How to live with irregular working hours?

I should have done this post long long ago, especially living with someone with irregular working hours for almost four years now! Since the new job four years back, Mr. P has been working irregular hours and I know the pain of having a messed up routine first hand. As a spouse, even my routine was pretty disturbed till a year back when I put my foot down.

I had to make the decision of not living according to his irregular working hours but creating a routine of my own for the sake of my health and sanity. Even now, the routine does go haywire but it is a lot better than what it used to be!

Working in irregular hours messes up the entire body clock, right from your sleep to your meal times. It can get so bad that you either stop eating or stop sleeping as per your body’s requirements.

Well, irregular work schedule or not, it is your job and stress is inevitable so you have to take charge of your own schedule and work around your timings to make sure you stay in your best shape mentally and physically.

How to live with irregular working hours?

Create a Workspace at Home

Many times you tend to work from home due to odd working hours since it is easy and more comfortable. I would say being in a work environment helps in being more focused but each to their own. If staying and working from home, create a workspace for yourself. Do not work from bed. Get a study table or at least a corner in your living room where you would not get disturbed. In fact, it is said that wearing formal clothes and getting ready for office also works pretty well to bring yourself into the working mode. This will at least help your body and mind to differentiate between your working mode and relaxing modes.

Disconnect after your Work is Over

Resting and relaxing is extremely important when you are working irregular hours. Make sure you disconnect from technology totally. I would even suggest to avoid social media, browsing or even television since they provide entertainment but they do not really relax you! Make sure you spend time with yourself and your family. If you are staying alone, try to spend time playing something or pursuing a new hobby or going for a walk instead. Get your priorities right if you would like to live a healthy life.

Also Read : How to Sleep Well?

Make sure you get adequate sleep. First, disconnect. Disconnect from your laptpop, ipad, mobile and even television. Do not carry any of your screens to your bed. Close off all the curtains and doors to make sure the room gets minimal light, especially if sleeping in day time. And, if sleeping at a stretch is not possible, getting naps at regular intervals is a better idea to refresh yourself and avoid sleep lag. This is something I would advise for working moms as well so that you do not over stress yourself.

Eat Regularly

Another major hit is your meal schedule. Your body refuses any kind of fuel at odd hours or you end up with digestive disorders. Either you do not feel like eating or get terribly hungry and start having cravings or gorge on carbs if low on energy and sleep. To avoid this, eat at regular intervals even if they are small meals. Eat protein and carb rich foods so you do not get sugar rushes. Nutrition bars, healthy snacks, fruits and fruit shakes or juices are all great options for a quick pick up.

There is hardly anything we can do to control our irregular working hours. So, it is better to adjust our routines accordingly and work our way towards being as healthy as possible under the circumstances. So, happy new year, happy working and a very healthy year to you!!