Goodbye everyone, 84 hour work weeks

[Let It Fall]

So starting tuesday Im working 12 hours a day 7 days a week.

Any tips to keep me sane? [seriously]

If your asking why, I plan on going to college in 6 months [which is how long the job will last] and I need to pay off my debts and save up as much as possible, and 2300$ week isn't bad.

Im already thinking of buying a new precision. Someone stop me.

Seriously any tips? Things I should eat? Things I should avoid? How am I going to have a life and play in a band and work 6am-6pm

[Tahoe_Ed]

I worked 12's before but only 5. I was trying to go to school at the time and it did not work well. No life what ever. I wish you luck. It is only 6 months and with an end in sight you should be ok.

[MCBTunes]

Just tough it out man. Eat balanced meals throughout the day. If you find you are too tired to cook when you get home then cook in bulk(bbq up multiple chicken breasts - you can freeze cooked chicken, chili is another food you can freeze). You really don't want to get hooked on coming home and having pizza or kraft dinner every night. Can't comment on how you'll pull the band/social life off. My brother works stretches pretty hard himself, 24 on 14 hours/day. some times he goes out when he gets back to camp but then you are hurtning the next day. I think you'll find yourself going to bed pretty early.

[GassieBall]

I did it in residency for four years. Some months I worked for 30 hours on, 18 hours off, lather, rinse, and repeat without weekends.

A good diet and a little exercise went a long way. Also, good "sleep hygiene" - a dark room, no TV, even earplugs/mask to maximize the quality of sleep you get.

[funkybass4ever]

dont overdo the caffeine-sure it will keep you awake and alert during the day but it will affect your sleep if you have too much. eat good and exercise.

[tplyons]

What kind of job is it?

I was doing 66 hour weeks in a lumberyard, open to close seven days and the strenuous labor took it's toll. Proper hydration is key... avoid caffeine as much as possible, and "sleep hygiene" works wonders. I still sleep with earplugs anytime I have to get up early to head into the office.

And I suppose the exercise is key as well... it was part of my job so I can't comment on whether or not it had much of an effect.

It will be physically and emotionally exhausting, and you will feel the burn out after a few weeks. Just keep your eyes on the prize and you'll find a way to get through.

Eat plenty of carbs, drink plenty of water. Worked wonders for me. Avoid wasting time on TB, TV, and give up alcohol entirely. It's not a time for any vices, it's a time to make money.

[DblG]

Originally Posted by Let It Fall

Im already thinking of buying a new precision. Someone stop me.

Stop, don't do it!
I did my part, the rest is up to you.

Good Luck!

[SBassman]

I work 80 hour weeks. And more.

Get used to it. The American Dream now blows chunks, and staying employed - in my world, anyway - requires a ridiculous, unhealthy amount of energy.

Nothing crappier than working all those hours to make Someone Else's business grow, not mine. But I digress ...

[i_got_a_mohawk]

$2300 a week? You're right that's pretty damned good!

Best advice I could give, is even thought it will be hard, make sure you get a proper meal in you each day. Don't fall back to takeaways or anything.

[AJ Brown]

* Save ALL your money.
* Eat every three hours (~250 calories per if possible) to keep your body going. Eat good stuff.. veggies, chicken, whole wheat breads, etc.
* Excercise if you can. If the job involved excercise, every once in awhile get your heart-rate up.
* I agree with avoiding caffeine and keeping hydrated.

Good luck.

[MIJ-VI]

Originally Posted by Let It Fall

So starting tuesday Im working 12 hours a day 7 days a week.

Any tips to keep me sane? [seriously]

If your asking why, I plan on going to college in 6 months [which is how long the job will last] and I need to pay off my debts and save up as much as possible, and 2300$ week isn't bad.

Im already thinking of buying a new precision. Someone stop me.

Seriously any tips? Things I should eat? Things I should avoid? How am I going to have a life and play in a band and work 6am-6pm

From my own experience of once having worked a similar schedule for an extended period of time: booze, drugs, and debt--seriously...

[GeneralElectric]

Originally Posted by SBassman

I work 80 hour weeks. And more.

Get used to it. The American Dream now blows chunks, and staying employed - in my world, anyway - requires a ridiculous, unhealthy amount of energy.

Nothing crappier than working all those hours to make Someone Else's business grow, not mine. But I digress ...

+1

I'm in college full time (6 classes) and I go there 4 days a week. I work a pretty much straight shot from Friday night till monday afternoon. I work something like 45 hour work week there now (my hours were cut) and then another 20 hours of classes, plus 12-14 hours a week commuting.

My body slowly whittled down what I can and cannot eat.

I stopped drinking coffee (I've had something like 2 cups in the last 4 months) If you need a morning pick me up, grab an apple or some (real!) apple juice.

I cut out corn syrup, especially all that high fructose crap. It causes a blood sugar spike, and you're going to feel like crap.

I don't eat a lot of wheat and other whole grains. While I do eat bread occasionally, I don't do so often. Wheat is tough for your body to break down, and you can feel kind of bloated and tired after eating it. (I didn't realize I felt that way until after I cut it out of my diet)

Cut out sugars. I don't like sweet things to begin with, but they're going to cause you to crash.

Eat lots of fruits and veggies. Take Emergen-C or Airborne to boost your immune system as well since the lack of sleep is going to get you and your white blood cells good.

If you can afford it, take a 20 minute nap in the afternoon.

Get some comfy shoes.

[hbarcat]

1) +++ about staying away from booze, drugs, caffeine, ciggs etc.. and eating healthy foods.

2) +++ about making sure you get some minimum of cardio exercise per week. If the job is already a physical workout then it takes care of itself.

3- Keep track of how much time you have left until it ends. Knowing that you have that finish line to look forward to will do more to keep you sane than anything else.

[()smoke()]

i've worked probably almost 2 years worth of 80+ hour weeks in the last 5 years...my view is that everyone is different in regards to our own minds and bodies, so you'll really just have to find what works for you...some people eat healthy, abstain from caffeine, etc. while others use caffeine and other things...some people can do it with very few ill-effects short term, others can't sustain it, some people get to a point where they have to cut back, others can do it indefinitely

[UnsungZeros]

+1 to everything in this thread, but I also wanted to echo this:

Originally Posted by GeneralElectric

Get some comfy shoes.

It would also help to know what kind of work you'll be doing.

[doktorfeelgood]

Doing that job is really going to take a commitment from you time-wise, obviously. And there are some great suggestions already posted here on how to eat, sleep, and treat your body. My only thought is that you should try and get a fill-in for the band your in for that 6 months. IMHO, trying to do both will lead to big problems for both. 6 months is not that long. That and the fact that yer making that kind of do-re-mi should keep you focused. I wish you the best of luck.
BTW, maybe you should wait 'till the 6 months is up to buy a new bass. Unless, of course, you get a stinking good deal on the one that you want before then... )-(

[Let It Fall]

I will be on my feet for 11 of the hours.

I am working construction. So I'll be up and down ladders stairs ect. Walking all day. [industrial construction]

I also plan on working out after a little lifting and some cardio.

I usually do eat decent though passing taco bell is going to be tempting..
My only downfalls, is not enough sleep. Ill get 6 hours of sleep on band practice night [tues] and wend nights [youth church]

I will probably come home one or two days out of the week and sleep from the time I get home..

My only two weaknesses are sleep and caffeine, Ill usually have a red bull before and after work [if im working out.]

[JonathanD]

Gve up the social life. Eat a good breakfast adn take some food. Go home and go to sleep after relaxing and reading a book. No TV, Little internet, and some bass playing. Don;t try to keep all those things you use to do alive during this time.
Jonathan

[fdeck]

Bring enough "real" food and water so you're not eating restaurant food or vended crap every day. Watch yourself when you're tired. You need your hands for bass playing.

[GeneralElectric]

Oh, it hasn't been echoed yet, but how you sleep is very important. Some people recommend sleeping with a blinder or ear plugs or whatever, but whats important is that you establish a circadian rhythm. Try and get to bed on time every night and wake up at roughly the same time every day.