Adjusting to a new job and schedule

[lisa_antonia]

I've been working as a pastry assistant for about three weeks now. It's my first serious food service position and I love it! I work shifts from 5pm-11:45pm, and generally I really look foward to going to work.

Still, i'm -much- more tired than I ever anticipated I could be. I used to wake up at 6:45 every morning, and now when I manage to roll out of bed around 8ish i'm sore and utterly catatonic.

Some people have told me that it just takes time to adjust to the physical demands and routine of a new position. I am struggling because i'm finishing college, and some days I just feel too tired to function. It seems silly to me because I know this schedule isn't as bad as many other food service shifts...

So my question is, how have you adjusted to the demands of your schedule? What helps you cope with being really tired?

[Luckylies]

More sleep is the only thing that will help you. If you'r going to bed at 2- wake up at 10. That's it. If you can't then just slog through it until college is done.

[Qwerty]

You'll adjust. Give it time. It may take up to a month or maybe even two to get fully used to it.

[K8memphis]

I of course, do not know anything about your eating habits, but still I would encourage you to avoid sugar including juices & stuff for a while to help facilitate the change. Try to eat very carefully. Eat protiens first, stick with salads & stuff like that, lean dishes. Just a thought. Make sure you are eating a good breakfast. Drink enough water. Snack but snack wisely like on nuts or lean meat or some veggies.

I know you are tired and exercising might be agony but can you do some deep breathing at least? Get some oxygen flowing to dust off some cranial cobwebs??? Are you dreaming? If not you might not be getting the rem sleep and that means it doesn't matter how much time you spend in bed your body is not fully rested, makes your muscles tired. Muscles recover overnight and so you need to be dreaming to ensure the good sleep is happening.

In other words, point yourself to good health, eat better, sleep better, breath better if you cannot exercise but you should try to exercise a bit, and drink your water. It can't hurt anything and it will help.

Hope you feel better soon.

Oh yeah, eliminate stress...

[Matcha Eyes]

As the posters above said, you have to give yourself adjustment time. I used to work at a cheesecake bakery from 6 am until 2 pm, then work as a manager at Subway from 3-10. I also had school twice a week. It's hard as hell, but after a while you get used to it and missing sleep doesn't affect you as much as before. You'd be suprised at how far your body can go before you hit burnout. Most of all, remember that this bit of stress you are going through now will pay off so much in the end. Working as a pastry assissant is great and finishing college will only open up more opportunities. Good luck!

[lisa_antonia]

thanks for the advice guys. it's very encouraging.

Work was great tonight. We did three varieties of scone, some chocolate cinnamon mousse with rum flambeed bananas, focaccia, passionfruit sorbet, almond macaroons, strawberry white chocolate mousse cakes....lots and lots of stuff.

now I will try and get to bed.

[dave s.]

I feel for ya. Somebody already mentioned sucking it up 'til you're done with school, and that's what you'll have to do-but as someone who has worked PMs for a LONG time, I'll tell you this-if you intend to work those hours in the future, forget about bouncing out of bed early in the AM. You'll need time after work to process the day's events, eat-in moderation, 'cause going to bed after a big meal is a REALLY bad idea unless you just want to gain a lot of weight-play on the computer, watch the tube, whatever-but the bottom line is : you're always going to be out of synch with most of mainstream society. And they'll try and give you crap about things like sleeping until 10 or 11, going grocery shopping at 2 in the morning, etc. For me that's normal! The night time is the right time-for police and thieves and cooks! To hell with the civilians, anyway. Persevere.

[Alchemist]

Embrace the Disco Nap!! Take a 20 or 40 or 60 minute nap some time during the day. I don't know why the 20 min. increments work so well but go with it. Let youself relax, find a very dark room and let yourself go. You owe it to yourself. Use coffee carefully it can really mess up your sleep. a couple of cocktails is all right but more will also mess up your sleep. Enjoy the night. Shopping at 2am rocks, never having to travel during rushhour is the best.

[Jmahl]

Embrace the Disco Nap!! Take a 20 or 40 or 60 minute nap some time during the day. I don't know why the 20 min. increments work so well but go with it. Let youself relax, find a very dark room and  let yourself go.  You owe it to yourself.  Use coffee carefully it can really mess up your sleep.  a couple of cocktails is all right but more will also mess up your sleep.  Enjoy the night.  Shopping at 2am rocks, never having to travel during rushhour is the best.

←

Alchemist has it right. Grab every little nap you can. In another life I slept on the train, on break and at lunch. Keeps you going.

[chromedome]

I've had the opposite problem the last few years, as a naturally nocturnal person coping with a 6:45AM wake-up. It is essentially impossible for me to fall asleep anytime before midnight, and sometimes beyond that. This makes life rather difficult for me, especially since if I nap at any point after getting home I can't sleep later.

It's ironic that, as a person perfectly suited to "normal" cook's hours, I've had all daytime shifts for some time.

I've coped by catching up as best I can during the weekends, and going to bed early when my fatigue level gets to the point of helping me drop off ahead of time. Geez, maybe I should be scoring myself some weed, that always makes me nod within minutes...

[Jakea222]

I have your problem - I have been out of a kitchen for a few months due to relocation for my wife and I have put in some time the last 3 weeks as a Sous Chef and let me tell you I hurt and feel like I could sleep on my feet. It will get easier as I had the same thing happen before but trying for some normal routine is the best - SLEEP is the best when you can - good luck