Pros and Cons of Night Shift vs Day Shift. Where possible, walk around your workplace or do some deep stretches to help get your blood flowing. Your time will be split between three things and three things only at least for the first few months – work time, sleep time and baby time. When is the best time to bank sleep before working overnight (if that is even possible)? This Hands-Free Pumping Bra from Amazon.com is HUGELY popular and worth a look. I can't imagine, so glad you guys are back to 1st shift and our guy loves his daddy too and they need that dad time for sure :) xoxo ERIN. Be honest about your situation. Yes, it can be annoying and painful at times, but it’s totally worth it for your “better half” and your family. – Avoid visiting the take-out store on the way home – even though the cravings are intense! 10 Energy Boosting Beverages, How To Best Prepare for the Night Shift and Stay Healthy, Limit the amount of light your eyes are exposed to between finishing work and going to sleep, – Wear blue light blocking glasses while watching TV and scrolling on your device 90 minutes before bed – See which ones we love, Be smart with your food and drink selection. That is my kind of luxury. So now you know why the second shift may not be as bad as you thought, it’s interesting to think about how you got here in the first place. Ask your kids to leave their homework out on the benchtop so you can check it and have a look once you get home. Such as how many kids you have, do you work weekends, travel distance to work, relationship status, etc. I spent many, MANY months doing so! Whatever time you have available on Friday night till Sunday evening – use it wisely. It might be more effective (in some cases) for one person to sleep while the other gets the kids ready for school, then swap the following day. Particularly if they are working on the weekend or you have switched schedules. “It’s about surviving.” Between bites of salad, it slowly became clear who the man in a red baseball cap, World Cup T-shirt, and jeans really was: an emissary from another world. Looking for Tips on surviving the 2nd shift with weekends. Read more about us and our story here. Drink water and eat food (bring real food, not just junk, and a big water bottle that you can reach … But you could be in the third category where you’ve elected to work the second shift for a number of personal reasons but now it’s testing your relationship and family unit. Your email address will not be published. Before committing, talk to your partner about what you will and won’t attend. Good luck to all the shift worker moms and dads! shift can also affect a marriage. If you don't do that, you'll never feel well, no matter how much melatonin you take or how much you try to reset your circadian clock. So I have been hearing whispers, actually, I should say more cries for help from shift workers trying to balance the 2nd shift whilst also having a family. Or has your relationship been shocked by a new work arrangement and you’re struggling with being thrown out of normality? Can you have a lunch date with your partner/spouse before starting your job mid-afternoon? A few days ago, a reader named June left this comment on my site: “Michelle, I know this is a food blog, but I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about how you make nightshift as healthy as possible for you. Like any shift work situation and roster arrangement, there is a HUGE variation in opinions on the 2nd shift depending on individual circumstances. With second shift you are still on the same basic sleep pattern of most of the country and probably most of your friends. More before midnight than day shift does all week. Keep Everyone Else Informed. But you have to try. I know it’s tempting to turn off all the lights and create … First, if your shift does not rotate, it may be possible to find a church with meeting times other than Sunday mornings. I have broken this post into four parts which you can click on to access the area you want. I think it's safe to say that we are all so happy to be on the other side of it! Whenever sleep times are messed with, it's difficult. How to work 2nd shift with a family? Surviving Second Shift As A Family by Whitney Pegram - Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Are you wondering why Monday was such a big day for our little family?? Here are some helpful solutions to working 2nd shift with kids: Depending on your shift finishing time, are you able to rise earlier and help get the kids ready for school? We hope you can take something away to ease life’s current rigors. If … KEEP IT COOL. Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, meaning we receive a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, but this is at no additional cost to you. But we strive throughout this post to not only change your thinking but also give you tangible tips to make your situation as “family-friendly” as possible. It comes with a decent sized tote bag, electric pump and an abundance of bottles. Short periods of rest will help keep your energy high, but be sure not to sleep too long or you’ll risk making yourself groggy. I know Sunday is also NFL day for the fans of American football, but don’t spend every single weekend watching the game live. You are both learning. Take a 30 minute nap before your shift begins and, if possible, try to get in a few 10-20 minute naps throughout the night. What foods to avoid on a 12 hour or night shift. . But hang in there. How to Best Prepare for Night Shift the Day Before. Should I stay up till the early hours, the evening before night shift? Without it, you’ll likely make more mistakes and be irritable in the short term, while also damaging your health long term. I understand the challenges of fitting in exercise, maintaining relationships and getting enough quality sleep, but I'm excited to show you that it’s possible to do shift work and still thrive. "It's all a domino effect," she says. Is the 2nd shift all you have ever known? The same goes for the rotating shift worker who’s recently moved to the 2nd shift and simply accepts the new role because “that’s how to system works”. Do you both need to get the kids up and ready for school? In addition, keep physically moving during your night shift. To tell your boss, or not to tell? i have an infirmary and it has two shifts. On your days off or even on the morning drive to school you can chat about their projects and homework tasks to keep yourself up to date with what’s going on and make them feel valued. My husband is a brewer, and he's worked third shift for a handful of years now. Together with my husband Daniel, we run The Other Shift. Take it in shifts and be respectful to each other. I know that many jobs are different & sometimes make you work crazy hours but unless your spouse has ever been on second shift, then you have no idea how incredibly hard it is to have a family life. Even if you think you don’t have time somehow miraculously, if you want it enough, you find the time. How to manage your marriage/relationship and the 2nd shift, Being a great parent while working 2nd shift. If you don’t do that, you’ll never feel well, no matter how much melatonin you take or … Nov 28, 2012 - Explore Keep Louisville Working's board "Surviving the "2nd Shift"--Tips for the Working Mom" on Pinterest. Click to check out our favorite shift work tools! Sitting in a chair can cause you to feel drowsy. Literally. If you and your spouse/partner want it bad enough you will make time and you will find a way to make the 2nd shift work with a family. A fiber optics engineer in El Paso, Texas, Brewster, 50, has been clocking out and going to bed past dawn for the last 30 years. It’s tempting to try to do everything yourself, but it’s not a good long term strategy. I'm just here to tell y'all that a seven year old boy needs his daddy! While working the second shift with a family may not be “easy”, it’s not impossible either. When Tony works the overnight shift, his personal prayer time … I mean if you're adding all that up, then you see that we only ever saw each other for several hours a week & poor Coop, maybe 5-6 hours. Lovely right? I'm Emma Smith a passionate, Registered Nurse from Australia. Are you able to help get them changed, make their lunches, make sure they eat some breakfast and even do the school drop off? The second shift is a necessity and often very busy in industries such as nursing, film production, medicine, hospitality, customer service and security. It can worsen your moods, decrease your reflexes to respond to split-second decisions, and make you more vulnerable to disease. I once heard a nursing mom say, “I feel like a married single mom.” In a partnership you never want your partner to feel like this so make sure you’re a strong team, appreciating and reassuring each other when times are tough. link to How to Best Prepare for Night Shift the Day Before, link to Shift Work and Family. This isn’t fair. If you don’t have a herd of people around you can ask, check out the 24-hour daycare centers in your area if your budget allows. BUT I also can fully appreciate that for some of you, this time is “you time” and you actually look forward to it. For the first few weeks of third shift life, he just couldn't sleep more than a few hours at a time. He needed to know that I fully supported him, I mean he was working every single day & providing for our family, & I needed to know that he supported me doing ALL the things at home. At a time when it’s difficult just to stay awake, you are expected to function at a reasonable level. Your marriage/relationship, being a great parent and working the 2nd shift. I spent years as a patrolman for a security company on graveyard shift. This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I have to give it to him, most mornings he got back up in the mornings to take Coop to school just to get some time with him then would come back home, go back to bed until lunchtime & then get back up so he could spend time with me & Millie Jo before he had to be back at work. Related post: Night Shift Is Killing My Marriage. We had a lots of apartment complexes we patrolled. A Practical Guide For Busy Parents. Patricia Rose Brewster works the night shift. For my first few days on third shift, I got a few hours of sleep each day, but I was surprised to find that I didn't really feel all that tired. How to Survive the Night Shift The extent to which human circadian rhythms can adapt to a night shift is not known. 5 Impressive Date Ideas For Those Working Opposite Shifts, Shift Workers Guide to Valentines Day: Work and be Romantic. [advice] As the title says, I'm currently seeking advice on how to survive my 2nd shift job that includes weekends. I know what it feels like to be completely wired after the 2nd shift with no hope of going to bed before 4am. Seek advice if you need help from a financial planner or a trusted family member who can give you unbiased recommendations. This is not only a great time for your kids to “show off” their incredible, shift working mom or dad but it allows you to spend time with your child and keep track of their progress. Did a family member work the second shift so you are used to it? A quick search for “night shift health effects” reveals that you’re at risk for heart disease, … Second shift you can still get things done in the morning. How to Stop Feeling Lonely When Your Partner Works Nights, Insomnia and Shift Work Sleep Disorder Medication Review, My Top Tip for Taking Melatonin on Night Shift: Plus 10 More, Trick to Best Communicate as a Shift Work Family, On the Go Tote, Double Electric Breast Pump, Is Night Shift Bad For You? Here are a few options: Missing on nightly “family time” can be hard for both your child and you. Who Wins? The key to surviving the night shift is to just take care of your body, Dailey says. There were days he just begged his daddy to go back to first shift (or ship as him & Millie Jo called it for the longest time) but of course, Dan had no control over it. Ask your boss about taking your person phone onto a shift to ensure you don’t miss anything important. If your partner/spouse is home with your baby while you’re at work, make sure they have enough breast milk stored to ensure feeding is a smooth process – both for the baby and partner! How do I adjust? It's weird because if i put a botanist in the building and after moving one of the medics, the botanist goes to the other shift ffs! We thrived off that family time! Like you’ve come from one job to the next without a break? I’m not going to lie, working the 2nd shift while having a family is hard and it’s not easy by any stretch of the imagination. How Can I Sleep When My Boyfriend is Away? I simply don't have enough ppl in the small dome to fill uo one shift so much. How to Stop It Happening. Please read our disclosure and privacy statement for more info. “Sleeping on it” can give you clarity and allow you to see the situation from a different angle. Don’t focus on the time of day and rather the time you’re spending together. Keep The Lights On During Your Night Shift. Workout routines for a 12 hour or night shift. Spend every chance you can with your family & pray, pray, pray that God puts you or your spouse on a normal schedule if it's His will. Create a pool of trustworthy people like your family, friends and neighbors who you can call on if need be. Take it in turns to ensure you are looking after each other and your health. Unfortunately, the night shift lifestyle can be harmful to your well-being. Now I want to reference the fact that this post caters to parents who are currently in a relationship, however, there are a large amount of 2nd shift workers out there who are single parents. So happy for you that your hubby is back to first shift! If you start work between 2-4pm, why not volunteer some time in the mornings to help out at the school in your child’s classroom? This situation requires brutal honesty, teamwork and the utmost support for your partner/spouse – oh and getting help! 9 Shift Work Best Practices You’re Probably Not Doing, Essential Guide to Working a Rotating Shift Schedule, Night Shift Is Killing My Marriage. When I work second shift it's 2:30-11PM, get off and stay awake until 2-4AM, sleep until 12:30PM then get ready and go to work. Talk about funny things your kids did throughout the week rather than work and serious stuff. It has definitely been hard on us but I can honestly say that we all 4 made the best of it! Work with your spouse as a strong, transparent team to ensure you are both staying healthy, eating well and getting enough sleep so you can be the best parents you can. It was so rough, at first! Related post: Shift Workers Guide to Valentines Day: Work and be Romantic. Is there flexibility to swap shifts with a workmate if something important arises? Here are some helpful tips for making 2nd shift work AND having a baby. Even then use the shipments to bolster stockpiles that you're low on. “Pick your battles” but don’t get into the habit of “letting everything slide” because it’s easier not to say anything. – Eric Johnson. Ship rare metal out and import the polymer, machine parts, and electronics that you need until you get factories for them. Depending on your proximity from work and home, are you able to spend your hour’s break at home with your family enjoying a meal together? This will eat you up and cause more problems. Learn how your system works and manipulate it to suit your family. When typical daily rhythm is thrown off balance, so too is metabolism. But don’t let your sometimes crappy roster win the battle and take back control. Just keep this in mind as you continue to read this article as it may impact on how you view changes you NEED to make and how your attitude can influence the whole family. Tread Carefully at Your Day-Job. Sleep deprivation, in the beginning, is inevitable due to constant feeding times, but work together and do everything you can to allow for a sneaky nap where possible. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. Try to stay away from any caffeine during the second half of your night shift so you can sleep after more easily. Most nights he didn't go to sleep until 4am because it would take him that long to wind down! Third shift horror story for ya. While you’re out working providing for your family, just remember your partner/spouse is also (potentially working their own job) AND looking after the kids. Related post: How Can I Sleep When My Boyfriend is Away? Whew, what a long 15 months that was! See Is Night Shift Bad For You? The note only needs to be short for maximum impact. In life, I think we make time for the things we care about the most. – Meal prep (whip up some soup or prepare kids lunches by cutting up some fruit into smaller containers and making some sandwiches so they can take it to school. Also not interested in why I should be interested in mods, thank you). If you and your family only have Sundays together, treasure this, even if that means skipping other events from time to time. This careful balancing act seems impossible be interested in mods, thank you ) more practical solutions on how not. Electric Pump and an abundance of bottles and share this time together having lunch dates.. 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