At my casual retail job, I don’t get a consistent number of hours. Last year, they asked me if I wanted to do a three hour shift that starts at 7am on a Sunday which is every week. I said yes due to the consistency and the pay being good. But I find myself being unable to sleep at a reasonable hour, and so every Sunday, I am extremely groggy and irritable. It’s been a year of this, and I ruined the relationship I was in because of emotional impulsivity due to lack of sleep. I also consistently make little mistakes during the shift that I wouldn’t make if I had slept properly, which also probably affects the way the managers see me. I tend to daudle getting ready because I’m so tired and am usually in a rush to get to work. I also don’t get to go out on Saturday nights, which I guess isn’t that much of a dealbreaker, but still kind of sucks. I’ve figured something has to change. I feel like if I can’t even wake up at 6 without being a freaking insomniac, I don’t think I’ll be able to hold down a job. I don’t know how I’ll be able to wake up for placement if I do teaching or some allied health course.
So it’s either, I force myself to wake up at 7am every single day and keep the 6am wake up on a Sunday, in the hope that I’ll be able to sleep better and improve my sleep hygiene. This is coming from a night owl who somehow just comes awake when I’m supposed to sleep. I’m thinking this is probably the better option for now because I don’t have the energy or time to write cover letters.
Or I quit and find a more predictable part time job that will allow me to take annual leave during potential placement next year. This will probably help with giving me a sense of routine.
Your partner being tired from working weird shifts is part of a relationship. Your ex sounded like a dick head. That’s not on you. I had a few women break up with me when I was studying and being a bouncer, yeah honey I work thu/fri/sat nights and sleep all day. That’s the job, what did you expect?
Takes two to tango. Please, only accept HALF the blame for the ‘relationship’ failure. At most. I know this is hard, but thinking that everything is your fault and your fault alone is at best ‘magical thinking’ and at worst can get very dark indeed. Also, lack of sleep is NOT the sole and only cause of emotional ups and downs. You are a good person, dealing with some issues re scheduling of time and energy. Which are solvable.
Seriously have a sit down and push for shifted hours. Just straight up tell them you cannot work these hours any more, don’t elaborate why. You don’t owe them answers on that front, but you can suggest alternatives. I’m a hardwired nightowl, i’ve found that starting 10am onwards tends to be a good compromise
At my casual retail job, I don’t get a consistent number of hours. Last year, they asked me if I wanted to do a three hour shift that starts at 7am on a Sunday which is every week. I said yes due to the consistency and the pay being good. But I find myself being unable to sleep at a reasonable hour, and so every Sunday, I am extremely groggy and irritable. It’s been a year of this, and I ruined the relationship I was in because of emotional impulsivity due to lack of sleep. I also consistently make little mistakes during the shift that I wouldn’t make if I had slept properly, which also probably affects the way the managers see me. I tend to daudle getting ready because I’m so tired and am usually in a rush to get to work. I also don’t get to go out on Saturday nights, which I guess isn’t that much of a dealbreaker, but still kind of sucks. I’ve figured something has to change. I feel like if I can’t even wake up at 6 without being a freaking insomniac, I don’t think I’ll be able to hold down a job. I don’t know how I’ll be able to wake up for placement if I do teaching or some allied health course.
So it’s either, I force myself to wake up at 7am every single day and keep the 6am wake up on a Sunday, in the hope that I’ll be able to sleep better and improve my sleep hygiene. This is coming from a night owl who somehow just comes awake when I’m supposed to sleep. I’m thinking this is probably the better option for now because I don’t have the energy or time to write cover letters.
Or I quit and find a more predictable part time job that will allow me to take annual leave during potential placement next year. This will probably help with giving me a sense of routine.
pretty sure the guy was a dick and that had nothing to do with anything you did
Agreed.
Your partner being tired from working weird shifts is part of a relationship. Your ex sounded like a dick head. That’s not on you. I had a few women break up with me when I was studying and being a bouncer, yeah honey I work thu/fri/sat nights and sleep all day. That’s the job, what did you expect?
Takes two to tango. Please, only accept HALF the blame for the ‘relationship’ failure. At most. I know this is hard, but thinking that everything is your fault and your fault alone is at best ‘magical thinking’ and at worst can get very dark indeed. Also, lack of sleep is NOT the sole and only cause of emotional ups and downs. You are a good person, dealing with some issues re scheduling of time and energy. Which are solvable.
Seriously have a sit down and push for shifted hours. Just straight up tell them you cannot work these hours any more, don’t elaborate why. You don’t owe them answers on that front, but you can suggest alternatives. I’m a hardwired nightowl, i’ve found that starting 10am onwards tends to be a good compromise