Asked to work overnights. But the thought makes me ill.

Kaleidoscope27

It's not really MSE related but hoping for some advice anyway.

Pretty much what the title says. I work in retail and some staff do sometimes do overnight shifts to sort out the shop floor.

We had our rotas for the next two weeks when suddenly my manager changed them and now I'm doing two overnights next week and two the week after.

For some unknown reason, the very thought of doing them makes me feel ill with stress. I very nearly blacked out in work last night not long after finding out I was doing them, I was so panicked. (To be honest, I've felt quite high strung all week. This just pushed me over the edge I think.)

Apparently my manager should've asked me if I was okay with doing them before rota-ing me in. He didn't. So when presented with them, I just said I've never done them before and was assured they were very easy (in fact they sound boring.) But it's not the work itself which bothers me. It's the complete lack of desire to work all night, then grab a handful of hours sleep during the day, before doing it again. I can't stand the idea. I know I'm going to be up 24 hours straight at one point because I've scheduled stuff to happen in the day before my first overnight so can't sleep in preparation.

There is a point to this rather long post, sorry.

I'm in work tomorrow. I'm toying with the idea of explaining the above to my manager. I know if I'd been asked to do them, I would've said no. Considering I basically agreed to do them yesterday when I saw the rota's, do you think I'm within my rights to turn round to say "actually, no, I don't want to do them" and explain why. Or should I just suck it up, deal with my problems, do the overnights I've been rota'd in for, and if I hate them, then tell him.

I know I'm being irrational. I do. But it doesn't make me feel any better. It sound childish but I just don't want to do them. I don't care how much extra it pays. I don't want to spend the next 4 or so days stressed out of my mind because of it.

Any thoughts, help, opinions telling me to "grow the **** up" (which I'm sure someone will offer) would be appreciated.

Thanks.

LillythePink

What is making you feel ill about it?

Is it in your contract to work these type of shifts?

How long have you worked for this company and if only recently started, was it explained that there might be some overnight work?

If you have been there for quite a while, then I assume that you haven't done any before so why are they starting now?

SarEl

I'm sure that I wouldn't say "grow the **** up" - but I might suggest that you are being somewhat of a drama queen, and if you set your mind to having a hissy fit over this, then inevitably you will!

But as to whether you have to do them, this depends on how you look at it. If your contract allows you to be rota'd on at nights, the at the end of the day you do. But if it doesn't say that you don't have to do them.

But there may be other considerations to take into account, not least of which would be, as previously mentioned, if you haven't been in the job very long they may take umbrage at someone not being willing to do their fair share of the hours. It perhaps also depends on the attitude of your colleagues - if they really want the extra pay and are happy to do it then you not wanting too may be all fine and fewer people to share the shifts with - but if they also don't want to be working nights and it's just part of "lifes rich tapestry" that they occasionally must, you may not win many friends saying that you won't pull your weight.

I do think you should explain how you feel to your manager - but perhaps treading cautiously so as to not make it look as though you just don't want to do your fair share of the working hours.

Madjock

It is very tempting to tell you to grow up.

The stuff you have scheduled to happen - rearrange it.

Getting a handful of hours of sleep - go to bed at a reasonable hour, don't put the tv on, read a book and set the alarm for 8 hours later. Remember to turn your phones off.

If the above doesn't suit, speak to your manager and either say you will work the shifts you've been selected for but would prefer not to do any again, or give whatever reason you feel is appropriate for not being able to do the shifts. It may help your cause if you can find a colleague willing and able to swap with you.

I hope I don't sound too harsh here, but have worked nights many times and while it can be disruptive, you can adapt your lifestyle to it, and if it's only 2 shifts out of many weeks or months of working, it's no great shakes. If you do have big emotional problems with being able to do it, take a pro-active approach rather than sitting at home worrying needlessly. You never know, it may be quite good fun, and if you have the option of not doing it in future, you can relax in the knowledge that this is just an experience that you won't have to repeat.

fleagle21

I'd say try it once, you might enjoy it. Some people love working nights, my hubby is about to go back on to shift work for the first time in years and he can't wait! If you don't like it, then at least you've tried - maybe speak to your manager, explain how you feel, but you're still willing to try, and if you find you don't like it, would it be ok to not be put on them anymore. Sounds easy to say, but don't let the fear take you over... phobias can be easily built, but are a lot harder to break, so try to take control of it from the outset. What's the worst that can happen?

Kaleidoscope27

Thank you. I know I sound dramatic and all that. I'm quite surprised at myself to be honest.

I know not everyone does overnights. There are several staff members who don't do them. I'm going to read through my contract and see if there's anything in there about them being part of the job.

Having spoken to someone else about it, he's suggested I ask to do one of the two nights this coming week and get someone to cover the other night (I already know someone who's offered) and see how I feel afterwards.

staffie1

I feel sure there are plenty of people looking for work who would be only too glad to work nights or any time at all. My advice is just get on with it.

paulwf

I understand where you are coming from OP, I usually go to bed around 10-10.30pm (my partner gets up for work at 5.45am) so working until 6 or 7am is a major shift to my sleeping pattern. Maybe it doesn't matter so much for those that go to bed at 2am but I can't normally do that.

I resisted doing nights but there was a lot of pressure to do them and ended up doing a few. I coped fine with the actual shift - luckily it was fairly brainless work - but one shift messes you up for 3 days. I had to sleep during the day before the shift then after the shift couldn't get to sleep so needed another day for my sleep pattern to catch up. At the very least one night shift is taking out 2 working days so financially it doesn't make sense.

My advice is to not rely on bags of sweets and red bull to get you through the shift otherwise you'll have a crash at around 2am. Have your dinner before the shift then have light savoury snacks and water during the shift and save the coffee and sugar until the end of the shift when you really need a boost. I'm sure you'll be fine getting through the shift, just make sure you have an easy couple of days afterwards.

To all those that say just get on with it - remember everybody has different sleep patterns. Night work is probably fine if you do it all the time but when you are used to starting work at 7am having to then adjust to start at 8pm the next day isn't that easy, it is the one off night shifts that are difficult.

aliasojo

paulwf wrote: »

To all those that say just get on with it - remember everybody has different sleep patterns. Night work is probably fine if you do it all the time but when you are used to starting work at 7am having to then adjust to start at 8pm the next day isn't that easy, it is the one off night shifts that are difficult.

I agree. My OH does shifts. His work are strict with the rotas so that there are no odd shifts like the OP has mentioned, Night shifts are grouped together then there are scheduled days off before day shifts start. He works in an industry where concentration is important and it's accepted that messing up your sleeping patterns affects concentration.

I wouldn't be at all happy about swapping from day shift to night shift then back to day shift all within the space of 7 days.

As a compromise would it be possible to schedule your day off in between day shift ending and night shift starting then making sure the 4 night shifts run together?

Then again I'm not sure I would want to compromise to suit a manager who didn't bother running this change by me first. Respect breeds respect, disrespect does the same.

Googlewhacker

is this a one off or likely to be regular? If it is just a one of then I would do it and get on with it but if it is regular and you are not comfortable then mention it in a nice way to the manager and see what happens

DCFC79

Ive done nights before and yes it was a shock as i hadnt done them before but i dealt with it, if you get enough the day when you first work nights then you should be fine, in any case its 2 next week then 2 the following week, yes it can be boring but surely the fact you get extra money for doing so and teh fact you ge tto go home at what ever time is sometihng to focus on

maybe its me but i dont know why people say they feel sick at this or that, you could say you would do the 2 sets of nights but would rather not in future(this depends if you wnat to stay in peoples god books, if it would be the odd one then why not do the odd 1 but thats hard to tell without a crystal ball)