At work we do self-scheduling. Every month there is a calendar posted in the break room and we are supposed to fill out what we WANT our schedule to be for the next month by a certain date. Then our boss will take and finalize it, usually giving us what we want but not always. I have had the same schedule since I started working here, which looks something like this (repeating every two weeks):
(OMG I could never be a graphic designer. It took me entirely too long to create this image and it made me want to throw my computer across the room.)
Well last month I forgot to fill out the self-schedule calendar, so my boss did it for me. She made one little shift: I am now off every other Friday instead of every other Thursday. This may not seem like a big deal, but my body is telling me that it is. “What are we doing at work today?” it’s saying. “Shouldn’t we be at home, cleaning the house like we do every Thursday?” I know I don’t always give my body a huge break on my days off, but at least I do let it sleep a few extra hours (till 7:30 a.m.! Such indulgence!) It’s just the difference of one measly day, but for some reason it feels like for-ev-er.
Most nurses do 12-hour shifts, and only have to work three days a week. I thought that I would hate such a long shift (I did them during nursing school), so when I was hired onto the only remaining unit in the entire hospital that actually offered 8-hour shifts I was relieved. And, I must say, it IS nice to leave at 3 p.m. (who am I kidding…3:30 p.m. at the earliest) every day, saying goodbye to those suckers working the long hours.
But the downside is that I have to come to work five days a week. And since I live over an hour away, it has started to wear me out. Many days David beats me home, which is depressing when you think about how he wakes up three hours later than I do and works approximately the same amount of hours. The thought of four blissful days off each week sounds like heaven to me now. I don’t care that the other three days I’ll have no time to do anything but work, eat, and go to sleep. It’s really hard to only have two days off in a row every two weeks.
I’ve been thinking more and more about requesting to change over to 12-hour shifts, but I’m afraid to rock the boat. The compromise I’ve made with myself, internally, is that I’ll ask to switch whenever I get pregnant (which I’m not, FYI). That way I’ll have a good reason to ask for it.
Hmm. When I started writing this post I didn’t intend for it to turn into a manifesto on the scheduling woes of nurses. But that’s how things go sometimes, and if I bored you then just wait till tomorrow…it’s my day off which is always super exciting. :)
Anyone else have crazy work schedules?
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