Graveyard shift woes.

[HaveGun]

I've been working 12hr graveyard shifts for a couple of years now. 6 pm to 6 am. I hate them. But, I can't afford to lose the $400 a month shift premium and my job search was torpedoed by the whole Covid thing.

So I deal with it. It's hard on my 50 yr old body to be transitioning to more normal sleeping times on my days off and I've just learned to accept staying up until 3 am on my days off and getting up around 10 am.

What's frustrating is that nobody seems to understand that I work graveyard. My family still plans events early in the day and just the other day, my dad called me at 8 am.

I have a colonoscopy scheduled for Monday at 1:30pm. I told the nurse that was the earliest I could be there due to my schedule. She then went over the medication procedure for the clean out and gave me the times for taking the meds. I told her that I would be sleeping during the time she wanted me to take the second dose. Sorry. Deal with it. Then, this morning, she called me at 8 am to verify I was still ready for the appointment. I was asleep for about 4 hours when she called. I told her I was sleeping when she called. She said, "oh, yeah. It says here you work graveyard shift." No apology.

I recently put an ad on Craigslist for some tires and put in the ad that I worked graveyard and no calls or texts before 2pm. Of course people started texting and calling at 6 am. WTF, people??

I'm sure there is a way on my Android phone to block all calls and texts during certain hours, so I'll have to research that.

Just frustrated that people can't do simple math or have any common courtesy to not bother me when I'm sleeping. I don't call or text people at 2 am when I'm wide awake and need to do business...

Rant over...

Read More

 

[madladchad]

Man, that sucks. My cousin also works graveyard (Fedex), and it's hard enough on him. Sucks to hear that people are so inconsiderate.

 

[DB is Here]

Turn the phone off when you sleep...I mean how did our parents ever make it w/o a cell phone?

I'm the same age you are, but I'd just turn off my electronic dog chain if I needed to sleep.

 

[Alexx1401]

I have been working that shift all my life almost. I always loved it. When single it worked great. When I got married again it was great again, someone was always here for kids.
Few things I have learned.
Phone: only people in my contacts can get a ring out of the phone when I am sleeping. They know better than to call during the day.
I have a throw away phone for selling stuff. Use it as back up. If I need to do something with main phone, like today I had a new one and takes a while to set up. So use the back up to call and have the stuff done. When I sell something I use that # for texts and calls. When I am sleeping no one gets me.
Family: Some still do not quite get it but too bad. Now and then when one mentions me not showing up for something I say "how about we do one at 3:00AM?" This shuts them the hell up.
The RN's calling you should know better since MANY of them work night shift but, again set up you phone so it will not make noise if you do not have the caller in an important list.
People knocking on the door? I must be on some "do not bother" list as this VERY seldom happens any more. A few people got a response from that had them looking shocked when they woke me up for something stupid.
Last is good blackout curtains and AC. The bedroom has both. Even when not hot enough to need the AC running it makes white noise to blank out other stuff. I just finished a 3 week stretch with no days off. I spent a couple days up most of the night watching TV and playing, sleeping most of the day. Wife is used to this now. Even dogs learn to just let me rest. I have learned to sleep in shifts though which some like me do well. Others do not seem to be able to do it well. It has long worked for me. Can come home, eat, shower, walk the dogs and such. Sleep a while, get up do whatever, take a nap before work.

 

[johnny bob]

I don't call or text people at 2 am when I'm wide awake and need to do business...

Perhaps you should.

 

[Alexx1401]

Perhaps you should.

If family who should know better started bothering me? I would start calling them in the middle of the night from work, pretend like I forgot.

 

[Ramjet12]

I've been working 12hr graveyard shifts for a couple of years now. 6 pm to 6 am. I hate them. But, I can't afford to lose the $400 a month shift premium and my job search was torpedoed by the whole Covid thing.

So I deal with it. It's hard on my 50 yr old body to be transitioning to more normal sleeping times on my days off and I've just learned to accept staying up until 3 am on my days off and getting up around 10 am.

What's frustrating is that nobody seems to understand that I work graveyard. My family still plans events early in the day and just the other day, my dad called me at 8 am.

I have a colonoscopy scheduled for Monday at 1:30pm. I told the nurse that was the earliest I could be there due to my schedule. She then went over the medication procedure for the clean out and gave me the times for taking the meds. I told her that I would be sleeping during the time she wanted me to take the second dose. Sorry. Deal with it. Then, this morning, she called me at 8 am to verify I was still ready for the appointment. I was asleep for about 4 hours when she called. I told her I was sleeping when she called. She said, "oh, yeah. It says here you work graveyard shift." No apology.

I recently put an ad on Craigslist for some tires and put in the ad that I worked graveyard and no calls or texts before 2pm. Of course people started texting and calling at 6 am. WTF, people??

I'm sure there is a way on my Android phone to block all calls and texts during certain hours, so I'll have to research that.

Just frustrated that people can't do simple math or have any common courtesy to not bother me when I'm sleeping. I don't call or text people at 2 am when I'm wide awake and need to do business...

Rant over...

I sometimes work odd hours when I'm on call. I'll work to 2-3 am and want to sleep in but the calls come at 7 or 8.
There is a feature in android called Do Not Disturb. Got to settings and search for dnd. I have mine set to be silent except for a few people like my dear old mother. When she calls it will ring though.

RJ

 

[1371JarHead]

Colonoscopys are awesome lololol, man that crap they give you to clean you out, just think of Johnny Cash burning ring of fire lolol, and you better drink that 2nd jug or they might send your azz home cuz you are not cleaned out enough...

 

[Lazyfaire]

Colonoscopys are important enough to get up for no matter what time. It sucks I know. I've done 2 of them so far and have another one coming up in 2021. I don't do the jugs, i do the small bottles. I know they are more expensive but 4-5 ounces is just easier to get down and done with.

Totally understand all the other phone calls. I agree with @DB is Here to either turn your phone off or under a pillow with a message that you'll call them back much later. Then call them at 2am, several times.

 

[CoastRange57]

I recently put an ad on Craigslist for some tires and put in the ad that I worked graveyard and no calls or texts before 2pm. Of course people started texting and calling at 6 am. WTF, people??

Let's look at the cause and effect here.

1. Add on craiglist. What could possibly go wrong here ?
2. Tweaker on a 3 day tweak needs tires for his ride and has no fing clue it is 6am. Could be 10 pm for all he knows.

Conclusion : Tweakers scour craigslist for sweet deals on used sh*t and will call you any time despite what it says in the add, because they are too twisted up to read that part, just the awesome tires you have.

 

[L84Cabo]

You have my sympathy and respect. Graveyard shifts are rough.

I'm not sure I have anything helpful on how to deal with the fam. But you should implement whatever logistical tactics you can...Turn your phone off, blackout curtains, ear plugs, white noise machine, hang reminder notes around to try and keep the fam quiet, etc.

Godspeed!

 

[Certaindeaf]

If you invested in a milk goat you wouldn't need $400 extra a month so do that.
Pretty simple really.

 

[clearconscience]

I've studied and read a lot of what makes people live healthy and a HUGE one is having a proper sleep schedule. Humans are highly adaptable, but they are not made to be awake all night.
It's extremely hard on you physically, mentally, and emotionally.

 

[Alexx1401]

I've studied and read a lot of what makes people live healthy and a HUGE one is having a proper sleep schedule. Humans are highly adaptable, but they are not made to be awake all night.
It's extremely hard on you physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Hey now I have a good excuse for my "behavior". It's not my fault, I've been up all night for 40 years. Wonder if I could get this one past the Wife?