Working At The Weekend & My Experience

I have worked nearly every weekend for the past five years, so what do I think…

Did you know that more people work on the weekends than those who don’t?? Its like bank holidays, there is more people that work than don’t, but why?? Because the world doesn’t pause because its a weekend or if we have an extra day to chill. I have worked nearly every weekend for the last five years. YIKES I know. Well give or take having holidays and maybe the rare Saturday off, but still that is the nature of having a job whilst being a student.

My first job was cleaning rooms in a hotel. Not the most glamorous – even though we were actually called ‘room attendants’ and definitely not something I would go back to. But it did teach me a lot. Time constraints, customer services and tackling challenges, but most importantly… the patience of having to work weekends – even those scorching hot ones. Absolutely loved watching every one have barbecues and go to the beach when I was sweating buckets cleaning toilets. But in all seriousness, whether I was working in the hotel, or behind a bar like I do now weekend shifts are a given.

Now working behind a bar, and having uni work AND a blog to keep on top of I know that working at the weekend is and essential. I do then know that when I get a weekend off – its pretty damn lush. Even though bar work means late shifts, the odd drunken customer and parties with questionable music tastes, I am used to it and *sometimes* enjoy it. How have I learnt to deal with working at the weekend??? Heres how…

Be prepared.

Often I end up working a twelve hour shift behind the bar which means lunch, snacks and dinner. It means not being able to leave work all day so you have to have a high amount of prep for that. In the past, we have gotten dominos in our break, or I have nipped down to Tesco to get a meal deal. I have a bit of a mental checklist. Food. Tick. Makeup. Tick. Keys. Tick. PREPARATION PEOPLE.

Get it done.

What makes working at the weekend 100x worse?? Sitting there, thinking about it and procrastinating. I am a sucker for this. I mean I am sat here writing this post, on a Sunday, with Netflix on in the background trying to get it written but Riverdale is just too damn tempting. But NO COME ON EMILY. Sometimes it is too tempting to just say ‘Chill, take your time, its the weekend you can do the rest in the week’. If you just knuckle down, get it done in the morning when everyone is still sleeping off the night before antics then you can jump back in bed, or carry on and enjoy the rest of the day. Or if you have a shift, don’t over think it, try and enjoy it and think about what you can do afterwards.

Comfort all the way.

I have a prime example of this. Yesterday I had planned to wear some nice trousers to work, and some nicer than normal shoes as we had a wedding reception at work. In the end I gave in, just put some black jeans on and my leather converse because it was going to be a busy ass shift, with drinks probably being spilt behind the bar, so whats the point in ruining nice clothes. And I was dead comfortable. Well more comfortable than running around in shoes that would give me blisters. Want get through your shift more easily. Comfort is key.

Make sure you have some ‘me’ time.

Whenever your shift is, or whenever you try and get on with some revision or work at home know when that is and then try and fit in some time for you. If I am working at home, doing uni work or a blog post, I find myself being more productive after mid day. The morning is a big no NO from me. So I’d rather take the time in the morning to have a nice lie in, a fat brekkie and then do all the TLC jazz than in the evening when I will be more productive or have work. You have to give yourself some kind of ‘weekend’ or else you might go a little crazy.

Know you aren’t the only one.

Like I said at the beginning, more people actually work at the weekends than don’t. Whether you have a shift, you have school work or revision, or you are self-employed a lot of people are in the same position. Get you head down and get it done, but have that nap, have that G&T and do treat yourself because working at the weekend is a task and a half.

What have been your plans for this weekend?? Let me know below.

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