Going back to work after 15yrs as a SAHM, got any tips?

[AintNobodyHereButUsChickens]

I’ve been trying since September to get something admin based but no joy. Out of desperation I’ve taken a job sorting and packing chicken at the local chicken factory. So it’s quite labour intensive with long days (9-5.30 but often with 2hrs overtime), currently feeling very anxious and not really sure what to expect. I start on Monday and from what I gather, it’s pretty much straight into it. You do some induction in the morning and spend the afternoon working in the factory.

We get all PPE, £15 a week for lunches and free hot drinks, so I don’t have to worry about taking a packed lunch. I’ll be uncontactable all day, apart from lunchtime as far as I know so I need to change the kids schools emergency contact to DH.

What else might I need to do or prepare myself for? Feeling very very out of my depth right now, I was 19 when I quit my last job, I was pregnant with my eldest and couldn’t afford to go back so I left.

Good luck @AintNobodyHereButUsChickens - and good for you trying something totally different. Are you full time?

maybe only tip is just try to go with it. I find all new jobs the first 6-8 weeks feel really stressful because everything is so new and then things settle down. And 6 months in you’ll be able to apply for the next thing if that’s what you want.

congrats on the job! Good luck :)

Yes, Mon-Fri. 9-5.30/7.30pm, depending on OT which is unpredictable. It could be 5.25 and BAM! Something breaks down and 2hrs OT 🫠 I get bank holidays off though.

Yeah the guy who gave us the tour last week was very honest which I appreciated. He said something like “The first 4-6wks are the hardest. You WILL be slow, it WILL be hard and you WILL be in pain. There’s no point sugarcoating it, it’s not a great job which is why we offer so many great benefits.” (Which they do, the job description on Indeed is about 2 lines long, if that. The list of benefits goes on forever!)

Thank you 🙂

Wowzers - long hours but think of the cash flow 🤑🤑. You will smash it and probably get quite physically fit 🙂

Maybe treat yourself at the end of the week and come back to this thread to say how you got on.

a stepping stone and money in the bank :)

it’s good they are being honest and also understand that you will be finding your feet to start with

It’s monthly pay and DH reckons I’ll have missed the cutoff for getting paid this month. So my first payday will probably be the end of June! At least it’ll be a decent one with 6wks of pay! I think I’m most excited for being able to shoulder some of the financial burden, and being able to treat us all and pay for meals out and stuff! I think I might cry the first time I pick up a meal tab 🥲

Exactly. I imagine with it being what it is, they probably have a high staff turnover so they know there’s no point trying to make it sound decent 😅

I have been in a similar position when I took a job in a stockroom. I initially found it extremely tiring and struggled to see the logic in the way they did some things. After a while I just went with it and viewed it as an opportunity to exercise and get fit, which really worked. I didn’t bother questioning I just got on with it. It was not mentally taxing in any way unlike the office jobs I’ve had in the past. The other staff were not people I had anything in common with but they were friendly enough. When I clocked out I didn’t think about work at all until I clocked in again. I also had a lot of staff benefits and free parking so it suited me to work there tbh.

Fair play & well done for getting a job. Give yourself a savings goal and work towards that, and maybe look into further upskilling for office work. But you may end up enjoying the new job. Best of luck.

Good for you! I was a sahm for a long time too and i was a dinner lady. I felt so proud at the end of my first days shift! Good luck. Would love for an update after a few weeks if you remember!

I went back to work after 20 years at home with DC/caring responsibilities, have no qualifications and had no clear career path pre-DC so it was really difficult to get anything but managed to land a cleaning job via someone I knew. Not gonna lie it was hard to begin with, physically and mentally, and looking back I'm not sure how I got through those first few weeks but I'm so glad I persevered.

Still at the same job now (18 months later) and have added a second (also cleaning) job so I now work 35 hours a week and absolutely love it. I've lost 3 stone and am in better shape than I have been for years, my confidence and mental health have massively improved and I actually feel like a proper person now, had become something of a recluse tbh. Don't think I could go back to not working now, hadn't realised how small my life had become and I'm so much happier and more fulfilled.

It's scary as hell OP and yes it will be hard but most things worth doing are, just keep reminding yourself it will get easier and keep going! If nothing else it's much easier to get a job when you're already working so if this job turns out not to be right for you you're in a better position to get something else. Will be thinking of you on Monday, you can do this!

I went back to work last year after 17 years out of the workforce and I found I got back into the habit and discipline of working ridiculously easily, but I found it incredibly stressful for the first couple of months (as is said above), had poor sleep and was often full of adrenaline for hours after work finished.

When I had a repetitive, physical job (as I suspect yours will be), I got a repetitive strain injury, so really take care of your health. If you can, stretch regularly, get a massage and just be aware that repetitive strain is real and can actually be quite disabling, so take note of the occupational health side of things and be proactive in seeking treatment if you need it.

Maybe bring some paracetamol/ibuprofen with you in case you need it. Do they provide shoes? Break them in if you can..thick socks. Or very good shoes if they don't. You might need layers...what temperature will you be working in.

Oh good shout on the painkillers! They provide boots I believe, from what I noticed, everyone seemed to have the same boots on. They also provide a bodywarmer as it’s a chilled environment.

Yes it is repetitive but they did say they try and make sure you do around 4 different things in a day so you’re not standing doing the same thing for 8hrs at least!

I work in a job where I'm uncontactable and can't use my phone...I wear a smart watch on silent so I can see all my messages and calls...if anything is urgent to do with my dc i sneak to the loo and use my phone.

Give us an update Op.

I’m not allowed any jewellery whatsoever, not even a watch. I considered buying a nurses watch fob and wearing my watch in my bra so I can at least still track my steps etc and not lose my move streaks 😅 but my phone will be too far away to catch any notifications. Not that I’d be able to check those on the factory floor anyway!

You will be cold. Wear layers as well the body warmer, invest in sport base layers

good on you and all the best . Give it a few months. If you hate it , then leave . But you may end up liking it .