12-Hour Rotating Shifts

[FK86]

I personally would definitely make it work since it’s something you want to do. You can make it work. Some days will definitely suck but it might be very well worth it financially.

The worst that can happen is after a period of time and you realize it isn’t for you. I would rather do it and realize it’s not for me than to always wonder how good it was.

Absolutely. It also doesn't even mean it's forever. The career paths associated with the position can lead to jobs where rotating shifts are not required. The smart move is to seize the opportunity. It is also very well worth it financially.

 

[Ruhlfreak55]

They actually changed the schedule where I worked to some kind of panama bs where you were swapping around constantly and everyone quit within like 6 months. Like legit 50% attrition rate, so when I got there the management had just pulled their heads back out of their asses and 'allowed' a better schedule.

 

[Thor65]

Absolutely. It also doesn't even mean it's forever. The career paths associated with the position can lead to jobs where rotating shifts are not required. The smart move is to seize the opportunity. It is also very well worth it financially.

Not to keep pushing but definitely go for it. I have very strong opinions about this. Money isn’t everything but it can make life way easier. Without money…..a lot harder.

In the early 2000’s I competed nationally and did very well on the stage. Also in the early 2000’s I fucked every other part of my life up bc my priorities were out of order. For many years pursuing a dream I destroyed myself financially due to not putting my career first and not thinking about my future.

For many years after I had to over compensate working just to level out from all my years of passing on very good jobs, quitting a couple good jobs, and being content barely getting by just as long as my ped closet was full. I am very proud of what I accomplished on the bodybuilding stage and the wins I accumulated, but if I had to do life over, I would have definitely had different priorities.

 

[FK86]

Not to keep pushing but definitely go for it.

I accepted the offer days before making this thread. I just wanted to see if other people here do it and have ways they manage it. It's a done deal. I start working there next month.

I get what you mean about money not being everything. I learned that lesson when I was 25. I had a good job, but travel was constant and I hated it. Once again, I'm looking at the bigger picture. As an example: to put up with difficult shift work for five years if it means the next 20 can be much better because of opportunity...is worth it.

 

[Thor65]

 

[j4ever]

since its a good opportunity i would take it and it looks like you did, i have always worked 12 hour shifts but it has always been either days or nights not flipping around like that, to me that schedule would suck, i cant believe that employers would have their employees rotate that often, i mean why? seems like would have a healthier better productive employee to just have straight nights or days, or rotate on a monthly basis, good luck!

 

[Performance Based]

In all sincerity you are overthinking it substantially.

I have worked a minimum of 60 hours per week since I was 19 this are the things that have helped me drastically.

1) Do a sleep study, understand exactly the issues you have with your sleep specifically. Quality over quantity with sleep always - if you can do both go for it but that is rare.

2) Sleep hygiene is extremely important. Know when to stop consuming caffeine (4pm for me), when to stop consuming carbs, when the television HAS to be off. If you’re making sexy time with your lady how late is too late.

Get a way to track your sleep data, I wear the Oura ring. Keep meticulous notes.

3) 4sigmatic pre bed mushroom cocoa

4) Meal prep services - I use a company called Factor

5) Track where you spend your time. I threw away my Xbox and deleted all social media - if I have downtime I spend it with my wife.

6) track time expenditure at work, if you usually have a productivity gap at work of 45 minutes post lunch use that time religiously on your personal relationships/development

No one works 12 hours straight - time is wasted non stop. Find where it is and maximize it

 

[LATS]

I work in the prison and security systems.. we do a very similar rotation.. I worked nights predominately .. 6pm to 6 am.. but woukd get mandated sometimes on off days to work the 6am to 6 pm.. its tough trying to adjust. Even in a regular night shift it was tough to try and squeeze workouts in.. I started to only workout on my off days. It worked fine.. it allowed 3 to 5 workouts a week.. it fluctuated but worked..

 

[LATS]

Not to keep pushing but definitely go for it. I have very strong opinions about this. Money isn’t everything but it can make life way easier. Without money…..a lot harder.

In the early 2000’s I competed nationally and did very well on the stage. Also in the early 2000’s I fucked every other part of my life up bc my priorities were out of order. For many years pursuing a dream I destroyed myself financially due to not putting my career first and not thinking about my future.

For many years after I had to over compensate working just to level out from all my years of passing on very good jobs, quitting a couple good jobs, and being content barely getting by just as long as my ped closet was full. I am very proud of what I accomplished on the bodybuilding stage and the wins I accumulated, but if I had to do life over, I would have definitely had different priorities.

Yeah bodybuilding is what you make it. Some get all consumed.. I think we have all been there.. but I've always said most jobs are 8 hours.. we eat 5 to 6 times a day .. maybe 15 minutes a plate. Sleep 8 hours. There is plenty of time for 1 to 1.5 hour workouts.. when we look back I see I coukd have made stuff work easily with various jobs I passed on..

 

[b-boy]

Does anyone here work rotating 12-hour shifts? I have just accepted a job with incredible pay and career opportunities in the nuclear industry and this is a requirement of the position. I’ve never had to do this before as my whole life I’ve worked jobs that are only 8-hour shifts. Even though I’ve done days, afternoons, and nights for extended periods of time at a previous job, I’ve never had to rotate where nights and days are in the same week.

If you look up rotating shifts online there is nothing but negative comments and always references to studies about how bad it is for your health. I don’t doubt that it’s not ideal in comparison to a straight 9-5 type job, but I question possible variables involved. One being that some industries that typically use the rotating schedule often employ people that have bad health habits before they even take on such a job. For example, I’ve worked in logistics/manufacturing before and my co-workers were overweight, fast-food eating, chain-smoking people. If a study was pulled from that group, it would obviously say "rotating shifts cause health problems" when the facts are skewed.

So, if anyone here does it, how do you manage? Most importantly with respect to getting sleep, staying asleep, and also staying awake and productive at work while also fitting in time to train and make progress in the gym. It’s going to be a big adjustment for me as I’m very regimented and like things set in stone, but I have to be realistic and prioritize surviving in an ever-inflating economy. I am not a professional bodybuilder and this hobby should be secondary. The schedule has me working 2 or 3 days in a row, followed by 2 or 3 days off. My lower/upper split can still be maintained at a decent frequency if I train on the days off. I just want to make sure I have the energy to do it.

I am respectfully requesting that comments only come from people who have actually done it or are still doing it. While I don't doubt that there are knowledgeable people on here that can give general sleep advice that would help everyone, this is one of those things where you have to have lived it. Also, with regard to sleep, I’m looking for non-chemically assisted ways and not the usual stuff like melatonin, valerian root, etc. Many people do it in many industries, so it can be done. I just want to optimize and hopefully avoid the difficulties associated with it.

I have worked 12 hour swingshift for around 26yrs.
NO PROBLEMS!
I work at a chemical plant

 

[FK86]

I have worked 12 hour swingshift for around 26yrs.
NO PROBLEMS!
I work at a chemical plant

Any tips on maximizing sleep and recovery?

 

[b-boy]

Any tips on maximizing sleep and recovery?

IMHO, no different than any other job. I do however train early morning before work when on dayshift, and immediately after work on night shift, this gives me the maximum time at home to eat and sleep.

 

[FK86]

IMHO, no different than any other job. I do however train early morning before work when on dayshift, and immediately after work on night shift, this gives me the maximum time at home to eat and sleep.

So you can rotate your sleep schedule without any problems? Have you just always had kind of a natural ability to do so, or do you use sleep aids or tricks to get your body to sleep when it needs to?

 

[fisther69]

I have worked 12 hour swingshift for around 26yrs.
NO PROBLEMS!
I work at a chemical plant

Man, you and Dan Bell brother..you are an accomplished bodybuilder and he is the best powerlifter ever..both of y’all still work a real job everyday and don’t bitch about it..love you brother

 

[b-boy]

So you can rotate your sleep schedule without any problems? Have you just always had kind of a natural ability to do so, or do you use sleep aids or tricks to get your body to sleep when it needs to?

I fall asleep very easily, and on my days off I tend to get a minimum of 9 hours sleep, work days I get between 6-8 hours, off days between 9-11 hours of sleep.

 

[bg65]

I suck at sleeping so can't help you there but my work schedule is basically any possible hrs 24/7/365. A bit of workout advice... i really try to crush solid workouts on my days off but many times during a stretch of work days i do these little workouts i call "forget me nots" (i even write FMN in my journals). It might be only 2 lifts for 4-6 sets each, sometimes just one lift for 10-12 sets (this would usually be squats or deads), sometimes if i am really strapped for time/energy i just set a tabata timer and wreck a muscle group that way. The goal isn't to grow with these little workouts, it's just enough to keep from backsliding and you still used your body a little that day. It honestly was tough psychologically adapting to these short workouts being so frequent but i am proof that they do help