Strictly confidential: Simon and the eternal lack of time in the transport world

Every work situation is different. Yet there are also many similarities. That is why we regularly take a closer look at a personal story. With a fake name and fictitious personal details. After all, the conversations that Buddy has are strictly confidential.

Meet Simon, planner at a medium-sized transport company

Planning is puzzling. And Simon (46) loves nothing more. The European network of motorways is almost completely in his head. And although this is actually no longer necessary, thanks to all kinds of advanced software, it is still useful when you have to get trucks as fully loaded as possible from A to B to C and via D back to A.

Simon has been around for quite a few years, is more or less fused with his work for a medium-sized transport company in the south of the country. He started as a driver, but was able to make the step to a job as a planner in 2014. Simon has always enjoyed his work, and he still gets a lot of satisfaction from it. Only last year he suffered from palpitations.

Initially, he tried to ignore them, but one day when he was almost hyperventilating at his computer, his team lead sent him to the occupational health and safety doctor. And he concluded that Simon, if he didn’t want to sit at home with a burnout for months, should seek help.

In the transport world, you are constantly lagging behind the facts

Planning is juggling. You have to keep many balls up at any time of the day. And something is constantly happening that threatens to mess up your well-thought-out plan. A road diversion, the loading and unloading area is untraceable, a highly valued customer calls you personally for an urgent job, a colleague has a birthday and treats you to sausage rolls. It’s a hectic world. Especially since the corona time, when online orders suddenly took off, the crowds have increased considerably.

And it hasn’t diminished. On the contrary: in 2023, the transport company where Simon worked merged with another transport company. As a result, Simon not only gained new customers and new colleagues, but also had to master a new system. And it seems that all those things together are starting to take their toll now, about a year and a half later.

There is no room for reflection in the transport world

Planning is looking ahead. And don’t look back. Simon and his colleagues are doers. The transport world is full of that. Don’t talk but act, is the motto. Or actually, it’s not that bad with that ‘don’t talk’. It’s quite noisy in the workplace, Simon and his colleagues can have a lot of fun together. And then it can also be about work, but never on a deeper level. Strong stories and blunders are exchanged. It is never about the question: how do we work together here? And it’s certainly never about the question: am I still enjoying myself here? Or: where do I want to be in ten years? The transport world thunders on and never looks back.

There is a difference between healthy and unhealthy stress

In the first conversation with Buddy, the daily hustle and bustle is actually discussed right away. Together with his coach, Simon discusses the difference between healthy stress and unhealthy stress. A little stress is part of the job. It’s part of the job that sometimes you have to do three things at once and don’t know where to start. But when you are only behind the facts and never have the space to take a step back and look at your own functioning, it can break you down.

Moreover, since the merger, Simon appears to have a new manager, who has also been a planner himself. Although they like each other and although Simon likes to work with someone who knows the ropes, it can also be irritating at times. And cause extra stress. Because it is not always nice to have someone who is constantly looking over your shoulder and does not hold himself back when he thinks he knows better. No matter how much you like someone.

More reflection, more distance, more balance

How do you create a little more space if you are not used to it? And how do you talk about your own functioning if you never actually do that? By practicing. No matter how difficult, Simon should still sit down with his manager to discuss his annoyances and the influence that the slight meddling of his team lead has on him.

In addition, Simon must learn to recognize triggers. Because before you get palpitations, your body is already giving signals that announce worse. This way you know when to get out and go for a walk. Moreover, at the end of each day, he is advised to list what gave him energy and what caused frustration or a feeling of powerlessness.

Do you recognize yourself in Simon? Our Buddies are ready to help you.

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