Ashlee Murray, 30, is an Emergency Department clerk in a busy Eastern Ontario hospital. Amongst her many side gigs, Murray teaches high-octane spin classes at RIDE Indoor Cycling Studio in Cornwall, ON. In this interview, she gets candid about the toll of rotating shift work and how her own experience has fuelled a passion to help other shift workers stay fit and tackle their stress through spinning.
–– As told to Lauren McGill. Edited for clarity and conciseness.
Can you describe your job? What does a typical shift look like?
I’m a clerk in the Emergency Department. It’s a hectic, crazy, high-stress, high-tension type of job. You have to be on your toes at all times. I see happiness. I see sadness. I see death. I see everything. Some stuff I don’t really want to see but that’s part of the job.
Tell me about your work schedule.
I work full-time, so I work 75 hours bi-weekly. I work on a 14-week rotating schedule and every week is different for those 14 weeks.
Usually, I have a few days off in between my chunk of day or night shifts. There is one week where I work Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; another week has a chunk where I work one 12-hour day shift and then three 12-hour night shifts in a row. That is difficult, and definitely not ideal for the everyday person.
What’s life like outside of work?
I am a fiancée, a mother of three (ages 3, 7 & 8), and a spin instructor. I also do medical transcription on my days off, which is a new position I just took on. I am also an online stylist with Silver Icing, a women’s clothing and accessories website and for I Dress Myself, which is more of a children-based clothing company. I don’t like to be bored so I am constantly looking for more things to do.
What is the most challenging part of your schedule?
The night shifts. Those have always been difficult for me. They throw you off your schedule completely. You don’t feel great. I get that weird, sick feeling around 3 a.m. I completely feel a difference in my body when I’m working night shifts. It’s sluggish, it’s slow. I think that’s normal for most people.
When you’re working in a rotation that has random night shifts, your body reacts differently than someone who would be doing straight nights because their bodies get accustomed to that. For people like me, every single night shift leads to that sluggish, slow, tired, sick feeling.
Sleeping during the day is not fun – you want to be outside getting vitamin D and enjoying life but, instead, you have to be up all night while everyone else is sleeping.
Why spinning?
I have been addicted to spinning for the last five years. It is my happy place. Spinning is part of what makes shift work possible for me. I get a big amount of energy out of a spin class and it carries through to the next day.
Spinning is part of what makes shift work possible for me.
What’s your approach to teaching spinning classes?
My classes are geared towards a beginner’s crowd. No intimidation factor there. I try to be very welcoming, supportive and positive and make sure people feel they can be comfortable with me and comfortable in the studio.
I find it really gratifying to teach classes that many of my colleagues attend. Being a shift worker, especially in the healthcare field, is definitely a challenging job—whether you’re a nurse, whether you’re a clerk, whether you’re a housekeeper. There is stress everywhere in a hospital setting. Being able to accommodate and work out with individuals that work on the same level as you – the same stress level, the same shifts – is rewarding.
As a spin instructor, being able to bring class availability to shift workers was a huge priority for me and I’ve planned my class times around that.
How do you balance teaching spin classes with shift work? How do you get the time off to teach?
I am very lucky that one of my good friends owns the studio where I work. I submit my schedule to her every month for what I can teach and she lets me teach those classes.
I teach most of my spin classes at 7:30 p.m.. As a spin instructor, being able to bring class availability to shift workers was a huge priority for me and I’ve planned my class times around that.
What advice do you have for shift workers who are trying to improve their fitness level?
Eat as best as you can. I know it’s not always easy— it’s often a grab-and-go kind of thing unless you have time to meal prep, which is very rare for me, personally. Make sure that you grab that healthier option and try to keep hydrated. Rest is key. You won’t get very much done with a tired brain. Keep healthy, keep fit. Exercise—even walking—is helpful.
Thank you, Ashlee, for sharing your passion for spinning with us! We love your positive vibe and can-do attitude. If you want to find out more about Ashlee’s approach to spin classes, check out her FB @sitsweatcycle.
Photo: Ladouceur PHOTO
