Personal Development Community

Hi everyone,

Starting today, I’ll be working the “late shift” at work on day a week (Thursdays), which runs from 12:00 to 8:30.  My question for anyone on a similar schedule is, when do you eat your meals?  I had breakfast around 8, and normally I’d have lunch around 1:30.  That seems too soon after getting in to work.  Do I have something small before I leave (around 11) and have a meal in the late afternoon?  Do I stick with my normal 1:30 and 7:00 meals and take two “lunch” breaks?  Or what?

Many thanks!
Julie

First off are you keeping to the same sleep schedule on your late shift day?  Do you have to go in at the normal time on Friday’s?

Next what are the “rules” around breaks at your workplace?  By law they only have to give you one 1/2 hr meal break (unpaid) after 4 (or is it 5?) hours of work, but you should be entitled to a 15 min paid break after about 2 hrs.  That is if I remember the labour laws correctly - but I’m in Ontario - they may differ in Quebec. 

How much break time are you allowed in your 8.5 hrs of work… do you get paid for only 8hrs?  (That would account for a 1/2 hr unpaid break) If your break schedule is flexible then I’d stick to your normal eating, especially if your not going to alter your sleep schedule.  OR you could eat a few smaller meals throughout the day to keep you fueled.  That is what all the diet grurus (sp?) are advocating these days anyway

Hi Catherine,

I keep more-or-less to the same sleep schedule on my late shift.  I may sleep in an extra 20-30 minutes, but nothing major.  Every other day (including Fridays), I work from 10 to 6:30.

My work is pretty flexible about breaks.  Essentially, we’re paid for 8 work hours a day.  Breaks are unpaid.  Theoretically, I could take an 1-hour break and spend 9 hours at the office (1 hour break + 8 hours of work).  I try to stick to a half-hour because I don’t want to be in the office for too long.  I can take my break any time want, so long as the work gets done.

Cheers,
Julie

I’d stick with your normal eating times. It’s not like you’re taking a lunch break half an hour after getting there. If it feels weird, push it to 2 or 2:30 and have breakfast a tad later. Does everyone at work go out to eat together, or meet in the breakroom?

Bree

Hi Bree,

What I did this week was to have breakfast at my normal time, have a snack just before heading in to work, having “lunch” around 3:30, and then dinner when I got out of the office.  It seemed to work pretty well.

Cheers,
Julie

hey guys,

I was going to agree with Bree one but it sounds like he figured out anyway—no surprise there.

Keep up the great work Julie!