What did I just do?

bumpuser10331514

My job puts a big emphasis on work/life balance in large part b/c the pay isn't so great. They're very flexible about letting you come and go when you need to. When I came back to work after Kid1, they let me work 4 10s. That was about 1.5 years ago. After having Kid2, I went back to that schedule. I've been back about 4 mos now. After having my parents around the last few weeks, I realized that I really wanted to be home in the evenings with my family. I just feel like the kids are getting shortchanged 4 days a week b/c the entire time they're home, they have one parent dividing his/her attention b/t the two of them. But b/c of financial constraints, I have to make my schedule work based on 20 hours of DC each week. So instead of doing Tues-Fri, 1pm to 11pm, I proposed to my boss that I do M-F, 4:30am to 1pm. There are a number of people here who work those kinds of hours, so I'm not worried about it being unusual - but I am worried that I'm locked in even if I can't swing it. I have never gotten up at 4am to be at work before, and I'm bad about wrapping up what I'm working on in order to leave work when I'm supposed to (i.e., to pick up the kids from DC). As great as it could be, it could also really be a bad fit for me. And it's something I would plan on doing for the next few years. 

When I proposed it to my boss, I indicated that I hadn't done a schedule like that before and that I would let him know if I was having trouble making it in at 4:30am. He seemed unconcerned. The issue is with his boss who I'm on good terms with, but I could see him frowning on being so flexible as to let me switch back if 4:30 wasn't working. So now I'm just wondering: what did I do?

lifeinthedreamhouse

I would stop worrying about it to an extent. It's done. Now just try to make the adjustment. It is a huge adjustment though! I went from going in at 8-9 to going in at 7-8 and it was hard. Is half an hour really enough time to get up, get ready and get to work? I would try to get up earlier in the beginning. Good luck!

VitaLuna

I don't get to work that early, but my alarm goes off at 4:45am (unfortunately I don't get home until 8:15pm). Honestly, you'll probably get used to it, but it will take time. I've worked rotation shift, eves 3-11:30, nights 7p-7:30a, and now days. It may take a couple months, but your body will adjust.

mommaoftrips

I once worked this schedule (no kids at this time). In order for it to work, I HAD to be in bed no later than 8pm. I would say it took me 2-3 weeks to get into the swing of things. I really did like the schedule.

djm31012

Do you have a commute? If not, thats actually not terrible. I get up at 5 but for awhile I was getting up at 4 to work out (before I moved to the burbs) and after 2 weeks it wasnt so bad. I would also say given that its so early, it will be easier for you to get out of the house in the morning just having to worry about yourself, which is a positive. Do as much as you can the night before, shower, lay out clothes, pack lunch whatever.  Is there anyway to do 5 to 130pm? I feel like waking up with a 4 handle as opposed to a 3 handle might make a mental difference. Thats just me though. I like those hours, I would take them!

acbarbour

I commute about an hour and a half to work and adjusted my schedule from 10-6 to 7:30 to 3:30.  I now have to wake up by 5am to get out the door by 6:15 (I get DD ready before leaving).  It was a fairly easy adjustment and I noticed that I am more productive in the morning.  I have trouble walking away from unfinished work and will keep going until its done even if I need to leave as well.  I found that working on more complicated things (detailed reports that take hours to complete) early and working on the smaller projects (returning phone calls, checking files for missing items) in the afternoon helped me to walk away when it was time.  Stay calm, best of luck to you.

2chatter

I worked 5:30 - 1:30 or 5:00 - 1:00 when I was pregnant with my second child. I had a commute that was up to two hours in traffic, so this was really a sanity saver, as at that time I could make it in 30 minutes each way, instead of 3-4 hours in the car per day it was only an hour. I picked up DD from MDO at 2:00.  I think you will be fine - it's just an adjustment.  When I first started that schedule I was actually working two pretty much full time jobs, so I worked for a bit from home before going in, then worked a second full time from 3-10 at night from home (often midnight if I took a break to eat). The routine was what was key to me - things had to be set up for me to succeed as I wasn't totally functional in the early morning. 

litzo27

I think it will be an adjustment to force yourself to go to bed early (and not mess with the schedule too much on weekends) but it actually sounds pretty great. Good luck!

bumpuser10331514

2chatter said:

I worked 5:30 - 1:30 or 5:00 - 1:00 when I was pregnant with my second child. I had a commute that was up to two hours in traffic, so this was really a sanity saver, as at that time I could make it in 30 minutes each way, instead of 3-4 hours in the car per day it was only an hour. I picked up DD from MDO at 2:00.  I think you will be fine - it's just an adjustment.  When I first started that schedule I was actually working two pretty much full time jobs, so I worked for a bit from home before going in, then worked a second full time from 3-10 at night from home (often midnight if I took a break to eat). The routine was what was key to me - things had to be set up for me to succeed as I wasn't totally functional in the early morning. 

Holy Jesus.

bumpuser10331514

My commute is pretty short - just 15 min to go about 4-5 miles. I get up at 6:30 on weekends anyway (thanks, DS), so I'm hoping this will make that feel like sleeping in. If I get to bed by 8 or 9, I'll get about the same amount of sleep I get now. And I'm crossing my fingers that DD continues to sleep as she has - which is usually to only get up once around 4 or 5am.

I did this to help my husband at night, but he is going to get the brunt of it now in the morning starting with DD's 4am feeding. He's going to try to get up at 6am to shower before DS gets up at 6:30. Then breakfast for them at 7:30. And finally get everyone dressed and out the door by 8:45. But I think he'll actually go to bed with me around 8 or 9 each night, so hopefully he'll be ok.

My boss heard me, though, on just doing this on a trial basis. I'm going to check in with him at the end of the week to make sure things I'm actually showing up to work. 

(:|

mexicolombiana

I don't know man.  I could never do it.  I go to bed late and get a lot of work and things done after the kids go to sleep at night including working out.  If I had to go to bed at 9 pm I would die and my life would fall apart because SO much of my important things get done between 9-12 midnight (because I don't have to get up till 7 a.m.).  It's also a nice chunk of time I get to sit with DH and watch tv or something if I have time. 

So as long as you're willing to give up your nights it could work, but I would never in a million years do this. 

2chatter

If your DH is open to showering at night, that might save his sanity in the mornings. Not that you need to worry about that per se, but it is one thing I suggest to DH when I go out of town. My first five day trip where I was not home in the mornings he managed to shower once and hadn't shaved in two days, which was pretty funny - he went into the office all business like but just could not manage to shave so he looked absurd, and it's something he would be really unforgiving of in his own staff. When he stopped being stubborn and showered at night he was at least clean all the time.  KUP on how this works out!  I often think I should try to work this schedule at least some of the time working from home now.

bumpuser10331514

A quick update b/c @2chatter is so kind to care.  :P

This was my first week and aside from adjusting my sleep schedule, I really love it. It's so much better for our kids to have us both home. It's easier to attend to each of their needs which tend to happen contemporaneously and in bulk b/t 5pm and 7pm. They also go down for naps in the afternoon when I get them home instead of in the morning, and b/c I'm not rushing around getting us all ready to get out the door, I am fantastically productive (except for that hour I spend watching the Walking Dead).

So I love it. Love. Love. Love.