Working a typical Mon-Fri work week

Originally published October 4, 2019

For the first time in my working adult life I am working a typical work schedule.  My hours aren't the most common (7:30 am-4 pm), but I am working Monday through Friday.  Before, I worked in retail (a grocery store, to be specific), and my days varied.  My most common days off then were Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and sometimes Monday.  Occasionally I'd get other days of the week off but it was rare.  Now they are always Saturday and Sunday.  It's taking a bit to get used to.  I haven't had Saturdays and Sundays off on a consistent basis since I was in school.

I love having the typical weekends, Saturday and Sunday, off.  The main reason being I am off at the same time as everyone else, especially my girlfriend.  It's two days in a row off as well; something that really recharges the mind and body.  I also love having Sundays off, especially this time of year, because of football.  I love watching NFL games, and the day of the week they are mostly on is of course Sunday.  I used to miss Seahawks games constantly, and I would resort to watching them later, having already learned the outcome.  Not anymore.  

Although I am now experiencing the dreg of the typical work week.  Often times during my retail job I'd get my days off separated and I'd work only 3 or 4 days before my next day off.  I also worked a lot of varying shifts so I may work five days in a row, but I might have one day off at 1 PM and the next day I don't work until 1:30 PM, so in essence it was like a day off.  So working the same shift every day in itself is taking some getting used to.  My body has basically been accustomed to not​ having a regular schedule for a long time, so it will take a while to get used to.

Honestly, this is what I was going for when looking for a new job.  Too many times I have missed things, even holidays, because I worked a retail job that got busy at those times.  I've missed a few Thanksgivings, I've missed being able to celebrate on Independence Day and New Years.  Me being the huge football fan I am, I have even missed a big chunk of a Super Bowl game.  Not anymore.  I want to be able to enjoy things with my friends and family like most other people do. 

As many people know, I am very flexible.  At my old job I worked as early as 5 in the morning and as late as 2 at night.  I am pretty good at toughing out different schedules whether they be early shifts or late shifts.  I used to say at my old job that the consistent schedules were the ones that bothered me most because I was so accustomed to a variable schedule.  I ended up being my store's interim Front End Manager after the previous Front End Manager left for another job, and I ended up working 10-7 five days a week for a good part of six months.  That was hard for me to do because it basically took up my entire day and I was too exhausted to do anything after work, such as cook.  Now, I get off at 4 and have all evening to relax, spend with my friends, and I have enough energy to cook and/or do some household chores.

I have to admit this new schedule is having some weird effects on me.  I am now getting sleepy before even 10 PM.  That hasn't happened to me since high school, if not further back.  Before working the 7:30-4 grind, I wouldn't get sleepy until 11:30 PM ​at least​.  I guess it's a good thing to be on an earlier sleep schedule.  Although, while my body is used to getting sleepy early, there is also the counter-affect of waking up much earlier.  For starting at 7:30, I do not have to wake up until 6 or so, but my body almost always wants to wake up at 5, if not earlier.  Honestly, it's something I can live with; it not only gives me time to watch TV or think about the upcoming day, but I enjoy not being suddenly awakened by an alarm.  I've only had my alarm wake me once or twice so far in three weeks of this schedule.

I also used to despise Fridays and Saturdays.  Working in retail will make you hate days of the week you're not supposed to, and vice-versa.  You'll love days you're not supposed to like Monday and Tuesday.  Now, I love Fridays and I am doing my best to enjoy the weekends.  And, like that Loverboy song, everybody's working for the weekend, myself included.  I no longer have to dread the holidays; at least I don't have to worry about how busy work will be right before them.

Work is a part of life and I think we in western society have established a good routine.  Most of us work Monday to Friday with Saturday and Sunday off.  I think it was designed that way for a reason; as if on average it takes two full days to recover from five days of work.  Anyway, I like this schedule, and it seems like weeks are flying by faster than they used to.  Just got to get through one day at a time.