I recently took a new job (I am a nurse, switched from the ER to the ICU), and I will be on nights for at least a year.
Nights aren’t new for me, but previously my shift ended at 3:00AM, so I had a good few hours to hit the gym pool or go for a night time run.
However, the new shift ends at 7:30(ish), and they are 12 hour shifts.
How do you balance family, work, school (for me school is online as I finish up my Bachelor’s, so I can fit that in just fine), and workouts? I am going to begin my spool up to the 1/2 IM Boise on January 7th, and I am needing some help figuring out how to fit in a workout either before or after 12 hours shifts. Should I concentrate on resting, stretching and some weights on those days and double up my workouts on non work days?
Also wondering what more experienced 12 hour shift workers have been doing for nutrition… typically I stay up for the first 24 hour day of the work week, so I can eat 6+ meals, or should I not…
Any helpful experience would be awesome!
Thanks!
13yrs as a graveyard guy. I work 8 hr shifts with rotating days of… 5 on 2 off 5 on 3 off. I have had a wife for all 13 of those yrs and kids 7 and 5 hrs now. Like anything new it takes some time to get into a routine and see what works. I have gotten to the point where I actaually prefer this shift to others. When I am up during the day and everyone else is at work, errands are way quicker, when I am forced to go to the gym in the winters, it is less crowded. I have done alright for myself. I made it to Clearwater, Vegas, and this year Kona and qualed for Boston 2014, so you can be succesfull, I would even go so far as to see it can be helpful. I see that you are working 12hr shifts, but you didnt mention days off, I assume is something like 4 on 4 off or some varriant with an extra work / off day here and there? Last year when I was focused on IM distance, my typical day consists of coming home at around 0600, then I sleep til 1300-1400 or so, coffee, breakfast and then a 1.5.-2hr workout then i get the kids from school hang out with the family and off to work. WHen my days off fell on the weekdays while my wife and kids were either at school or work I would put in the long days 5-6 hrs rides / bricks etc. I wouldnt miss any family time, i could get in long workouts then still have time for errands chores etc to keep my wife happy. Very rarely, maybe 2-3 times did I ever end up doing long stuff when they were home. Also on my days off I would rotate back to thier schedule. So after my “friday” shift, I would only sleep til about 11-1130 so I could then go to sleep at a “normal” time with my wife and up the next days. On my Mondays I would have to adjust back. Typically I would get up early 0400 or so and go to the gym or run outside if it was summer. I would then come home, see the kids off to school, stay up another 2+/- hrs and take a nap until about 1400-1500, so I could make it through the shift that night. I would be carfeul with that 6meal plan. On my first day off, I would end up only eating 2 full meals lunch and dinner, and on Mondays I would usually have 3-4 meals. I dont see anything good coming out of 6 meals and no sleep. It takes some time getting used to, but trust me it can be done.