Can anyone else relate or have advice?

Divinewind

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Work has been kicking my ass. Work at a large retail store as a department manager. My Team is made up of small women who rely on me for ALL the heavy lifting (usually between 30 to 200 lbs).By the time I'm done on my usual 12 hour shifts, I'm physically exhausted. I've got no energy to hit the gym after work and that's mentally messing with me too. Anyone relate to the situation and have advice on how to keep going?
 
How many days a week, surely not (5)12s ? You could use a 3/4 split and workout on your off days.
 
Try to focus on things within your control. Make sure you get your necessary sleep (7-9 hours) and eat well. Perhaps consider lifting before work, even if that means waking up at 4-5am. Maybe try to get a main session on a day off and another session or two on the days you work before work.

I get better sleep on AAKG supplement(4-5g). I also take melatonin.

Work to reduce stress as much as you can. There are also some supplements you can try like ashwagandha and bocopa monnieri which can help.

I have worked six years in retail and know a little bit of what you have to go through. I'd strongly consider making physical requirements a part of the hiring requirements for the positions(since as a manager you probably have direct input). I would also think about which physical job requirements the other staff can handle. Most women can lift 30 lb. Multiple women can lift heavier objects as a team. As a manager your role is to lead, supervise, manage, train/coach(e.g. proper mechanics to lift heavy objects as a team), etc. While doing the same tasks every so often or with the staff is a morale booster no doubt, if you do it in place of the subordinates then that's not good either.

Also make sure you have good pair of shoes for work. I'd buy separate good insoles. Sometimes I spent as much on separate insoles as I did on the shoes and they were well worth it. It will save your feet/knees/back/etc.
 
How many days a week, surely not (5)12s ? You could use a 3/4 split and workout on your off days.
My schedule this week was 9am-9:30pm, 7:30AM - 8:45PM, 6:00-2:00 then back 7:00pm-9pm, 6:00am- 2:00 then back from 6pm-10pm and finally 9am to 9:30pm.


But I think you're right. Just have to do what I can, when I can. Gotta hit my goals.
 
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Try to focus on things within your control. Make sure you get your necessary sleep (7-9 hours) and eat well. Perhaps consider lifting before work, even if that means waking up at 4-5am. Maybe try to get a main session on a day off and another session or two on the days you work before work.

I get better sleep on AAKG supplement(4-5g). I also take melatonin.

Work to reduce stress as much as you can. There are also some supplements you can try like ashwagandha and bocopa monnieri which can help.

I have worked six years in retail and know a little bit of what you have to go through. I'd strongly consider making physical requirements a part of the hiring requirements for the positions(since as a manager you probably have direct input). I would also think about which physical job requirements the other staff can handle. Most women can lift 30 lb. Multiple women can lift heavier objects as a team. As a manager your role is to lead, supervise, manage, train/coach(e.g. proper mechanics to lift heavy objects as a team), etc. While doing the same tasks every so often or with the staff is a morale booster no doubt, if you do it in place of the subordinates then that's not good either.

Also make sure you have good pair of shoes for work. I'd buy separate good insoles. Sometimes I spent as much on separate insoles as I did on the shoes and they were well worth it. It will save your feet/knees/back/etc.

I have actually no say so in the hiring. We kind of hire whoever applies and just sort of put them wherever is struggling most, regardless of their experience. Big guys go to the receiving department, everyone else gets whats left over. My stuff gets done because I'm stupid and take pride in my work. I get the girls because I have a lady and don't hit on them, so I'm the safe one to put them with.
 
What is your annual total compensation (salary plus bonus)?

Depending on how much you make, you can get some supplements and personal/private training
 
My schedule this week was 9am-9:30pm, 7:30AM - 8:45PM, 6:00-2:00 then back 7:00pm-9pm, 6:00am- 2:00 then back from 6pm-10pm and finally 9am to 9:30pm.


But I think you're right. Just have to do what I can, when I can. Gotta hit my goals.
This might be the shittiest work schedule I've ever seen. You do every shift throughout the week? How do you even develop a sleep pattern? Also if you're working hard physically at work, you need less activity at the gym. You could get away with 30 mins of something 4 days a week and be fine. I'd be worried about working out interrupting your sleep though.
 
This might be the shittiest work schedule I've ever seen. You do every shift throughout the week? How do you even develop a sleep pattern? Also if you're working hard physically at work, you need less activity at the gym. You could get away with 30 mins of something 4 days a week and be fine. I'd be worried about working out interrupting your sleep though.

I sort of sleep in shifts. 3 hours at night and then another 3 after work when I work the morning shift. And yeah, that's not far off from my normal weekly schedule. I get every other weekend off and a random one in-between. I get paid pretty well and my bonuses are great, so I put in the hours.
 
This might be the shittiest work schedule I've ever seen. You do every shift throughout the week? How do you even develop a sleep pattern? Also if you're working hard physically at work, you need less activity at the gym. You could get away with 30 mins of something 4 days a week and be fine. I'd be worried about working out interrupting your sleep though.

Big retail chains often treat their low to mid-level managers like shit. One of the reasons I'm happy to stay as a grunt; I know my schedule, have very little responsibility and, as long as I meet the terms of my contract, go home exactly when my shift is finished.
 
Big retail chains often treat their low to mid-level managers like shit. One of the reasons I'm happy to stay as a grunt; I know my schedule, have very little responsibility and, as long as I meet the terms of my contract, go home exactly when my shift is finished.

Imagine aiming this low in life.
 
Well Mr divine wind on a schedule like that you're gonna have to really eat a lot of good food. If you can't get more regular sleep you only have food left as a positive way to increase your energy. You simply have to eat more healthy food you like.

What there is is a big list of things that should if you ever do, will disqualify you from seeking advice. If you do any of these instead of sleep and eat, you're an idiot who is trading his life for these things and you call it "money".

So never any:
Drinking
Tv
Bars
Clubs

If you work those hours and spend anytime on anything other that your health or family, stop working those hours because you are trading your health and family for money you don't have the brains to spend.

Other than that, you gotta eat up dude because you're constantly using energy. You only have sleep and food to recharge your available energy. That's it. So outside of those too, understand you're making a choice with everything including your schedule. I don't mean you get choices on a silver platter, but just because you decide to work for the most money you can doesn't mean you get access to free energy shortcuts. Same rules apply.

Cliffs: With a very full belly, stay positive about why you're doing this which is hopefully your health and family.
 
Big retail chains often treat their low to mid-level managers like shit. One of the reasons I'm happy to stay as a grunt; I know my schedule, have very little responsibility and, as long as I meet the terms of my contract, go home exactly when my shift is finished.

Army or Marines?
 
Army or Marines?

Army Reserve a very long time ago. But in this context, "Grunt" refers to a GA or General Assistant in Retail terms. A guy who does the heavy lifting; unloads wagons(lorries)pulls cages, stacks shelves etc.
 
I sort of sleep in shifts. 3 hours at night and then another 3 after work when I work the morning shift. And yeah, that's not far off from my normal weekly schedule. I get every other weekend off and a random one in-between. I get paid pretty well and my bonuses are great, so I put in the hours.

Do you have space for a home gym? Since your time is so limited, cutting out travelling to a gym might make all the difference.
 
Army Reserve a very long time ago. But in this context, "Grunt" refers to a GA or General Assistant in Retail terms. A guy who does the heavy lifting; unloads wagons(lorries)pulls cages, stacks shelves etc.

Oh solid. I've done both also. I was going to compare his schedule to that of a grunt and then I saw your post. It really is a situation where the job is what it is, and the person working it needs to do everything they can to keep their energy up. I remember lots of guys who couldn't stop complaining about the schedule but they (we?) were always the ones up all night drinking and eating like shit.

So a job like this is never gonna be easy but you just gotta tighten up as much as you can and get the most you can out of eating and sleeping.
 
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