Okay, I've been working on shift for about a month now, and I just have to ask. Those of you on the BBS that work shift work, how do you do it? These ****ed up hours are killing me. I don't sleep enough, I never have any energy. I can't seem to find a decent eating schedule because I am rarely hungry anymore, and on top of that I get less free time with my friends and family because I work weird hours. I've always considered myself a pretty easy going person...but good God this is killing me. I complain all the time now and my free time at work is spent sitting there imaging how good my bed would feel or how much fun I could be having if I were elsewhere. If it doesn't start getting better soon, money be damned, I'm going to find something else. It just ain't worth it. So that this is a thread about more than my b****ing, do any of you veterans of shift have any tricks or ways of making it easier on you? To give you an idea of what I work, my schedule is 4pm-midnights or midnight-8am on weekdays, and either 8am-8pm or 8pm-8am on weekends. It usually is like 6-7 straight days of working graveyards, followed by 2 days off, followed by 6-7 days of working evenings, followed by a long change which is like 6 straight days off. The long changes are nice, but I don't think they are worth it. Anyone worked a schedule like this before?
I worked like that for a while before I realized that it was either do this kind of crap and fail out of college and do it for the rest of my life or focus on studying and just take summer jobs, etc. As for any tips/tricks...I usually just zone out and run on autopilot. It sounds bad, but if you're working a menial job, then it should come as second nature after you've worked for about 2 weeks. I try not to think about what I'd rather be doing, since that just leaves you depressed/angry; instead, I try to think of stupid stuff. Like if someone walks in, you imagine how their life is going, what they did this morning, basically your own little TV show. It helped me a lot...since I was laughing at the people and not feeling sorry for myself.
I’m almost in the same position. I work 6pm – 6am, one week about 62 hours and the following week, 25 hours. My main concern is getting a good sleep, something I have never had to worry about, but now it is tops on my list. At times I go for two, three days getting approx 3 hrs of sleep each day, because I just can’t sleep. It’s so very frustrating. It absolutely sucks that I can’t watch Rocket games live (taping them isn’t the same) and every other weekend I have to work. Sucks when your friends are going out on Saturday nights, and I’m bound to a shift schedule. On my long weekends, it gets even worse. Instead of sleeping my normal hours, from 7am – 4pm, I sleep 7am to 12pm so I can get some extra time with friends and family. It’s nice to have understanding a girlfriend and friends that adjust get-togethers to fit my schedule. I’ve been doing this for a few months and plan of getting at least a year’s experience before looking at other avenues. But I would kill for a mid-shift, 4pm – 12am would be perfect for me. 8pm – 8am is hard cause when you get home, its sunlight out, I find that really hard to sleep in.
Yeah, the 4pm-midnight shifts really aren't bad. I get plenty of sleep during those shifts...but then since I have to be in to work well before any of my family or friends get off of theirs', then I spend those 7 days working, sleeping, and sitting around at home or running errands. So I basically choose between lack of sleep and lack of recreation until my long change when I get both. We are going to change to 12 shifts within the next few months. Then I will have a schedule similar to yours, 7am-7pm or 7pm-7am. Those shifts will be harder, overall, but it will be nice because I won't be working more than 3 days in a row. I can handle it if it is only 3 days in a row, but this crazy lack of sleep thing is really getting to me when I have to do it for a full week (not even a work week, but 7 days in a row). I just hope I can stand it long enough to wait for the change.
Also, I have a related question to pose. I really hope that it doesn't come to this, because I have this strange aversion to takeing any medication unless I am really, really sick.....but does anyone know of a decent, over-the-counter sleep aide that I could take that might help me sleep for longer than 4-5 hours during daylight, but that wouldn't adversely effect my health during the daytime? The reason I ask is because one day during my last set of graveyard shifts, I had a headache just before I went to sleep so I took some Nyquil, and that was the best I have slept since I started the shift work. I don't want to take Nyquil every night since it is really not meant to be a sleep aide, but if there is a safe sleeping medication out there I could get over-the-counter, I think I might just give it a shot.
Raven Lunatic, I worked shift hours for 7 years. Fixed mids, or shift is fine. But rotating shift work kills you! Here's the solution. Do whatever it takes to get a job that is M-F fixed hours, if you can. If I had to do shift work for many years (night watch man or something like that) I would ask for FIXED HOURS, 10pm - 6am. Or FIXED 12midnight - 8am, M-F. That's the only way you can get your body clock right. Some people liked the change. But I did not. It wrecked my sleep schedule.
You couldn't sell Alfred Einstine on Fixed Hours. He averaged 4 hours on a good night. No rest for the wicked.
Yes, you are right, Roc Paint. For highly complex concentration like physics, quantum mechanics, and mathematical theory, 15 minute power naps are best. It was one thing to do math. It was another to create new math!
I think Behad works weird shifts. He would be the perfect person to respond to this thread. I know some guys who work at Bridgestone and Nissan and they have these rotating shifts. I never asked them how they cope because I never had to worry about it for myself. But I would do what David S suggested because your body is not being given a chance to get adjusted to the different schedules since it keeps changing on you. BTW - we brought you up last night in chat as Zac made a comment about the greatness of Jennifer Connelly. I told him that Raven would be proud and he said that "You rocked."
Yeah, I thought I remembered that Behad was a shift worker. I was kind of hoping he would respond to this thread. Maybe I caught him on his time off. I miss chat. Now that I am working graveyards, I think I'm going to pop in there more often while I am at work. A big part of why I am having trouble adjusting is that there really just isn't enough work at night to keep me even remotely busy. So I have to fill the time. All I have then is an internet connection (which is, admittedly, a lot). So you crazy OOTP nuts will have to keep me awake during the wee hours, I guess.
Ambien Also good for trips overseas. "We are now preparing for takeoff, please make sure your se - WOOSH - ats are in the upright position. We will be landing shortly."
RL, I have a lil advice for sleeping during the daytime - sunlight is killer. If you have any windows in your room, put up something thick like a comforter(preferably black) and that'll block out most of the sun and make sleep much easier. Also, nothing wrong with OTC sleep aid, just make sure to try to sleep soon after you take it. Does no good if you take it and ignore its affects by trying to stay up to finish a show you're watching or whatever. White noise helps blocks out annoying little noises(dripping water, birds, etc) that might keep you distracted and awake. Fans work good for me.
I've been working a rotating shift for about three months now, and its not entirely that bad. It definitely takes some getting used to. I work the "DuPont schedule" 4 graveyards 3 days off 3 days 1 day (all day meeting) 3 graveyards 3 days off 4 days 7 day long change (7 days off) Shifts are all 5:25 - 5:25 whether it be AM or PM. As for sleep, I would rather work graveyards, because I sleep better when I get home, wake up and feel refreshed, get some errands done and go to work. On days, it sucks because I usually don't go to bed until 11PM - Midnight and turn around and wake up at 4AM. Nonetheless its still a good job, and I'm very well compensated. Tylenol PM does help, but the best-case scenario is to get into a rhythm of falling asleep about an hour or two after you get home, that way whether it be night or day, you're circadian rhythm is used to it. As for the meals, make yourself eat, whether it be a meal or snack that way you still get your metabolism working at a good rate. To pass the time I usually surf the net a little, and read. Since I will be going back to attain a higher degree, homework and studying will probably pre-occupy my free time (when I do get free time). After three months its not too bad, I'll let you know after abut six and see if I'm as positive about it.
Sorry about getting here late. You did catch me on my off days, and I don't check the board regularly on my days off. I too work the duPont schedule that Jared Novak listed above, but my days are 5am to 5pm or visa versa. And I love it. Like JN said, days are tougher than nights, because I have to get up so early. Don't worry Raven, it gets easier aroung the 6-12 month point. Your body will adjust to it by then, and you'll find that you get tired and need sleep at the times you should be sleeping. I remember how tough those first 6 months were. As for eating, the trick is to eat at the same time everyday, whether you are working days, nights, or off work. I found this to work fo me. Email me for more info, stuff I don't want to post in an open forum.
