Has anyone experienced burn out due to shift work and night shift?

I spent 20 years working 80-100 hour weeks and convinced myself it was worth it for the money. The trade off was I never saw my kids, my marriage was a disaster, and I had a heart attack and a stroke before I turned 40. In the end, the house, money, and retirement savings ended up going to my ex-wife anyway.

I switched industries and started over, taking a 60% pay cut. It was the best decision I ever made. It's taken a year to adjust to working a normal schedule and being home this much with my new wife and young step kids. It's going to take a lot longer to undo the damage to my relationship with my adult kids and grandkids from my first marriage.

I miss the money, but I'll never regret taking back my time.
 
memtb said:
Man does that sound like my job at Exxon (Plastics) in BR. I'd be a "pimp" before ever working that shift again.

Your a much tougher man than me. I had an opportunity to transfer (across company lines) to Wyoming in the mid '80's. That fulfilled a dream from my childhood! memtb
Click to expand...
When did you work at Exxon?
 
Up until the late 70's they worked 8 hour shifts which took 3 people to man 24 hours. The company got the young guys to vote for eoweo because on the 8 hour off days were by seniority. It might take 15 years to get a weekend off. The company was supposed to maintain an extra board to cover the ot but that never happened. With the 8 hour shift you might work a 16 if your relief called in but you typically did not work your off days. Also with the 8 hour you had a little more time for your body to adjust.
 
cajun said:
Up until the late 70's they worked 8 hour shifts which took 3 people to man 24 hours. The company got the young guys to vote for eoweo because on the 8 hour off days were by seniority. It might take 15 years to get a weekend off. The company was supposed to maintain an extra board to cover the ot but that never happened. With the 8 hour shift you might work a 16 if your relief called in but you typically did not work your off days. Also with the 8 hour you had a little more time for your body to adjust.
Click to expand...

That sounds like the refinery or the chem plant……I could be very wrong, but I thought that the Plastics Plant started out EOWEO! memtb
 
It may just be a short lived thing. I've worked the same job for 18-19years this summer was the easiest most laid back. But it's also the first year I had very little desire to get my cars out. Normally if I had 6 hours home I got one out to drive. This year not once have I don't that. Now I still love my cars but just wasn't feeling it. This comes and goes with me in all hobbies. So I could be work or just you needed a bit of down time
 
cajun said:
Up until the late 70's they worked 8 hour shifts which took 3 people to man 24 hours. The company got the young guys to vote for eoweo because on the 8 hour off days were by seniority. It might take 15 years to get a weekend off. The company was supposed to maintain an extra board to cover the ot but that never happened. With the 8 hour shift you might work a 16 if your relief called in but you typically did not work your off days. Also with the 8 hour you had a little more time for your body to adjust.
Click to expand...
That actually takes 4 people per 24 hour shift since one person is off while the other three work. The fourth person covers sick/OT/vacation etc. I hated 8 hour shifts, when someone called in sick it turned into a 16 hour shift.
 
Mrvmax said:
That actually takes 4 people per 24 hour shift since one person is off while the other three work. The fourth person covers sick/OT/vacation etc. I hated 8 hour shifts, when someone called in sick it turned into a 16 hour shift.
Click to expand...
The older guys liked it because they always had their off days which were usually tied into a weekend.
 
Mrvmax said:
That actually takes 4 people per 24 hour shift since one person is off while the other three work. The fourth person covers sick/OT/vacation etc. I hated 8 hour shifts, when someone called in sick it turned into a 16 hour shift.
Click to expand...
So you can say the same thing about 12 hour. Either way they needed less people to man 24 hours.
 
I could work a 48-60 continuous hour day, sleep 2-5 and go again without food, but needed energy drinks/gatorade/COLD water to keep hydrated. Now my problem is severe neck pain that replaced my work hours.
 

Similar threads

338weatherby
Point of impact shift
Replies
12
Views
1K
NorCalRiceGuy
NorCalRiceGuy
Len Backus
Why does your scope's zero shift? - video
2
Replies
22
Views
26K
ehryk
ehryk
tillroot1
to anyone willing to help out!
Replies
4
Views
2K
tillroot1
tillroot1
H
How'd that work out?????
Replies
0
Views
264
Handymike
H
C
Cant work out how to post a picture????
Replies
5
Views
2K
Buffalobob
Buffalobob

Recent Posts

Top