Work a Split Shift
Working a split shift is very difficult on many facets. Sleep deprivation and productivity are not the only challenges, but your family relationships often suffer as well. If you have to work a split shift for whatever reason, a few things to keep in mind and put into practice will help a great deal on many levels.
Steps
- Put your family and friends onto the same page. Others who do not or have never worked a split shift have no clue really, what it is like. You need to get all of your relationships to understand this. Explain to them your hours, the difficulty of it and ask for their help. They need not to simply understand your hours, but must be considerate of them as well. They shouldn't be calling you to do lunch because you will be sleeping, nor should they call you to meet them at a movie at night because you are working. Your family needs to allow you the quiet time you need to sleep as well, and this is likely their most active time.
- Darken up your room. When it is time to sleep, you will need to completely darken up your room. You can purchase room darkening shades and additionally, curtains as well. Both of these units together work really well. You have to simulate evening as best you can in order to get some quality sleep. Your circadian rhythm is already going to be messed up; you need as much help as you can get to deal with it. It might also help to put a fan on in the room to create some constant white noise to help drown out any sudden noises that might otherwise wake you up.
- Take a nap. If you are able to salvage some of your lunch hour on the job, try taking a 20-30 minute nap. Anything less than this might actually make you sleepier. A nap in no way can take the place of your actually sleep, so look to it as a supplement, but not the entire source. A nap could re-energize and refresh you and get your productivity and efficiency back on track.
- Sacrifice sleep only on certain and few occasions. There will come a time when you just don't want to miss your kid's school play or sporting event or some other family get together. If this is the exception and not the norm, it will probably be okay to sacrifice a little sleep so long as you don't make a habit of it. If you can, schedule a personal or vacation day at work so you can get your sleep and not miss your family event.
- Try to maintain the same, or similar type of schedule on the weekends (or whenever your days off occur) as you have during your work week. This keeps your body in the same groove; trying to change back and forth is extremely difficult and very hard on your body.
