One of the things most people struggle with at the start of their cabin crew career, is the balance between work and life. For many of us it becomes more of a lifestyle choice than anything but crew also need to be flexible, organized and ready for anything. How do cabin crew adapt more easily?
Schedule
They understand the schedule! Cabin crew know that they may miss birthdays, Christmas and weddings and special family events. Unfortunately, it is part of the job and some people find that hard to accept. It does have its advantages though as sometimes, it is nice to be away with crew friends somewhere, especially if you are single.
Planning
Cabin crew normally get their schedule around 6 weeks in advance. It gives them time to work around things and plan any appointments or events. These may still change due to an unscheduled trip, aircraft technical problem or standby duty. If there is a special event coming up, they'll book leave if available.
Family life
Family life can be a little more challenging although not impossible! If a crew member has young children, they may need to arrange childcare or school transport whilst away. A supportive and flexible family are an absolute must.
Thinking ahead
It's a good idea to plan ahead. Cabin crew like to check that bills are paid in advance. They will catch up on necessary emails or any correspondence that needs to be dealt with. Cabin crew don’t want to have to worry when they are away on trips. They will schedule their chores for an off day and allow plenty of rest time, especially when working long-haul flights. Some crew may plan their shopping whilst down route or shop online in advance for their return home.
Self-care
Cabin crew have to look after themselves. Flying constantly does put extra pressure on the body and it is good to try and counteract that. It is important to get enough rest at home and down route. Crew do make use of the gym or swimming pool or the hotel spa, when down route. Or some prefer to just go for a walk around town and escape from the flight and hotel routine.
Eat well
Eating well and quite light is much better for digestion, which can be a problem when working long hours and irregular shifts. Crew meals are not always the nicest or healthiest food. Sometimes it is possible to bring your own food onboard, which helps you to feel healthier. Drinking water onboard and on the ground is absolutely essential for cabin crew health to rehydrate the body.
Contact
Sometimes the flying life can feel lonely, especially when you are away a lot. Some crew like to take home comforts with them to make a hotel room feel a little less bland. It could be something as simple as a room fragrance or a favorite snack. They call friends or family and stay in contact. Colleagues are mostly very supportive as they know how difficult it can be. Good crew friends will be friends for life as they understand the lifestyle, it never matters how long it’s been since you called them.
Always packed
To take more stress out of life, cabin crew keep a suitcase always packed and ready to go. This saves a lot of time and energy. Keeping a toiletry bag stocked with mini sizes and refilling them makes life a lot easier. Packing the same clothes (depending on the destination) for each trip is helpful. Once, the trip is done, it's easy to just wash them and replace. Ready to go!