Wrung Out

[ladysprite]

The downside of working ten-hour shifts with an hour commute at each end is that it's wreaking havoc on my social life. Actually, it's wreaking havoc on my everything-but-work life.

I want to get together with people. I want to go out and do things in the evening - have friends over, go out to yoga classes or dance practice, bake cookies, have fun. But waking up at 6:30am, leaving the house by 7:30, and not getting home until 7:30pm at the absolute earliest makes that rather challenging.

Heck, it makes having anything for dinner other than pasta or grilled cheese sandwiches challenging. Actual cooking and baking is starting to fall by the wayside, just in the interest of eating dinner before 9pm.

I love this clinic, and I'm happy to work there. Honestly, I'm happy for any work; the fact that this is a nice place just makes it that much better. But I'd give almost anything for a couple of nice, short, 9-5 shifts in between dates there....

Comments

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh yuck. A lifestyle like that is the reason I left high tech. I hope you get some reasonable-length days in there somewhere!

[arachne8x.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I've been there. But I was there while seated. You must be dead when you get home.

[asdr83.livejournal.com]

I feel your pain. I keep counting the days until our lease is up, cause I love this place but the hour commute, coupled with long days is going to devour my soul. Here's hoping for a nearby nice clinic to need your help soon *hug*.

[new-man.livejournal.com]

So tell the clinic this. Assuming they like you as much as you like them, they should be willing to cut you some slack. If their choice is burning you out or bringing in someone else every once in a while so you can work a shorter day, they'll go with helping you out. And if they don't (won't, can't), do you really want to be there for long?

[ladysprite.livejournal.com]

With luck, I'll be cutting back to one or two days a week here soon. I'll miss the money, but it'll be good to have a little more breathing time.

[geochick.livejournal.com]

I hear you. That's one reason why I didn't go for my PhD... grad school hours were kinda like that. It sounds like you're making moves to get some of the time cut back. Even if it means less money, there are some things that mean more than money... like your health, your relationships, your sanity.