Posted by satanzsunbeam on February 22, 2008 at 01:00:49:Hello everyone. I know a lot of people have issues with working overnights, and I am not 100% without some troubles but for the most part I love it.
I have been working grave shifts for the past seven years.
I am a 26 year old female living in Montana. I am currently working 10pm to 8am four nights a week with a three hour staff meeting Monday mornings.
I am a youth care specialist in a group home for at risk teens. Because of the ups and down with the kids and our programs some nights are really slow and boring while others are crazy.
Most people think my current schedual is a little outta wack but it's been working for me. I get home shortly after 8am and take the boyfriend to work, am home by 9am, asleep by 11am, wake at 3pm to get some stuff done at home before I pick up the boy. We then get home around 5pm, have dinner, watch tv or play a game. Some days I take a short nap before jumping in the shower. At most I get 6 hours of sleep a day, though the average is 4-5 hours.
This seems to be the best schedual for me. When I slept more I often felt cranky and had trouble fully waking. If I get less then three hours (like the past few days) I get very silly, talkative, and just plain loopy. I don't mind it but I'm sure to others it could get quite annoying.I would have a hard time converting to a "normal" work schedual. I've always been a night person. The biggest drawback for me with this shift is when I have to run errands during the day. I forget about normal rush hours so I'm not prepared to be bombarded with so many people at once. I guess the lessened amounts of social interaction could take a toll as well. I have been told that I sometimes seem unapprochable to people who do not know me, though this could be due to my unconventional way of presenting myself (kind of sparkly goth).
Sorry for the mostly pointless, rambling post but it may help some of you figure out a new schedual to try, if your anything like me that is.
I look forward to sharing information with you all.
- Re: Hello fellow Night Walkers Natural1 17:35 4/30/08 (0)