal with a lack of sleep brings on worry and anxiety. Sitting in the driver's seat for many hours doesn't always work wonders for how the body feels. Exercising and burning off calories isn't easy, and a trucker's lifestyle becomes sedentary. That's not healthy. According to Pass My Physical, “warning signs of being too tired to drive are: trouble keeping your eyes open, trouble keeping your head up, daydreaming or wandering thoughts, drifting across lanes, drifting of the road or hitting rumble strips, missing signs or exits, frequently yawning or rubbing your eyes, irritability or restlessness.”

Even a 5-day, 40-hour per week driving schedule can become tiresome. The pay might make the long hours worth it, but those hours can seem like an eternity at times.

Accidents Are Less Forgiving
Trucks are colossal moving machines. They weigh tons. In an accident, even a small one, a rig can do a lot of damage. The chances of a fatality during a collision increase immensely. The government imposes regulations to decrease the chances of a fatigue-related accident. According to Heiting & Irwin, “whether a big rig collides with another big rig, a bus, or a recreational vehicle, the results are almost always catastrophic. Driver fatigue is the leading cause of trucking accidents, which is why so many regulations are in place to prevent it.” Federal laws limit the number of hours a driver can work per day and week. Still, other factors besides fatigue contribute to crashes.

Citations Can Ruin a Career
Depending on the terms of his/her employment, a trucker may need a spotless driving record to stay employed. Since he/she is on the road for hours upon hours a day, the chances of making a mistake increases. Assuming the speed limit is higher than it is or not coming to a complete stop when required might mean a hefty ticket. Getting more than one ticket within a specific time period could even lead to a license suspension. According to GetLoaded, “if a truck driver ever gets a ticket, as quickly as possible afterwards, they need to write down every detail, starting from five minutes before the alleged violation to when the officer drove off.” Even the most careful truck driver, one who never receives a ticket, can stress over the thought of receiving one.

If you are a trucker, do what you can to drive safely, adhere to traffic laws, and keep stress levels down. Many people rely on you to continue doing a great job.

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(BPT) - If you’ve ever felt tense, anxious or simply unable to relax while performing your job, you’re far from alone.

A recent survey by the American Institute of Stress found 80 percent of U.S. workers across industries have felt stress in the workplace; nearly half say they could use help dealing with it and 42 percent said their co-workers could use some relief.

To the delight of animal lovers everywhere, awareness of the physical, mental and emotional toll taken by stress is leading progressive employers to create take-your-pet-to-work programs. For example, for the past 20 years Purina has encouraged its associates to bring their pets to work, and in a typical week hundreds of dogs and cats enjoy spending time with their owners at the pet food maker’s St. Louis campus.

"Pets bring a wealth of benefits — both physical and emotional — to pet owners and their families, so it's no surprise those same benefits also apply to the workplace and employees," notes Dr. Kurt Venator, Purina's chief veterinary officer. "Whether a pet helps provide a calming sense during a challenging situation or encourages employees to take a walk during their lunch break, here at Purina we experience the benefits of pets at work every day, and want others to as well."

As more and more companies adopt a pets-at-work policy, consider these facts based on a recent Purina report about the many advantages of such programs:

* They can benefit health: Pet-employee interaction has been shown to reduce the employees' blood pressure and cholesterol levels in addition to alleviating anxiety.

* They can improve employee retention: Sixty-three percent of employees in pet-friendly workplaces say they’re very satisfied with their work environments — nearly twice as many as those in other workplaces. In fact, respondents rank the option of bringing pets at work as the second most-valuable employee perk — more valuable than free coffee and parking. Overall, three in five survey participants wish their workplace would institute a pet-friendly policy.

* They can alleviate loneliness: Eight in 10 employees who can bring pets to work say that activity makes them feel more happy, relaxed and sociable. That's partly because talking about pets can be an ice breaker, making it easier for people to approach co-workers and get to know them better.

* They can promote physical activity: Many employees spend breaks and lunchtime playing with their pets or taking them for walks, boosting their own aerobic activity at the same time.

* They can increase pets’ happiness: Rather than staying home waiting for their owners to arrive, pets get to socialize with new people, play with other pets and enjoy more activity. Nearly nine of 10 people in the survey agree that bringing their pets to work strengthens owner-pet bonding.

In light of the proven benefits, Purina encourages other employers to consider allowing pets in the workplace. A toolkit with tips and information is provided at Purina.com.
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“Our goal with our report is to continue to raise awareness of the benefits of taking pets to work and to arm employees and employers with insights that can help facilitate pet-friendly environments within their companies,” notes Dr. Venator.

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