Commute v miles v work hours

[Andrew_Culture]

12 hour shifts, no breaks and quite often get a right hook....the joys of carework

You namby pamby moaners

Been there! I was doing residential for United Response (including sleep-ins) and day care for Social Services at the same location for a few years and I think my longest combined shift was over fifty hours. Fifty hours with violent folk...

 

[The Brewer]

Been there! I was doing residential for United Response (including sleep-ins) and day care for Social Services at the same location for a few years and I think my longest combined shift was over fifty hours. Fifty hours with violent folk...

Not good and that still happens quite often

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Not good and that still happens quite often

This was pre minimum wage and we were treated like shoot. When I quit Social Services I told my boss that I was leaving because of getting so little support from him and got no response.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Got to say guys and gals, that the more I read this thread, the more we seem to be living in the dark ages.
Employers have known for years that our bodies cannot deal with these lengths of time at work.

Lucky you, Chris, don't have to work long or antisocial hours.
Mind you, I have been working in catering for so long that, if I suddenly would find myself in a "normal job" I probably would not know how to deal with the extra free time, would spent it eating chocolate
Why was I posting?
Ah, I remember: it is funny how, before I started cycling everywhere, I used to be sore all over after a 14 hour shift, bussing it to and from work.
Now I don't feel tired, actually can't wait to jump on the bike. Maybe because I know I'm saving myself at least two hours a day commuting by cycling it

 

[Simba]

6am start 2.30pm finish, 3.5 mile commute though. I do have to be up before 5am as I need a brew or cant function.

 

[DRHysted]

Well I normally commute. Leaving home at about 04:15 (or 16:15), do a 12 hour shift, and get home about 18:15 (or 06:15). Shortest route is 8 miles, normal route is 8.5, and the good weather route is 13.4.
I space my food out during the day, with the bulk eaten in the last half of the shift, and to date haven't had a problem. I always take an isotonic drink, and ensure I drink as I would on a ride (someting every 20 minutes, the garmin has an alarm to remind me).

When I say a normally commute, thats because I normally do 2 days, 2 nights and then four rest days, least hours I've worked since leaving college in 92. But at present out of the 4 man team 1 is on holiday and 2 are in hospital (non work related) so I am currently on day 6 of a 14 day stint, and not even I'm mad enough to cycle with this time scale.

 

[amelia-jane]

I will be starting permanent 12 hour shifts, 7am - 7:30pm, later this year or early next. My commute will be 5.5 miles.

I currently work 8 hr shifts with regular 15 hr shifts thrown in and I cycle to/from work and although it's only 1.5 miles at the moment i find no matter how tired i am enjoy the cycle and arrive feeling invigorated. Hoping this wont change once the distance is greater.

 

[Peteaud]

Well I normally commute. Leaving home at about 04:15 (or 16:15), do a 12 hour shift, and get home about 18:15 (or 06:15). Shortest route is 8 miles, normal route is 8.5, and the good weather route is 13.4.
I space my food out during the day, with the bulk eaten in the last half of the shift, and to date haven't had a problem. I always take an isotonic drink, and ensure I drink as I would on a ride (someting every 20 minutes, the garmin has an alarm to remind me).

When I say a normally commute, thats because I normally do 2 days, 2 nights and then four rest days, least hours I've worked since leaving college in 92. But at present out of the 4 man team 1 is on holiday and 2 are in hospital (non work related) so I am currently on day 6 of a 14 day stint, and not even I'm mad enough to cycle with this time scale.

What time do you go to bed / get up for a 04.15 start?

Do you eat anything that early?

 

[nathanicola]

I understand that for a lot of you, you will have no say about what hours you have to work. But it is your bosses who need to get their heads above the water so they can start to understand and take on board that our personnel are our most important asset.

Best regards

Chris

Completely agree with what you wrote but allot of people work those hours because they DO have a say in what hours they work.
Some chaps where i work are only on 6.50ph so try to get all the hours they can, like finishing after midnight satarday night and back in for 5:00 sunday morning. By the time they get home and in bed they are only getting a couple hrs sleep and they keep asking is there any more hrs they can have. I have to keep telling them to go home.

 

[Sara_H]

I have two jobs (luck aren't I ?).

Job 1 is 12 hour shifts (days and nights) physically and mentally exhausting. Job 2 is traditional office hours, mostly desk work, but again a bit mentally gruelling.

Funnily enough, I feel less like the ride home after an office day tha a shift.

 

[bicyclos]

When I came out of self employment I worked for a carpet yarn place and used to work every hour going nearly 70hrs per week for a while. I was like a zombie, work and sleep with no social life. When I reflect now on what hours I used to work, I must have been mad. I had this desire and bought an antique violin and bow. I didnt cycle back then much and didnt commute by bike but I still have and play the violin 15yrs on. Old habits die hard as where I work now, any overtime that is going I am in there to grab it. Im older and creak more but any money extra I earn in my wage goes on cycling.

As the OP says,"But i find myself driving in due to the early start and long day (physical work) and i am like the walking dead by 6PM" If you are finding things tough just cycle in 2 or 3 times a week to get your cycling fix. A desk job is totally different from physcial manual work and in both situations you can be tired in both different ways. We all can cope with different demands that are thrown at us, some cope and some break. personally, if I found it too hard to cycle to work and it effected my livelihood I would look at alternatives. The bicycle has been apart of me for a good 40yrs but I also enjoy motorcycling, driving, flying, rollor skates and skydiving(the best)......

 

[Crankarm]

I work 12 hour shifts, 6AM - 6PM but only have a 6 mile jouney (12 miles a day).

But i find myself driving in due to the early start and long day (physical work) and i am like the walking dead by 6PM.

Who else does silly hours and commutes?

I would be interested in any tips / hints to help.

Man-up, man-up.

 

[DRHysted]

What time do you go to bed / get up for a 04.15 start?

Do you eat anything that early?

Sorry for the delay, I'm still working days, lost the signal so no internet, and by the time I get home all I want is food and bed (now on day 9).

I don't start work at 04:15 (my official shifts are 6 to 6) thats when I leave home. The alarm goes at 03:55, and its up, dress, loo, and leave (I can't cope with any food first thing in the morning).
It normally takes 25 to 30 minutes to get in, then about 20 to 30 minutes to cool down, shower, and dress.
I take 3 sandwiches an energy bar (nature valley or eat natural) and packet of crisps, and eat them at intervals during the day, with the bulk being eaten in intervals after 12:00.
Cycling home afterwards gives me a bit of a buzz, sometimes I can leave work feeling utterly deflated and tired, and then as I;m going along the legs get a life of their own and I racing my best time.
When I first started I drove in with the bike and gear, cycled home that night and back in in the morning, then drove home the next day. Built it up till I was driving in on my first shift, cycling for rest, and then cycling home at the end. Up until this month I had drove less than once a month.