Monday, May 31, 2010

Night Shift

During my almost 20 years of corporate desk jockeying, my typical work days were just that, days. So, if you said "night shift" to me, I might free associate with the late 80's comedy by that name starring Henry Winkler (you know, Fonzie) and Michael Keaton where they worked at a morgue and turned the place into a dating hot spot (if I remember correctly).

Or, maybe, the Stephen King compilation of short stories, also from the 80's.

Here at TK, where I have been working the day shift, it has meant some of the other guys in my platoon who, like elves, came late in the night to work under the cover of darkness when no one else was around.

Well, pass me the Keebler cookies, because yours truly is about to join the night shift.

As a highly evolved diurnal mammal, there are certainly cons to working on the night shift - such as trying to sleep during the day while your roommate is just waking up and maybe not always being the quietest mouse in the house. Or, after you wake up, the first meal served at the mess hall (pardon me, dining facility) being everyone else’s dinner.

However, I think there are pros which will, I hope, outweigh the cons.

Like not having to work my entire shift out in the sun where the temperatures have been holding fairly steady at 100+ and are going no where but up as we move into the summer months.

And since I have been getting up so early to begin my day shift, there wasn't really time for physical exercise before work and it was very challenging for me to find the motivation to go to the gym after spending the day being slow roasted.

Now I will be able to start my day by working out after waking up; a much more preferable routine for me personally - get the juices flowing.

Also, let's face it, quite often, there is not as much customer interface in the wee hours - making the night shift a bit more of a relaxed environment than the day shift.

So, all in all, don't tell anyone or they may move me back to days, but I think I am going to enjoy the shift to night.

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