Shift work and sleep

[Hugh G. Rection]

So, I'm a power plant operator. We work alternating shift work. Our schedule is 2 on 2 off 3 on 2 off 2 on 3 off. Every time you come back to work from being off you switch from days to nights or vice versa. I've been doing this for two and a half years now and it's running me ragged. It's seriously killing me. The money is great. Six figure yearly salary for someone with no college degree. The work isn't ridiculously hard. There are days when I get a little dirty or I'm stuck on a dozer pushing coal for 12 hours but for the most part it's not a bad gig at all. The problem is I'm ALWAYS tired. I've been with the company for over ten years now. I installed and maintainenced electric and gas meters and did minor electric and plumbing work before I started working in plants. I'm just at the point where I feel like my quality of life is more important to me than the money I'm getting paid and it's just not worth it. Anybody do similar work or have a similar schedule? Any advice? Thanks

 

[Ripped]

So, I'm a power plant operator. We work alternating shift work. Our schedule is 2 on 2 off 3 on 2 off 2 on 3 off. Every time you come back to work from being off you switch from days to nights or vice versa. I've been doing this for two and a half years now and it's running me ragged. It's seriously killing me. The money is great. Six figure yearly salary for someone with no college degree. The work isn't ridiculously hard. There are days when I get a little dirty or I'm stuck on a dozer pushing coal for 12 hours but for the most part it's not a bad gig at all. The problem is I'm ALWAYS tired. I've been with the company for over ten years now. I installed and maintainenced electric and gas meters and did minor electric and plumbing work before I started working in plants. I'm just at the point where I feel like my quality of life is more important to me than the money I'm getting paid and it's just not worth it. Anybody do similar work or have a similar schedule? Any advice? Thanks

Look into provigil it will help you have more focus and help wake you up when needed. there's sources here that carries it. I used it when I was working nights in the mines. mondofil I think is another name for it.

 

[Perrin Aybara]

I know a few coal miners that have similar schedules and also run gear and train. They say pretty much exactly what you just did. That it sucks and they're always tired. For six figures I'd give it a hell of a shot, but I can imagine quality of life would be awful. My sleep quality is terrible anyway.

 

[Hugh G. Rection]

I know a few coal miners that have similar schedules and also run gear and train. They say pretty much exactly what you just did. That it sucks and they're always tired. For six figures I'd give it a hell of a shot, but I can imagine quality of life would be awful. My sleep quality is terrible anyway.

Look into provigil it will help you have more focus and help wake you up when needed. there's sources here that carries it. I used it when I was working nights in the mines. mondofil I think is another name for it.

Will it make me fail a piss test?

 

[Hugh G. Rection]

I know a few coal miners that have similar schedules and also run gear and train. They say pretty much exactly what you just did. That it sucks and they're always tired. For six figures I'd give it a hell of a shot, but I can imagine quality of life would be awful. My sleep quality is terrible anyway.

It gets old and money isn't everything. Not to me anyway. I'm 39 with no kids though. If I can find another job making less money and stay with the same company I'm gonna do it. My house note is pretty affordable and I'm not into expensive vehicles. If I can bring in 70k a year I'll have all the money I need.

 

[RodgerThat]

Do what I just did and quit. Honestly I'm only a week out from working but it was such a relief. I'm scrambling around to find the money to fuel my hobbies now but I always seem to make do. I've taken a summer job doing something incredibly rewarding too and that already beats the feeling of a big payday and I haven't even started yet. Do what you want and let everything else figure itself out. I'm assuming you've saved a little so use your cushion and take this time to figure out what brings ya joy.

I quit because of a motivational speaker named tony Robbins I was listening to speech on YouTube and he said some in the way of give everything and more that you have and the universe will in turn provide. Financially I don't know how it's going to provide yet but from a happiness standpoint it's already paid of in spades

 

[Hugh G. Rection]

Do what I just did and quit. Honestly I'm only a week out from working but it was such a relief. I'm scrambling around to find the money to fuel my hobbies now but I always seem to make do. I've taken a summer job doing something incredibly rewarding too and that already beats the feeling of a big payday and I haven't even started yet. Do what you want and let everything else figure itself out. I'm assuming you've saved a little so use your cushion and take this time to figure out what brings ya joy.

I quit because of a motivational speaker named tony Robbins I was listening to speech on YouTube and he said some in the way of give everything and more that you have and the universe will in turn provide. Financially I don't know how it's going to provide yet but from a happiness standpoint it's already paid of in spades

I wish I could but I've invested ten years of my life with this company and I wanna keep my pension. I'm just gonna have to be patient and stick it out until I can get a job in a different department.

 

[Cyrix]

I wish I could but I've invested ten years of my life with this company and I wanna keep my pension. I'm just gonna have to be patient and stick it out until I can get a job in a different department.

You're vested at 10 years and keep what pension you have currently whether or not you leave.

 

[RodgerThat]

I wish I could but I've invested ten years of my life with this company and I wanna keep my pension. I'm just gonna have to be patient and stick it out until I can get a job in a different department.

6 years and it was my own company, didn't ask for a buy out or anything just slowly walked backwards out holding middle fingers high with explosions going off in the background. Okay wasn't quite that epic but honestly man one week post what most would call "throwing your life away" I'm happier then ever and I have a skill set that will always be desirable and a wrk ethic that matches. If you have two feet and a heart beat and are willing to put in whatever effort it takes then it will always work out man.

 

[Nemesis RR]

My experience from working STEADY nights was to never go to bed before 3 AM. In other words maintain some type of pattern. Do the hours allow any type of semi steady sleep pattern?

 

[movingiron88]

Look at the bright side. You have days off. Use them to catch up on sleep. I have to work nights and weekends as well, speratically on top of a 55+hour work week(road and bridge construction) it is truly greuling. I don't ever get to catch up on sleep. But like they say you can sleep when u die.

 

[fldoms980]

This probably isn't gonna be the popular answer but really work comes before everything, you just gotta get your priorities straight. Atleast if you plan on making a big career change, don't make the mistake I did, save up enough to live comfortably for longer than you initially anticipate. Just make sure you know what you're getting into... After all, more money=more money for food & juice!

 

[Hugh G. Rection]

Look at the bright side. You have days off. Use them to catch up on sleep. I have to work nights and weekends as well, speratically on top of a 55+hour work week(road and bridge construction) it is truly greuling. I don't ever get to catch up on sleep. But like they say you can sleep when u die.

Nights and weekends don't bother me. It's constantly switching from days to nights every few days that messes me up. Like I just walked out of the plant and working all night. I'm off today and Thursday and I work days frid through Sunday. Then I'm off Monday and Tuesday and I work Wednesday and Thursday night shift. It's impossible to ever have any kind of normal sleep schedule.

 

[Ripped]

At least you're still working almost all of the mining in my area has been devastated by epa regs and low coal prices.

 

[Deuce80]

Does your company offer tuition assistance? I'm on a 4 on 4 off rotation with constant day to night switch. I don't want this schedule forever so I'm using my company's money to pay for my master's degree so I can move up and take even more money from them in the hopefully near future. With a better schedule. Good luck to ya in whatever you decide, bro.

Nights and weekends don't bother me. It's constantly switching from days to nights every few days that messes me up. Like I just walked out of the plant and working all night. I'm off today and Thursday and I work days frid through Sunday. Then I'm off Monday and Tuesday and I work Wednesday and Thursday night shift. It's impossible to ever have any kind of normal sleep schedule.

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

So, I'm a power plant operator. We work alternating shift work. Our schedule is 2 on 2 off 3 on 2 off 2 on 3 off. Every time you come back to work from being off you switch from days to nights or vice versa. I've been doing this for two and a half years now and it's running me ragged. It's seriously killing me. The money is great. Six figure yearly salary for someone with no college degree. The work isn't ridiculously hard. There are days when I get a little dirty or I'm stuck on a dozer pushing coal for 12 hours but for the most part it's not a bad gig at all. The problem is I'm ALWAYS tired. I've been with the company for over ten years now. I installed and maintainenced electric and gas meters and did minor electric and plumbing work before I started working in plants. I'm just at the point where I feel like my quality of life is more important to me than the money I'm getting paid and it's just not worth it. Anybody do similar work or have a similar schedule? Any advice? Thanks

So you have 3-4 days off a week?
And you only work HALF THE DAY?
Bwahahaha. What are you bitching about again?

 

[Hugh G. Rection]

At least you're still working almost all of the mining in my area has been devastated by epa regs and low coal prices.

There's talk of converting the unit I work on from coal to natural gas at some point. Probably 7-10 years from now. Coal is cheaper right now but requires more man power and more equipment. The EPA is really strict on emissions and opacity too.

So you have 3-4 days off a week?
And you only work HALF THE DAY?
Bwahahaha. What are you bitching about again?

Lol. You have a valid point. Basically I'm always tired because I constantly switch back and forth from days to nights.

 

[JC456]

I'd look into melatonin. It's marketed for just this reason.

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

Lol. You have a valid point. Basically I'm always tired because I constantly switch back and forth from days to nights.

I think you need to wake up and smell the roses. You should consider 100k a year is top 5% in the country and top 1% in the world. All that with no formal education youve got it made. Easy as that

I would suggest stop moaning about it and change your mind to fit your job. Your always fucking tired cuz you always tell yourself your always fucking tired. Your falling victim to your own thought pattern. Wake up. FUCKING SMILE. You got it made

 

[Ripped]

There's talk of converting the unit I work on from coal to natural gas at some point. Probably 7-10 years from now. Coal is cheaper right now but requires more man power and more equipment. The EPA is really strict on emissions and opacity too.


Lol. You have a valid point. Basically I'm always tired because I constantly switch back and forth from days to nights.

Yeah the company I worked for filed bankruptcy and closed up.