How to Adjust to an Early Morning Work Shift
CNN Health reports that an estimated 20 percent of Americans in the workforce are shift workers. A shift worker is an employee who works for a company with operations that extend beyond the regular 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. day. Shift work is common in industries, such as manufacturing, hospitals, retail and restaurants. In some cases, a worker must work a shift to which he is not accustomed, such as an early morning shift. If you are in this situation, you must make the necessary adjustments to your lifestyle and routine so that you may acclimate to a new schedule.
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Instructions
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Analyze your current schedule and responsibilities. Make a list of everything you have to accomplish in a given day and indicate the approximate time period during which you currently perform these activities and responsibilities. This list will indicate your daily routine prior to changing to the early morning work shift.
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Assess your sleep and wake patterns. One out of 10 people are "larks," who enjoy waking up early in the morning. Two out of 10 people are "owls," who tend to stay up late (often past midnight). The rest of people fall somewhere in between larks and owls, according to the book: "Safety at the Sharp End: A Guide to Non-Technical Skills." Make a mental note of what time you begin to feel tired at night, what time you fall asleep and what time you wake up in the morning.
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Readjust your daily routine. Using the list of daily activities and responsibilities you created, determine an appropriate new daily schedule. When your shift was later in the day, you likely performed many of these activities later. Now that your shift is earlier, you will have to move these activities back an hour or two to accomplish everything you need to each day. For instance, if you have a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift, you get home from work at 6 p.m., eat dinner and complete your responsibilities from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and go to bed at 10 p.m. But, if your shift changes to 4 a.m. to 12 p.m., you would likely eat dinner and complete your responsibilities from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and go to bed at 8 p.m.
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Determine an appropriate bedtime and go to bed at the same time every night. Choose a realistic bedtime that will allow you to accomplish everything you need to in a given day. If you are a "night owl," it may be difficult for you to go to bed at 6 p.m. Find a balance and allow yourself adequate sleep and adequate time to perform your daily and nightly routine.
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Maintain your routine. Each shift should get easier with each passing day. According to the book: "Fatigue in Aviation: A Guide to Staying Awake at the Stick," if you develop and maintain a routine, it takes about one full day per hour of schedule change to acclimate to a new schedule.
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Minimize your stress by finding time to exercise, meditate or do yoga. The National Institute of Open Schooling defines adjustment as the process of reducing stress and coping with the conditions surrounding any situation. You cannot adjust to your early morning shift without maintaining low stress levels.
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Tips & Warnings
If you need to go to sleep during daylight hours, block all sunlight from entering through your windows with opaque curtains or shades. A healthy breakfast will energize you and help get you through your shift.
References
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