Back to Days
 

Well, since I was layed off in 2001 I have worked graveyard and evening shifts at my various places of work. I mainly did this for the differentials it offered, and the fact that thinking before 9 AM does not always work out for me.

Due to circumstances I'm not supposed to talk about I am now back to a daytime 8 am to 7 pm schedule, with a three day weekend.

The Negatives
- I lost my differential I was getting.
- Completely ruins my ability to attend college like I wanted. If I wanted to I could squeeze in MAYBE one or two night classes, and MAYBE a Friday class that's if the school I go to offers the classes I need at the right times (which they usually do not). This is my main concern, I plan to pursue scholarships, and any financial aid/loans possible so I can hopefully go to a part-time schedule, and do school full-time.
- Rising with the sun, not really a negative, just used to doing it only for something like going camping, or snowboarding.
- Trying to force myself to sleep before midnight so I retain some sort of energy, it's not like 2000 anymore where I could party till the morning and go into work ready for the day, now if I do that I have that dumbfounded mouth half open, eyes more than half shut look all day.
- No longer have time to run errands before work.

The Positives
- I'm back to a normal eating schedule, I also have time to make my own meals more often rather than just going the easy route and picking something up and eating out all the time.
- If I do decide to go out to eat, I get to eat and drink with my friends at a reasonable hour on a weekday, instead of the getting off when they are leaving the bars, or so drunk that I feel like playing "catch-up".
- My three day weekends will give me the opportunity to do better backpacking trips without having to take more days off of work!
- Watching the sunrise has never been a bad thing for me, and luckily my drive to work is behind hillsides so I don't get blinded by the sun till I am pulling into the parking lot.
- I now have the occassional day of getting off before my girlfriend does and can have a nice dinner prepared more as a surprise.
- When summer comes I will get to see the sunset!

Social life-wise I think doing the days thing again will be very enjoyable. As far as education goes, I still have to work that out, and the differential difference... I will just have to get used to that. As far as getting myself to sleep at a reasonable hour, sadly, that will probably be the most difficult thing for me.

and once againg I get to say "Good morning!", or as it probably sounds like to everyone else "M'eh"

I hate mornings. I sometimes dream of a society where people aren't afraid of the dark and people can conduct business at all hours of the day. Each person has a work schedule that fits him/her best, and every business is open 24 hours a day. There'll be no lines at the supermarket anymore, because everybody goes when it's most conveinent for them, not all at the same time. Also, commuter traffic virtually disappears as the ridiculous convention of starting or leaving work on the hour or half hour disappears.

But then I remember I live in a country founded by religious farmers who take great pride in beating down people who are different from them.

Don't worry about the sleeping thing. I've worked mostly 4-midnight and midnight-8am shifts my entire life. The couple of times I had jobs which required me to work in the morning, I found that my body adapted to the change after about 2-3 weeks. Once I got into a routine and my body realized that this wasn't a cruel joke, it decied to cooperate and make things easier.

The missing out on college classes really sucks. I guess without knowing why you are now working days, I can't offer a possible solution to getting back where you were.

I hope it works out for the best.

My last job the had me working a combination of day and graveyard shifts until I was too exhausted to carry-on. I was a zombie after a week of that dumb schedule.

I kinda miss doing graveyard shifts. I liked working with the others night loving freaks.

You must have been working at a power plant, huh?

I did one semester where I thought that a graveyard job, 15 credits and a home based business were possible, I have very little memory of that time and my grades suffered terribly. On the upside, everything seems so easy now in comparison.

It'll take a little time to adjust, just don't try and ease yourself into it. Start with your new schedule and don't look back.

Funny you mention this. I did research on this topic when I was studying sociology. Bottom line is that you should move to Hong Kong, Tokyo or one of the other large cities in Asia - you'd fit right in.

I have been doing well with the new schedule. Today was probably the hardest. Luckily it's the last day of the workweek for me.