In 2008, I was completing college. In need of some extra money, I worked a few night shifts at a convenience store. As the store was located in a small town, it could get quite boring during the early morning hours. After extensive periods of not dealing with customers, you could risk falling asleep. Do you work a tedious graveyard shift job? Is staying awake the biggest challenge of the job? There are ways to prevent one from falling asleep during 3rd shift.
Sleep before the graveyard shift
Working graveyard shift will require daytime sleep. Should you sleep at the conclusion of your shift, or should you rest up before you begin the graveyard shift?
There are two advantages in sleeping during the afternoon instead of the morning. By sleeping in the afternoon, you should be better rested before starting 3rd shift work. By sleeping during the afternoon, you make it less difficult to conduct your daily responsibilities with businesses that shut down by 5P.M., such as banks.
Drink caffeine or 5-hour energy drinks
Sodas and energy beverages can give people a boost of energy when they find themselves dozing off. 5-hour energy drinks can also give you a boost of energy and are considered to be a healthier alternative to carbonated beverages and energy drinks, which can be detrimental to your physical and dental health.
Bring an MP3 player
Listening to music can depend on the individual. For some people, it can help them remain awake during the slow times of the night. For other people, it could serve as a lullaby that eventually leads them asleep.
Homework
If your job is slow enough during the graveyard shift, then considering completing your homework. The problem I experienced with working graveyard shifts during college was that it had a negative impact on my GPA because I felt mentally and physically exhausted compared to working first and second shifts. If you work graveyard shifts, then get as much rest as possible; its harder as you age to operate during the graveyard shift.
Get second shift worker to slack off
If the workers on your second shift trust you, see if they would be willing to pass off some of their responsibilities unto you. They could find themselves busy with customers during rush hour and find it stressful to complete some minor tasks such as garbage or stocking. If the graveyard shift is slow, you may be able to eliminate these burdens for your colleagues
Mess things up
If you’re desperate, then run your hand through all the merchandise. Once you have accomplished this, then you can zone everything that you have misplaced. This can eliminate time during times of extreme blandness.
Walk
I had to work three graveyard shifts at a Wal-Mart earlier this year. At Wal-Mart, they required you take an hour break during a full-time shift. While I was feeling fine going into my break, I felt like I was running on fumes for the remainder of the night shift after I sat in the break room for an hour.
If you have a job that requires you take a break during third shift, make sure to keep moving. Standing or sitting around can make staying awake during the graveyard shift a treacherous experience.
Good luck on your graveyard shift job
