Anybody else doing rotating shifts?? | ADHD Information

Glen ::: I don't have that kind of work hours problem.  Mine is I work from one pm and get home @ 10 pm, by then wIFfey is in sleep mode or pre-sleep mode=reading the front newspaper, and I'm trying to pry 12 y/o son fingers off computer game-except last night, he was doing a African country map study and was trying to break his own record !  Hard to throw him off, it was. My dad had a rotating shift most of his life-I'm sure it wasn't easy.

I'm heading to work in a few minutes and I got to wondering:

Do any of you have rotating shifts like me? Example - right now I'm on days (7AM to 3PM), goes for 2 weeks.  After that I move to graveyard (11 PM to 7AM) then after 2 weeks I hit afternoons (3PM to 11PM).  Then 2 weeks later start back on days.  You get something similar?

If so - how is it going?  Do you handle the wierd hours?? Any overtime? Any energy left over??

I'm ok with it - most weeks.  I've been late (a couple times a year - as long as I check with the shift manager if it happens and explain about my ADHD from time to time - I am ok).  It does leave me with little energy some weeks - and some it seems like I dance through it consequence free!  Wierd.

In the summer I put black plastic on my windows.  I tend to go to bed extra early - not hard when you're single but what if I get into a relationship?? I plan to - am "dating" a woman or two online and want to get into a LTR.  But will I do ok when the work is done?? Will I be this old guy either working or sleeping?? Will my extra curriculars make me where I sleep in?

I'm seriously worried about what will happen.  I love my job - but when a SO comes into the mix she should come at least even with the work right?  How does everybody balance it?  I forget - or more to the point I've never been into a relationship where ADHD was under control.  I need to learn how to be a responsible adult - and my therapist is touching on it but I need you guys to help me know it's ok.  Can you??

It just came to me this morning as I stayed up to get on the day shift again.  I have to do that sometimes - my body clock gets messed up until I get one day where I work until tired then I get enough sleep.  But perhaps one of you has been through this with a partner and has some coping skills.  Please share!!

 

Thanks guys - you are all like an extended family and I trust you as much or more as that.

 

- Glen

oh glen --- i think it just depends on the woman. if you are lucky
enough to find a stable, decent, un-needy, happy-in-her-own right sweet
woman with her own set of friends and social life then she will be able to
see that your intentions are best and that you are doing your best and
she will support you to the best of her ability too.

then you need to return the favour as best you can --- that's what i
consider making a marriage/relationship 'work' is all about. it is doing
that little bit extra, making just that tiny ten minutes of extra time and
energy (to clear up the room, to cook that lovely meal, to do the washing-
up, to help with something) when you would rather just fall onto the
couch --- and with that extra effort becomes a myriad of rewards. as
long as you both do it - then i think the relationship retains its positive
energy.

if you happen to find a slightly less balanced individual she still could see
you were trying your best and try to deal and enjoy the time you had
together anyway...

if you get it together with an unhappy woman --- then yes, she will bitch
at you about the hours, about how difficult it is for her to put up with it,
about how unhappy she is, what a misery you make her life, she doesn't
know why she is here with you, that you care more for the job than for
her etc. etc.

i can see, and i think everyone on this board can see, that your heart is in
the right place. so i wish you luck in finding a lovely, kind, well-
balanced, happy woman.

and that you don't forget to devote that little bit of extra time and energy
to the relationship to make it work, too.chjones38628.3805092593

I don’t work rotating shifts... I don’t think I could handle the constant schedule changes.  For me a routine schedule is somewhat of a figurative soft, warm blanket the keeps the chaos of life from freezing my toes off.  

I do, however,  do Emergency Room on-call shift work every Friday and Saturday night (8p - 8a).  I find it hard to have to leave the house sometimes when I get a call at 4:am and I JUST went to bed anyway , (but I can count on atleast the possibility of being called every Fri. Sat. night.)  I'm also married, its late, and I am so far off the topic at this point; I prolly should'da just gone to bed instead of responding to "one more" thread [lemmie try and save this train wreck]

-I think chjones is right; that if you meet the right person, your work schedule should not hurt the relationship. That being said, I think it is also important to monitor your own thoughts about this rotating shift work. 
You seem fine and functional with it now and that's good, but there may come a time, regardless of a woman being involved in your life or not, that you may want to make some changes in your job.  -My thoughts are to keep checking in with yourself as to your true willingness/healthiness/happiness to continue this job and avoid rationalizing OR IRRATIONALIZING the job based on the possibility of meeting women or thinking the grass is greener on the other side... Don’t make any rash decisions on it first and foremost!!!