Working at McDonalds - HELL within 1 week

Post Reply New Topic

I usually don't visit these forums anymore due to it great amount of depression, but this needs advice from people who probably relate more to this than what I have now...

Last week, I finally landed my first legitimate job at a McDonalds and within that one week I already am a total mess from working there. I do morning lunch prep and the amount of complexity and detail that must be put into making it with such a short rate of time is stressing me to the max. As a result, I have lost a lot of sleep (getting only 3 hours of sleep max) overthinking in fear about what will happen on my own as I am still not prepared to make the stuff on my own. I have informed my boss about my asperger's but she insists that I talk to my associates if I need help, but they are obviously all at work at their own stations, leaving me alone to panic in silence.

I know it's wrong to NOT work, but this job is just not right for me if this is what I'll be doing for the rest of my time there. I have talked to several friends and family members about my stress, anxiety, and depression, but they continue to tell me that it's only my first week and that I will get the hang of things in time. However, I myself doubt this greatly as I am not the kind of person that likes to be rushed or can be rushed. It's also not like I can go to a doctor or therapist about my feelings again because people just say it's been 1 week and I'll get the hang of things. My mom works longer that I do and I feel sympathetic for her as no one else in my family will work, which made me look to getting a job to ease how much she works. She only lectures me about how she has worked more jobs than I have, which to me makes her look ignorant about what I'm going through unfortunately...

If anyone is reading this and has advice, it is greatly appreciated.

Also if anyone has any advice on what other job is more suitable for me if even more greatly appreciated. I've been thinking of going into retail or data entry.

I think we should all join anonymous, and finally change our world for the better,

So we no longer live on the wrong planet... I have a few plans... anyone else?

That's about all I have, anyone else with advice let me know also :p

At the entry level, I've found retail to be surprisingly tolerable. I originally just unpacked boxes onto the shelves (in groups), but eventually the manager let me walk around the store by myself doing a single task. Then I moved on to 'recovery', where you tidy up the store after the customers have trashed it. And finally, now, I work at the checkouts. I certainly wouldn't want to be a cashier at McDonalds since you have to do a lot of listening, but in a department store you just have to scan stuff and put it in a bag. The conversations I have had with customers have been fairly scripted and simple, in my opinion.

Say somebody comes to my checkout, I greet them with a 'good morning/afternoon/evening'. I don't ask them how they are because I don't want to get them talking. If you can work out ways to minimise your interaction without being rude, you should find it quite easy. If the customer has some sort of issue and gets angry, the supervisor handles the conflict. You don't have to deal with them. It also helps if you let your supervisor know about your AS. They might treat you like you are 'slow' for a while, but they should realise you are perfectly capable of (if not better at) doing your job.

Smiling is also important (as some customers have kindly pointed out), but I don't always feel like stretching my face muscles that way.

I understand totally.. The problem is NTs can't seem to understand the anxiety for someone on the spectrum with not only the process of trying to get a job, but actually having a job. Everyone tells you to suck it up, or "man-up" or says your lazy or something. I am 30, and I have never had a job for more than 7 months, and alot have only lasted about 6 weeks-3 months. I get anxiety and horrible stomach problems alot at work.

As far as the type of work you should look for, I would suggest something at night. Usually like cleaning or stocking. Far less people around(if any) to deal with, and you usually have a set routine of things/work to do, and can work more at your own pace. Personally, I am a night person (have been since birth), and light and noise is VERY distracting to me, and especially overwhelming in the workplace.

I try to look for that type of work, but I usually end up finding jobs as a bouncer in bars.. or clubs if I can find NOTHING else.. The lights, music, and crowds can be a bit much for me, but the beautiful thing about being a bouncer is that you don't have to be nice or "cheerful".. Plus I've always just stood around with my arms crossed (for self-compression/self-comforting) and that's what bouncers do anyways, ha..

Also, I usually secretly drink alcohol at work, which I am NOT suggesting, but that helps me alot.. I've tried anxiety meds, but they make me slur my speech, "space out", and cause a great deal of memory loss.

I know people keep saying this to you, but please try to give it a little more time. Mc D's would be hard for anyone to take, much less an aspie. I use to work there, a long time ago. Just remember that you are new, and people expect you to be slow and make some mistakes for a while at first. Try to find a co-worker who seems approachable, and ask them a few questions. Don't overwhelm them with questions. Co-workers who have been with the company for a while are usually good for this; if they see you taking an interest in doing a good job, they will take an interest in helping you. Thank them for helping you. Remember that you are a smart person and this job is within your capabilities. You'll get it. I know being rushed is hard, I hate it too. But the more of a routine you make for yourself, and the more you adjust to the job, the faster you will get. If it continues to be too much, look at some other positions within the store to see if they would suit you better and let your supervisor know of your interest. You doing your best will generally be noticed favorably, and if you can establish yourself as a good reliable employee who shows up on time and doesn't call in sick all the time, they will not want to lose you and will consider you for other positions. I commend your willingness to try to work and support yourself! I've always found being self-sufficient to be a great way of feeling better about myself. Good luck!

Try to remind yourself that you can't always be perfect and that you're just doing your best and that's all you can really do.

First of all, congratulations on getting the job.

Secondly, while I am not going to tell you to keep at it because it will get easier, I am going to advise that you keep at it for another reason.

Suppose that in six months from now, you see an ad for another job. One that you are sure that you can do and one that you really want. Will you look better to the potential new employer if you quit your McJob after a couple of weeks and do nothing workwise for several months or will you look better if you stick with the job while waiting for something better? If you can keep at it, you will be able to show future employers that you can hold down a job and you will also learn workplace skills - getting on around an assortment of colleagues - that will be a big help in any job.

I worked at McDonalds and I thought it was absolute s**t, too. I was on cash so I had to deal with customers constantly, in addition to like ten other duties that were expected of me... very, very stressful. Working in the kitchen might not be as bad

I don't know how anyone can deal with the constant buzzers and timers going off, let alone someone who is on the spectrum.

I have a hard time tolerating them on the opposite side of the counter.

I had a hard time in fast food and could never master the drive-thru because of the complexity involved with inside to outside climate stimuli coupled with money handling/relying on other people. But in the front of the store I could take a order, pack it - and put it all together/get it done most of the day by myself until dinner. This mostly due to the fact everything was in its place and no one was there to mess it up.

Unsure if this is the OP's first job, but after I started getting a grasp for my surroundings my sleep pattern returned to normal. Barely had that problem after because I usually expected a certain amount of disarray when coming to a job for the first time. And the bosses sort of suspect it to, they're most just happy to have someone who shows up everyday that isn't drunk.

I dont really think working in fast food or retail is good for most aspies. The enviorenment is hectic, lots of people coming thru, lots of co-workers, lots of social interaction and multitasking. Even tho McDonalds is stereotypically an easy, no brainer job. For aspies social interaction and multitasking are weaknesses. Whereas with your average adult NT, its pretty mindless. I think aspies are better suited for jobs in calmer enviorenements that are well structured and repetative. I think in your situation, you likely need some form of help or accommodation. Like someone to assist you closely for a few shifts or perhaps your placed on a task that's repetitive and easier to do. Or perhaps, if your location is 24 hr or open very late, you could work late night shifts with fewer coworkers to deal with and much less customers.

Give it a month. I had terrible nightmares when I started my job and thought that I'd fall apart, but after that time, they were gone.

Fast food is the worst. I've talked to other guys, most of them non-Aspies, and they all said that fast food was the worst. I worked a restaurant job (not fast food) that was far better than the fast food job I worked. One guy I talked to worked at a bakery and he said it was great, way better than fast food, and he had the same sh***y experiences with it that you and I have had.

when i joined my present job i was nervous, anxious and wanted to drop out
i remember telling my husband that i am going to quit it within 2 days of joining it

but i kept going and slowly i got the knack of it
now i am able to do it and fear as gone away except the social fear when colleagues are around
and when i have to be friendly with them

but this is a teaching job i cant say about Mcdonalds why dont you continue till you can
dont fear

Okay this may seem crazy but I wonder if it may help to practice the job away from the job environment.

For example do you have the knowledge of what is required, but the pressure of deadlines is stressing you and affecting your focus? If so I wonder if you could somehow practice the routine at home away from McDonalds. This might mean working with real food in your kitchen, or coming up with a surrogate. Such as yellow pieces of paper for Cheese or small pieces of green paper for Pickles or cut white circles to represent Onions. You may even stash them in inside a container that is the surrogate for the Refrigerator so you have to retrieve them and return to your work station as you would at McDonalds.

It just seems to me it would be very helpful if a person could find some way to practice the task of assembly in an environment they control without the time crunch. Then on their own the can gradually build familiarity and become faster gradually on their own term.

I did something similar to this learning a driving job involving a manual shift vehicle. After training school was out I hung around, sat in the vehicle, and went through the gear shift sequence to build familiarity with the gear pattern and the feel of the stick shifter. I was by myself without the teacher and no pressure to learn on the fly while driving in traffic. Then later when I did drive I carried that familiarity with me.

Well, it's been 1 month since I've been working at McDonalds and so far my anxiety has improved greatly.

I've finally gotten the hang of prep and now it's only a matter of when I get the food done on time (which I haven't yet.) However, I'm being given less work time (which is both a good and bad thing,) which I find unusual. I have told my managers and boss about my Aspergers but they have not reacted in a negative manner.

Either way, things have lightened up greatly. I just hope it gets better.