Since finishing studying engineering for 3 years, I did a lot of farming jobs and a few engineering jobs. All of which were shift work. Farming work was mostly 12 hour shifts. Looking back on it, 12 hour shifts were best… Since when I did my 40 hours, I was allowed to take time off. Being young, I didn't I just kept working to get more money. Anyway… Fast forward 8 years, I got a job in a food factory. It was a good job. Shift work as usual for food factories. They changed it so many times but we tried 12 hours 4 days per week. I loved it. Extra day off per week. Monday to Thursday. Then they changed it to 3 shifts Sunday night to Friday night. I refused to rotate 3 shifts. I tried it for 2 months but I couldn't rotate from back shift finishing at 10pm on Friday to nightshift starting on Sunday night at 10pm. I eventually just did early and back as I'm used to but I eventually left to where I am now….
When I applied for this job, I knew full well it was 9am to 5pm. I had so many people over the years complaining “oh my god I wish i was 9-5 its so much better”. Even at the food factory job, people kept recommending making day shift 9am to 5pm instead of 6am to 2pm. So this made me think it was better…
6 months until this job… IT IS SHIT. You can't do fuck all. Literally. If I need to make a doctor's appointment, I have to take a day off. Losing money. Need to organise delivery of a parcel? Can't… Need to get it delivered elsewhere or pay extra for Saturday. Need an unexpected densit appointment? You lose a day's wage. It's shit… Why do people like 9 to 5? I'm a morning person. Starting at 9am feels late to me.
To be fair I complained about this. My work is now training me for shift work, which is start machines in the morning and turn off and clean on back shift. I quite literally cannot do 9 to 5. It feels like slavery and you are punished for doing basic health stuff like dentist and doctors appointments.