How to manage your time when working in shifts

When you work in an industry that operates 24/7, 365 days a year, it can be difficult to manage your personal life and create a healthy work-life balance. When you work in shift rotations that change often, it is hard to find a routine that you can follow. For some people, it can disturb their private life as they may be at work when their loved ones and family members are at home after school or work. Individuals can lose out on spending special occasions with their families or attending important milestones of their children. Working in shifts usually means working for 10-12 hours a day which can be mentally and physically straining and can lead to burn-out and mental and physical exhaustion.

Here we are listing 5 ways to manage your time when working in shifts to balance your working and personal life:

1. Find a routine that works for you and your family, and stick to it.

Depending on your shift that day, you may have the morning, afternoon, evening or the night off. Think about these times and consider when you had the best times when you could focus on your tasks and felt more energised to run errands. Some people have a set meal plan that helps them achieve healthy eating habits while they have a limited time to prepare meals or they are restricted on what kind of lunch/dinner they can take to work. A heathy balanced diet is not only important for your physical and mental well-being but it also prepares you for the day ahead and sets you up with the much-needed nutrients.

 If you don’t have time to make or cook something in-between shifts, you can ask a family member or friend to share a meal plan and plan healthy meals together. There are many food delivery services that give you the recipe and the ingredients and it makes it easier to create a healthy meal in under 30 minutes. They can be pricey; however, they save you time in prepping, shopping and washing up. You can meal prep for the week ahead on your day/days off which provides a much cheaper alternative. You can make big batches of food and freeze smaller portions that can be enjoyed later by the whole family.

If you live with a family member, friend, housemates or partner, you can share the responsibilities of household chores and discuss when you are all available so you can split up the tasks equally.

2. Create a different schedule for your day/days off.

It is easier to say, but try not to cram in too much on your day/days off. By the end of the working week, household chores build up which need to be done, but don’t forget, your day off is the only time when you can schedule some ‘me time’. Other days when you are working, you have to take care of so much: shopping, school runs, childcare, cleaning, working 10-12-hour shifts, walking the dog, looking after your family and the list goes on. On your day off, you should focus on yourself as much as possible. Now, it doesn’t mean you should neglect your other duties; however, you should spend at least some time of your day doing what you love.

You can do so much to improve your physical and mental health and well-being! If you enjoy baking and cooking, you can try out new recipes, if you love the outdoors, go camping or on a hike, if you enjoy exercising, join a gym or go to dancing lessons with friends, if you enjoy reading, go to the library or a book shop and buy a book. You can treat yourself by buying some cakes and coffee in the new coffee shop downtown, buy some new clothes in the mall, visit friends and family, go to the cinema or rent the newest Disney film on Disney+. It all depends on what you like to do. Find something that make you happy and just do it and enjoy it. It will do you wonders in the long run.

3. Make sure to get at least 7-8 hours of undisturbed sleep a day/night.

When you work in shifts, the sleep schedule can get really disturbed; you can work nights in which case you would have to sleep during the day which can be challenging for many reasons. Most people conduct their daily routines during the day and go about their daily activities while you are trying to catch up on your sleep after a night of work. The sun is shining, there are roadworks outside, the delivery driver has just knocked on your door… These elements can all disturb your daily sleep which in turn can disrupt your work at night.

If you struggle to sleep during the day when you work at night, try using a scented or unscented eye pillow or eye mask. They have calming effects are they are often infused with lavender or chamomile and block out the light. You can also purchase weighted eye pillows that are also beneficial to ease migraine headaches.

You may find that exercising before you go to bed can be extremely helpful – this doesn’t mean you have to break a sweat; it is the opposite: you can do gentle Pilates, restorative or yin yoga or go for a slow walk on the fresh air. These exercises have calming effects on your body and mind and can help get you ready to bed. You can also practise meditation and breathing techniques that can help slow down your breathing and help focus your thoughts on positive things.

4. Write down a list of smart, but achievable goals for the near future.

When you create your list of goals, write down things that make you excited – these can be family events or public events you want to attend, a weekly routine you want to achieve, a workout you wish to complete, a date with your partner, a family day out etc. These goals should be realistic and positive goals which means that completing them should make you feel accomplished, positive and excited. They also bring a sense of achievement, authenticity and adventure into your daily life. When you work in shifts, it can be hard to schedule family time into your routine, so make sure you take time to show your loved ones you much you care for them and appreciate them. Family days out give you a great energy and mood boost while spending quality time together with your family.

5. Take time off for your mental health if needed.

If you feel that your hectic work schedule has started to affect your mental well-being negatively, go seek out your company’s mental health advocate or champion. If your company doesn’t have its own mental health first aider, you can confide in a designated HR personnel or your manager. Most often they are trained in mental health awareness and are able to address any employee welfare issues. They can also direct you to free counselling sessions if your company offers this service. You can also take a Mental Health Day if needed.

Working in shifts is not for everyone – however, it can be very useful for different employees and companies. Sometimes certain industries’ services must be available to customers at all times which means the workers also need to take turns to be able to answer to that demand. It can be difficult to create the right balance of home and work when working in shifts, however, with the right support from the employer, it can happen. This could be a system that benefits all: the employees, their families, the customers and the business. But never forget, if you feel like, it is too much, act now, and take measures to protect yourself and your mental and physical health and well-being.

If you need more advice on how to look after your mental health, you can view our free webinar here: Mental Health webinar