Do you work the nightshift? If yes, read this…

, September 19, 2017, 0 Comments

work-nightshift-marketexpress-inMost organisations usually have work hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. But for the average worker, a typical workday usually extends beyond these hours. Some jobs in  global organisations require staff to service  their customers around the clock. The employees of these companies normally are involved in shift work.

Shift work is normally dividing the day in blocks of time for people to service their customers. This shift work also includes working at night. This means  employees work during the night their local time(when it is sleep time for them) to service customers who are awake and have begun their day in another part of the world. An example of this would be India servicing customers in New Zealand.

Working the nightshift means odd hours and a big change to your usual body clock.Working when everyone else is asleep is not for everyone.

“OMG! MOMMY”…yelled Rita…

”What happened dear?”asked a worried mummy…

“90 kilos Ma, I weigh 90 kilos. How and when did this happen?! asked a hollering Rita…

“You are 10 away from a century…ha,ha,ha!” guffawed  Vishal the imp for a  younger brother.

“ How can you laugh when your older sister is in misery,” Ma asked Vishal, while twisting his ear….

“Ma she did it to herself.   Who tells her to eat KitKat all the time!!”

“Vishal, my dear brother, I feel like  chocolate at work. If I am hungry or when dealing with a cranky client during my nightshift, I feel like reaching for a KitKat.  Now help me if you can else keep quiet…”

Here is a list of people who usually  work at night…

  1. Healthcare professionals like hospital nurses, emergency specialists, others in the allied services of the medical profession
  2. Call centre executives
  3. The aviation industry
  4. The hotel industry
  5. Law enforcement employees
  6. Bakers
  7. Actors
  8. People who work in logistics

I list here some pros and cons of nightshift work according to me:

Pros

  1. Child care-If one parent is a nightshift worker then there might be some advantages around juggling parenting workload e.g. school drop offs and pickups
  2. Personal preference – Some people are night owls and just enjoy working when the world is sleeping. This maybe good for their mental health
  3. Beat peak hour traffic – There should be very light or minimal traffic at night as pretty much everyone is off the road
  4. Study during the day – Most universities have daytime/ evening lectures for their students. Nightshift workers might be able to take advantage of the day time lectures and study to further their skills and get that promotion at work. So they make their money and study…

Cons

  1. Health – As much as you would like to eat healthy there will be the tendency to eat unhealthy foods e.g. chips, Cola, chocolate which may result in unhealthy weight gain and related health issues
  2. Driving – Driving while fatigued can be risky
  3. Social life – Most social events tend to be day events which night shift workers may miss out on. Also, it is hard to chat with friends as they might very well be resting while workers at night are awake and working
  4. Exercise – After a night of work it is hard to motivate oneself to hit the gym especially when your body is craving for sleep
  5. Leisure activities – Again, it is hard to go play tennis or golf when sleepy and tired

Rita  reached out to Google and created a plan to begin leading a healthier lifestyle so that  she could be happy with her life, while working at night.

Here are some basic tips Rita  has to offer  for those who need help while working the nightshift

  1. Standing and exercising while doing your work
  2. I know your body craves unhealthy food when you work those hours. I would suggest being careful with the type of food you eat. Try and eat healthy like quinoa biscuits instead of cream biscuits
  3. Try to squeeze in some walking whether it be inside the office or to your workplace
  4. Try to practise polyphasic sleep techniques

Rita today;

She is slowly and surely  reaching her ideal lifestyle with having shed 10 kilos and feeling healthy and fit.  She continues her healthy lifestyle even during her nightshift and has shared these  tips with her colleagues

Is there anything to be added to this list?