How do you all unwind after a shitty day on the line?

I'm not in the food service industry but if you're body is not doing well I would say that smoking and drinking will not help you feel better. Booze is literally a poison.

I would increas your water consumption throughout the day. If you're body/muscles feel literally sore at the end of the day, I'd suggest drinking a protein shake, either mid day or at the end of you shift.

Getting adequate sleep is also really important. I would try to develop a good sleep schedule. Maybe take melatonin supplements at the same time everyday for one full week in order to acclimate your body to sleep at the same time everyday.

This isn't advice for a just someone in your position. This is what I would say to anyone who is in a physically demanding job that is causing them bodily fatigue.

Weed/beer are part, not “all” there is.

Any kind of hard but fun workout can reset and stretch out your sore feet, tight back, and burning forearms.

I usually bike to work. Treating a road bike like it’s a surfboard on an endless wave that is my city’s streets & paths is a riot to me. It can ether be an aggression outlet for when I’ve had to grit my teeth through a belligerently drunk lead waitress or owner or it can just be a peaceful flow session after successfully tackling obstacles of laziness/forgetfulness from the previous shift or lead cook.

We got a decent rock climbing gym in town and I’ve been hitting that once a week. Fixes my back right up.

We’re talking, laughing, and even singing a bit in the back. The radio is cranked the whole time. (it’s a bbq, not fine dining). Honestly, I mainly just need a filling portion of some semi-healthy food and small chunk of time soaking in the sky with a decent degree of solitude.

The time demands in this industry are easily the hardest part to adapt to, or cope with. My approach has been to "keep my side of the street clean", as the saying goes. Make sure you have backups prepared, towels, fresh sanitizer, and set things up the way you like it. Keep calm at all times, and communicate clearly with your Expo and/or Board Caller. People are going to yell at you, but you need to remember they aren't actually mad at you. There's simply no time to be nice.

It took me a good 10 years before I really understood all this. What I've found is that other cooks notice that I don't freak out during a rush, and begin to do the same. Over time most of the lines I've worked on are fairly calm and orderly, but it takes several strong leaders to make it happen.

That said, I do still have bad days. When I do I focus on my other hobbies. I have a firm rule of keeping my Professional and Personal life separate, it helps me not bring baggage from one to the other.

Also, weed and video games.

Dude...you're a cook not a roofer. The hell?