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Full time driving instructors can deliver around 30 to 45 hours of driving lessons each week.
A driving instructor’s training vehicle is his / her office which means that for a majority of their working day, they will be sat down in their training vehicle.
Lets look at some ways that a driving instructor can look after their health with such a sedentary lifestyle:
Get up out of the car and stretch your legs between each driving lesson
When you stretch your legs in between driving lessons this benefits your circulation and also works your muscles.
Try not to binge on junk food or takeaways
Unhealthy snacks and sugar laden processed junk foods affect your weight and overall health which in turn affects your mental health.
Try to make time within your day to eat a healthy meal. If you are hungry and need a snack eat some fruit.
Sometimes when you are hungry your body actually requires more fluid intake so don’t forget to bring a bottle of water to drink.
Keep ventilation flowing in your training vehicle
Keeping your windows slightly down keeps you feeling fresh and alert.
Within your working day you may meet up to four different people, it is easy for cold’s and flu type viruses to spread if all your windows are closed.
Vitamin intake
It is worth taking Vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D boosts your immune system, improves your overall mood and protects against respiratory illnesses.
A lot of people are not aware of the health benefits of Vitamin D or how it works within your body.
Wipe the vehicle controls before each pupil enters your vehicle
In the interests of hygiene all training vehicle controls should be wiped over in between each new pupil.
Go for a walk
At some point within your day make time to go for a walk.
Walking is a basic form of exercise and you don't have to pay a monthly subscription or drive to a gym to do it.
Taking a walk at the end of your day is a great way to wind down, relax and calm your mind before you go to bed.
Try to take a day off
It is not a good idea to work seven days a week, make time for other things as well as work.
Be sociable with other driving instructors
Driving Instructors generally meet when they are at driving test centres waiting for their pupils to come back from their driving test.
This gives you a chance to meet new people within your industry.
If instructors are meeting up socially outside of work make an effort to join them.
It is important not to isolate yourself as this can affect your mental health.
Choose a suitable training vehicle
Your training vehicle is your office where you conduct your daily business and earn a living.
Choose a training vehicle which is comfortable and whereby you are not cramped up for hours at a time.
Get adequate sleep
Sleep helps your body regenerate for the next day. Lack of sleep makes you agitated, loose concentration and causes you to feel hungry and want to binge on junk food.
Ideally you want to be aiming for at least 8 hours of sleep each night to feel refreshed, relaxed and calm for the following day.
If you are a driving instructor reading this blog post looking to make changes to your overall lifestyle, please try to start with one lifestyle change and then go from there, that way you won’t loose motivation or want to go back to your old lifestyle.
