Long shift

[Will-Mun]

In about ten minutes or so, I will be leaving for a nine hour shift... Now I know some of you will look at that, and re-read it to make sure you read it right. I know nine hours isn't terribly long, as many of you have probably worked something in the teens on a weekly basis... But the longest I've worked at Toys R' Us so far is eight, and thats what I'm fine with.

I just don't like working anything more than eight hours. It seems like a little much to ask of me. The day is broken off into three sections of eight (if your lucky.) Eight hours of sleep, eight hours of work, and then eight hours to pack EVERYTHING else in. So when work starts to cut into more than it's fair share it just... bugs me.

I like the standard five to eight hour shifts, I think that is a decent retail shift... If I have to stay later because it's busy or someones called out, I'm not happy... but I'm okay with that. But being scheduled for more just seems a bit much.

[KellyHabersham]

Nine hours is pretty much the standard shift for me at the library, it's not too bad except that it makes it really hard to do anything else the rest of the day, especially if I need to do something that would require taking the bus. But the longest I've ever worked though, was a nine hour shift at the library, and then a 3 hour shift at Macy's......latter was possible only because my mom had been willing & available to pick me up from the first job and drive me to the second.

[crazylegs]

Ten hour shift is the norm for my current job, although it was nine in the job before, so I know how hard the adjustment period is.

[Knightmare]

Try working a 15 hour day. I did that on Black Friday, 3 years in a row.
First by accident, other two by choice.

Talk about $$$$$ I made those days!

But otherwise, yes. I agree with you. 8 hours is plenty long enough for a retail job.

[blas]

One nine hour shift isn't jack shit.

Try three ten hour shifts in a row. Or two twelves to go along with your other shifts that week. Or try 48-56 hour work weeks every week since July. That's a problem!

[Saydrah]

I like long shifts, personally- I'd much rather work four tens and have an extra day off than five eights and only two days off.

[blas]

I'm sorry about how bitchy my last response was. I love all you guys on here and never mean to hurt feelings, if that's how it came out...

But having said that, and what I've been going through since July, I really can't find it in myself to have sympathy for someone unhappy about one long shift. I get new trainees every week who complain about having to work five 8 hour shifts a week (but no overtime, temps aren't allowed to) when all the regular employees have had to do 10 and 12 hour shifts since July.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

The last time I worked nine or ten-hour days, it was particularly hard because then I had to drive an hour and a half back home (I was working at a different store about 70 miles away).

The money was great though. All the overtime I wanted, plus mileage.

[PuckishOne]

I get new trainees every week who complain about having to work five 8 hour shifts a week

Woo boy, would I LOVE to get some of these folks in my office. Anyone who thinks a 40-hour work week is too much for them needs a major attitude adjustment, to say the least. If you can make ends meet on fewer hours, more power to you, but I have yet to meet this strange and mystical creature.

[Boozy]

I don't like to work longer than 8 hours either. 8 hours in a retail environment can be exhausting.

That's 8 hours on your feet, 8 hours of being friendly and outgoing to people who are sometimes rude to you, 8 hours pretending to care about products you hate, 8 hours maintaining enough focus on the cash so that you balance at the end of the day, 8 hours of Christmas music pumped into your ears.

My husband works 12 hour days at his office quite frequently, but he is able to take quick breaks whenever he wants and vary his tasks to keep his mind fresh. And he's not surrounded by the public the whole time.

He always comes home from those 12-hour days with more energy and enthusiasm than I do after working a standard 8-hour shift at the store.

[Becks]

The most I'll willingly work is a 12 hour shift.

Looks like I'll be doing that for the next couple of weeks.

[Primer]

I worked 6:30 am to 8pm Mon-Thurs, 4-11 (or later) pm on Fri, noon-10 (or later) pm on Sat and 8am-5pm on Sun for several years. Commute time was additional. I made a hellacious amount of $$, though! I was able to pay off all my bills, buy my truck for cash ($15K) and put down $18K on my new house and land out in the boonies. I don't regret doing it, but I don't have the stamina/health to do it again. I admire all of you who can/do as I know what it takes!

[Becks]

Looks like I'll be doing that for the next couple of weeks.

Oooops, I was slightly wrong.

Mere 10 hour days most of this coming week.

I'm sure I'll get more hours the closer it gets to Christmas.

[TNT]

Try a 96 hour shift sometime. Yes, you heard that right. Of course, 48 hour shifts weren't uncommon in my line of work.

[blas]

Ok, you totally win.