[mardy423]

I start a new job in a few weeks, i will be working 12hr shifts at a local bottle manufacturing plant. Anyways, does anyone have some advice on how to adapt to 12hr shifts, I have only worked 8hr shifts, so any advice is needed.

 

[hiimnotcool]

I truly hope that you'll only be working 3-4 days a week, right?

If it's 5 days a week my advice to deal with it is by not showing up for your first day.

 

[rdrr]

yeah i work 12 hr shifts 3-4 days a week. eat lunch late, and eat something later, also bring snacks. your eating habits will change, and the free time you have will be less.

 

[copper]

I have only worked 12 hour shifts in group homes so that is different from working in manufacturing. I know when I worked 12 hours on overnight shift I did a lot of cleaning.

 

[Madison_Rose]

Day shift, back shift, or night shift? What sort of breaks do you get? I've worked the odd 14-15 hour shift in my time - horrible, but bearable due to getting an hour's break in the middle. I expect you'll get used to it.

 

[Mr. Frostie]

That's awful. What do they think this is China or something?

 

[mardy423]

It is 5 days a week for one week, then the following week it is just 2 days, and the cycle just repeats, 5 days, then 2 days, over and over.

 

[nubly]

that is an odd schedule. ive had 12 hour shifts in the past but it was OT. i miss that

 

[hyacinth_dragon]

What/where is this mysterious employer who offers all of these hours? I know people crying for work and willing to move anywhere in the country and it would be good to know.

 

[mardy423]

It's with a company called ALPLA. In a town about 30 miles south of Atlanta, GA. I got the job through my aunt, she knew someone who works there, and they got me a job. He said they hire anyone as long as the dont have a criminal record of any kind.

 

[Maiketh]

I used to work at a place several years ago, 12 hour shifts for 3 days and they paid us for 40 hours when we only worked 36 hours. Only worked there for 7 months or so, it was a crappy job.

 

[shyvr6]

I worked 12 hr shifts in a back shop where some days we would only work for 30 minutes a day and the long hours would catch up to me when I wasn't doing anything except for watching tv, but when we would play Halo all night on those days, then it was a different story. When we were busy the day would fly by, so my advice would be to stay busy and get good sleep time when you're home.

 

[copper]

that is an odd schedule. ive had 12 hour shifts in the past but it was OT. i miss that

It saves a company money. Instead of hiring three people to cover three shifts they only have to hire two people. Our group homes where I work went to that a few years ago to cut costs. I am against 12 hour shifts in the mental health field, because mistakes can happen due to workers becoming tired. Example is when one of our clients ended up stabbing one of our staff with a steak knife in the shoulder. It was the 11th hour of his shift and he left the dishwasher open that contained knives, which everything should of been put up. The client had voices that told him to go stab this one staff, so he grabbed the knife and stabbed the staff while he was walking into the kitchen. Even after this administration kept the 12 hour shifts due to the state cutting our budget.

 

[Zombygrl]

I used to work two 12 hr shifts and then two 8 hr shift days at a factory on 3rd shift. It really sucked in the summer time. I would freeze bottles of water and take them to work to drink. Didn't take them long to melt because it was so hot in there.

I don't miss those 12 hr shifts at all.

 

[pita]

I've never worked 12's, but when I do the occasional 11 hour day I find coffee to be enormously helpful.

 

[Helen]

That's awful. What do they think this is China or something?

:no i am in China, but less than 7 hours.

 

[Helen]

but i like working
change your attitude, try to enjoy it, you have no way now.

 

[copper]

:no i am in China, but less than 7 hours.

If you mind where do you work? I watched a documentary that this one factory in China they worked very long hours. But this was only one example so that doesn't make a widespread practice. I believed they made beads that they sell over here during Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The workers lived right on site in dorms.

 

[whiterabbit]

Eat right and sleep well. I always neglected to do one or the other, or both, when I was working 11 hour shifts, and I ended up looking and feeling like death warmed up.

You'll be fine though. It might be a bit of a shock to the system at first but you'll adapt to it naturally.