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MontanaCowgirl
TaWanDa Riot!
PeaNut 298,090
February 2007
Posts: 7,194
Layouts: 50
Loc: Big Sky Country
 |  Posted: 3/9/2013 12:05:42 PM
I'm going to have to work a swing shift for about 6 months. I've never worked anything but days. It'll be 5 days a week straight through, no rotation.
The good thing is that it's just me and my husband at home, so no kids to worry about. My husband is a good cook, hence we both share cooking and cleaning chores.
Any strategies that might make this easier? |
Stephi
"people generally see what they look for,
and hear what they listen for.
-To Kill a Mockingbird-
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eebud
Doxie Pea Mom
PeaNut 52,841
October 2002
Posts: 31,238
Layouts: 25
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MontanaCowgirl
TaWanDa Riot!
PeaNut 298,090
February 2007
Posts: 7,194
Layouts: 50
Loc: Big Sky Country
| Posted: 3/9/2013 12:17:00 PM
I guess I should've added that it's an hour drive to and from the site. We're also in a area where there is nothing open from 10pm to 7am. Grocery shopping would take another 60 mile drive in the opposite direction.
That was a great way to go about it in a urban area though eebud, I just don't have those options here. |
Stephi
"people generally see what they look for,
and hear what they listen for.
-To Kill a Mockingbird-
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Scrappin Bunny
BucketHead
PeaNut 436,594
August 2009
Posts: 921
Layouts: 0
Loc: Oklahoma
 | Posted: 3/9/2013 1:32:04 PM
My DH works swing, but no commute. He gets up an hour ot hour and a half before work then goes to work then comes home and does normal after work stuff and goes to bed and sleeps for about 8 hours before getting up to go to work again. He is always on this schedule. I hate it.
I on the other hand get up at 5:30am, work 7-4 then come home and do after work stuff and am in bed by 9 or 10 pm.
On his days off this works fine as he gets up right before I get home and instead of working we can do stuff together from 4-10 then I go to bed and he does stuff with his other swing shirt friends.
He works weekends and is off Mon-Wed. I work Mon-Fri and have weekends off. It's a mess IMO, but he likes it a lot. | |
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Brekkie-fast
PeaFixture
PeaNut 180,223
December 2004
Posts: 3,255
Layouts: 59
Loc: Surface of the Sun!
 | Posted: 3/9/2013 1:41:52 PM
This may sound odd, but the biggest thing that helped me was realizing that I was just going to be tired a lot of the time and cutting myself some slack while I was doing those shifts.
Good luck to you! It sounds like it's only temporary so you can do it!  | |
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Barefoot Sister
PeaFixture
PeaNut 264,756
June 2006
Posts: 3,747
Layouts: 0
Loc: Right where I'm supposed to be.
 | Posted: 3/9/2013 2:43:07 PM
I've worked 2nd shift, and 3rd shifts. I usually did well to still get up after 7 hrs of sleep, and after work, run what errands could be run at that time, and then allow myself time to unwind, then go to bed and make sure I got enough sleep.
It takes a few days to get yourself used to a new pattern, but it's easy to fall into the habit of sleeping a lot on a new shift, and that doesn't help. |
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_Betsy_
AncestralPea
PeaNut 153,004
June 2004
Posts: 4,081
Layouts: 22
 | Posted: 3/9/2013 4:31:20 PM
I work 5 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., and have two small kids at home. It has worked out well for us because we have kept them out of daycare.
With no kids, I imagine it'll be a lot easier to deal with.
I'm been working these hours for 11 years, well before we had kids, so we're used to it. DH and I don't see each other all that much, but he has very flexible hours and we have one full day a week when neither of us work. It's an unwritten rule that we have a nice meal at home on that night, a bottle of wine, a fire, a movie, whatever, but no one does chores or paperwork.
DH cooks for himself (and the kids) and if there's enough leftover I get a lunch or dinner out of it. DH does clean up after himself pretty well, which is awesome. I would HATE to come home from a shift at work and have a sink full of dirty dishes every night.
You may need to look at things like WHEN chores will get done. You can't exactly vacuum when you get home from work, just as he can't when you're sleeping in the morning. You can't run errands after work anymore. Basically, find a time of day before which he isn't to disturb you (for me, my earliest is 8 a.m., and that means about 6 hours of sleep, so I can't do that EVERY day, but once every couple of weeks I can live with). You'll learn to adjust your schedule back a bit. Nothing in my world happens before 11, if I can help it!
I have my awake time BEFORE work, where as most people get up and out the door for work and then have awake time after work. That works great for me - I can always make a dentist or DR. or hair appt. during the day on a weekday.
Room darkening shades help block the morning sun so you can sleep easier. | |
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MontanaCowgirl
TaWanDa Riot!
PeaNut 298,090
February 2007
Posts: 7,194
Layouts: 50
Loc: Big Sky Country
| Posted: 3/9/2013 4:39:16 PM
Betsy, did you eat your dinner at 1 or 2 pm and eat lunch at work?
I'm am going to have to sleep from 1am to 9am, it would be a waste of time here to stay awake after work and to sleep later, as there's nothing I could get done, no shopping, housework, exercise etc.
ETA my husband usually gets up at 5am, leaves at 6 and gets home around 5pm, I'll need to start driving to work by 2:30pm each day. |
Stephi
"people generally see what they look for,
and hear what they listen for.
-To Kill a Mockingbird-
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Gravity
PeaAddict
PeaNut 371,428
April 2008
Posts: 1,771
Layouts: 0
 | Posted: 3/9/2013 4:39:46 PM
I worked 7A-7P with an hour commute each way for many years. I bought blackout drapery liner at HL and made my own blackout curtains. I put them up with tension rods so I could take them down easily when needed. Also, get a fan to drown out "daytime" noise such as neighbors mowing, etc. | |
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MontanaCowgirl
TaWanDa Riot!
PeaNut 298,090
February 2007
Posts: 7,194
Layouts: 50
Loc: Big Sky Country
| Posted: 3/9/2013 4:44:55 PM
I do have darkening shades that I can put up and it's very quiet out here, no neighbors or anything to worry about and sadly, I someone could pound all day at the door and I wouldn't hear them when I'm asleep. |
Stephi
"people generally see what they look for,
and hear what they listen for.
-To Kill a Mockingbird-
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_Betsy_
AncestralPea
PeaNut 153,004
June 2004
Posts: 4,081
Layouts: 22
| Posted: 3/9/2013 4:49:01 PM
I get home around 1 a.m., make my 1st grade DD's lunch for school, gather up what needs to go to school, etc. and sometimes have a snack. I watch TV or read or play n FB until about 2, which is my "bedtime."
I eat breakfast and lunch at home, and dinner at work, usually around 8 p.m.
Make sure you have HEALTHY snack options at work and at home, otherwise you'll be grabbing junk as your body adjusts to the new schedule.
It takes about 2-3 weeks for it to begin to feel normal!
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Idahopea
AncestralPea
PeaNut 118,464
December 2003
Posts: 4,197
Layouts: 0
Loc: Idaho
| Posted: 3/9/2013 4:58:01 PM
Be very careful driving that hour going home. I've seen some reports that tired drivers are as dangerous as a drunk driver. You also have to be looking out for the other cars on the road at that time of day, especially on the weekends. Hope you adjust quickly! | |
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MontanaCowgirl
TaWanDa Riot!
PeaNut 298,090
February 2007
Posts: 7,194
Layouts: 50
Loc: Big Sky Country
| Posted: 3/9/2013 5:34:18 PM
Thank you ladies, I will load up the pantry and cooler with healthy snack options and I'm a pretty safe night driver because you have so many deer crossing the road here, there's no "down" time driving at night. |
Stephi
"people generally see what they look for,
and hear what they listen for.
-To Kill a Mockingbird-
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Wld
PeaNut
PeaNut 568,573
October 2012
Posts: 31
Layouts: 0
Loc: Saskatchewan
| Posted: 3/9/2013 6:12:56 PM
I work nights and day shifts And have a hard time sleeping. Drink lots of water and have a completely dark room to sleep. Eat healthy and cut yourself some slack if you don't have everything done you think you should. And enjoy!
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_Betsy_
AncestralPea
PeaNut 153,004
June 2004
Posts: 4,081
Layouts: 22
| Posted: 3/9/2013 6:29:59 PM
The problem is usually OTHER drivers on my way home. I have called 911 for obvious drunks sharing the roadway with me.
You get used to the schedule. The hardest for me is the idea of giving myself time to unwind afterwork. DH seems to think I should walk in the door and be able to drop right off to sleep, but I need to mentally wind down from the day and my work shift. With such a long drive, you may be able to condition yourself to go to sleep sooner after arriving home. | |
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onlywork2scrap
BucketHead
PeaNut 263,742
June 2006
Posts: 866
Layouts: 11
Loc: Over by the shredder, of course.
| Posted: 3/9/2013 8:29:13 PM
I worked 2nd and 3rd shifts for about 8 months. I agree with what others here are saying, especially to cut yourself some slack. It takes awhile to get used to it. My biggest complaint was being on a different schedule than DH. We just didn't see each other much. We don't have kids so that wasn't an issue. |
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freecharlie
Is the pool open yet?
PeaNut 109,127
September 2003
Posts: 19,507
Layouts: 4
Loc: Colorado
| Posted: 3/10/2013 1:11:48 AM
DH works 6 pm - 6am. We have room darkening curtains in our room and while they don't keep out all the light, they do enough. He has a fan that he places near the bedroom door that helps drown out noises like the kids, the dog, the TV, the vacuum...
DH switches back and forth on a lot of his days off so that he can be present for the kids' weekend activities or for us to do something as a family during the day.
Because of a certain medical condition DH has he was given a prescription for Ambien about 8 months ago. He takes it when he gets home from work and does not take it on his days off. While I think it helps him go to sleep faster than he did before, I don't know if it has really changed how he sleeps. He seemed to do okay sleeping all day before.
I am in awe of him being able to do that and to eat dinner as he wakes up. I have no idea how he eats a burrito or something 30 minutes after he climbs out of bed. |
| Tribbey: I believe, as long as Justice Dreifort is intolerant toward gays, lesbians, blacks, unions, women, poor people, and the first, fourth, fifth, and ninth amendments, I will remain intolerant toward him! [to Ainsley] Nice meeting you | |
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tsnyder827
PeaNut
PeaNut 273,798
August 2006
Posts: 42
Layouts: 0
| Posted: 3/11/2013 10:06:15 PM
I've worked evenings for about 12 years maybe? It works the best for me. A couple of tips: just because you sleep at a different time of day doesn't mean you need any less sleep that a "normal person" (day shift). My ex had a hard time figuring that out until I put it to him that way. Also, I only eat when I'm hungry, not when the clock says its time to eat. (noon= lunch) Days off & on will mess with that. I also try not to eat too late because your body will have a harder time keeping it's regular metabolism. Myself, as a 40-something woman, limiting yourself to eating late will leave you less likely to gain weight. I also can't sleep well when I've eaten a meal before trying to go to bed.
Good luck! You can do it! | |
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voltagain
OklaPhoma
PeaNut 18,334
July 2001
Posts: 35,322
Layouts: 15
Loc: State of cultural confusion. Yeehaw and Aloha have collided!
 | Posted: 3/11/2013 11:29:58 PM
I'm am going to have to sleep from 1am to 9am, it would be a waste of time here to stay awake after work and to sleep later,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You may want to be flexible on that. It is not easy to go home and go straight to bed. I'd get home at 2:30-3 am but couldn't wind down and sleep until 7 am. Just like if you work a normal 8-5 you don't expect to go to bed at 6 pm. You can aim for it if it makes sense with your SO's schedule but it might not work for you.
since it was just me I woke up at 4 pm, went to work at 6pm got off my shift around 2:30 am. Did my shopping, cleaning and tv watching after I got home from work and went to bed about 7 am. But I lived in a very urban area with enough 24 options to have it work for me. |
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desertpea
StuckOnPeas
PeaNut 359,474
January 2008
Posts: 2,468
Layouts: 41
Loc: Moving!
| Posted: 3/12/2013 3:15:57 AM
I have to be on weird hours through May because of trading markets that are open when most of us are sleeping.
The one piece of advice I can give you that helped me immensely is to get one of those daylight lamps that simulate sunlight. The good ones are a bit pricey but so worth it. | |
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MontanaCowgirl
TaWanDa Riot!
PeaNut 298,090
February 2007
Posts: 7,194
Layouts: 50
Loc: Big Sky Country
| Posted: 3/12/2013 2:04:39 PM
Thanks Ladies for the advice. Yesterday was my first shift.
I found out that it's pretty much mandatory to work 2 hours overtime, one of those deals where you can turn it down but it's against all of your best interests not to....so I worked from 4pm to 2:30am and got home at 3:40. Had NO problems crawling right into bed and sleeping until noon.
I finally got rid of my SAD light last year because my vit D levels were good and I was feeling good, so hopefully I won't need to buy another.
DH put up the shades and I'll look at all your hints for eating times, tsnyder827, thanks for the tips, maybe this job will help me drop a few pounds, bonus!
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Stephi
"people generally see what they look for,
and hear what they listen for.
-To Kill a Mockingbird-
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