What it’s really like to work the night shift

APR4th2010

Well since I am not a vampire – yes it did take some getting used to. The twilight shift is not one that is just something that you jump into without any kind of preparation or advanced planning. I’ve been doing it 2 years and although I am pretty used to it by now – there are still some nights that all I want to do is curl up in bed and sleep (mostly on those cold winter nights when no one wants to get out of bed anyway!).

There are some advantages to working the night shift – for me I am able to do a lot of uninterrupted work during these hours – having 2 kids running around takes up most of my day – so nice quiet nights are ideal for working on my daily – or perhaps I should call them my nightly tasks.

Working through the night also seems to go by faster – now this just may be my own personal observations – but the night shift just flys by in a wink of an eye! And it’s not really THAT painful to stay up. The hardest are the first 10 minutes then you are up and awake and the rest falls into place.

Some people may need a little “kicker” (coffee) to get them started – but after a while your body gets used to the hours and on your days off you’ll find yourself wide awake at the hour that you would usually start work! Ha! No more “sleep ins”.

But the greatest thing about working the night shift is the afternoon siesta!! Yes!! Afternoon naps are back – and can last for as long as you like! What a great feeling an afternoon nap – I personally always feel WAY more rested after a nap than after a night sleep.

So, despite the drawback of working the night shift – for me – and for my family it’s ideal – all night with my clients – all day with my family– with a few siestas thrown in there — I am good to go. That is the secret to working – you just need to figure out what works for you and do it up. But don’t balk at the “insane hours” as I have repeatedly been told – because those that work it know its really a hidden gem in the working world!