Handling the lack of routine at the workplace

mirrinias

Hi everyone,

I recently accepted a job that has left me with schedules that are different every day. For example, today I worked from 6:45 am to 3:15pm, and tomorrow I will be working 10:30 pm until 7 pm. Lunches aren't scheduled, it's whenever the boss tells us to go, and I also don't get breaks (which is illegal in my state, but that's besides the point.)

I used to have a very routine schedule: up at 6:50 am every day, catch the bus at 7:35, and work started at 9am with breaks at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm. It was the same every day and therefore easy for me to plan and spread out my meals in such a way to keep my hunger at a minimum. It was a sedentary job.

This job is more physically active, as I am working at a doggy daycare, and cannot sit down and do a lot of cleaning/lifting/etc. With one 30 minute lunch that may or may not be quite in the middle of the day. This leaves me ravenous and stuffing my face with as much as possible during lunchtime so I'm not faint and the end of the next five hours, using up many of my calories. So at the end of the day, I'm very hungry, have used up most of my calories, and I end up overeating at dinner.

I've only been at this job for three days and I can already see that this is going to be a problem for me. So how have you guys coped with the lack of a routine at your job/going for long periods without food?