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The Story of Alex and Rose -- "Togetherness" Exemplified

© Stephen Weistling

We have addressed many issues concerning the physical (sleep) and mental (discipline, high demand jobs) aspects of shiftwork, and we continue this week to look at the social adjustment patterns of successful shiftworkers.

As a shiftwork researcher, I notice that those who effectively deal with the alternate work schedules that shiftwork demands have the ability to “roll with the punches,” and at times, exhibit much creativity in meeting the challenges of balancing work and their private lives.

I’ve often asked shiftworkers if their schedules (especially rotating schedules) cost them friends. I must report that the responses are mixed. Most believe that other factors must be considered (such as whether they are married, or if their preferences for the work is so strong, they don’t care if they lose friends.) But many of them express the fact that yes; they do lose touch with those friends who are on more traditional schedules.

For those who report that they haven’t lost their friends, planning ahead for time with family members or friends is crucial to “finding” times where all parties are available. One person said, “I haven’t lost any friends … I go to see them at work during their breaks or plan to have lunch with them.”

Now, that takes discipline, and a real desire to maintain your relationships. But what if the relationship with your spouse is the one that’s suffering?

The following is a story about a couple who have employed a unique approach to dealing with alternate work schedules and have found a way to maximize their quality time together. I don’t recommend this method for everyone, and in fact, not everyone’s situation is conducive to this experiment.

Alex and Rose have been married for over twenty years. They have a responsible and mature teenage daughter, and Rose does not work outside the home. Alex is a supervisor at a power plant and works rotating shifts (a forward rotation that rolls over every two weeks.)

Rose simply adopts the schedule that Alex is on. When he works graveyards, Rose stays up all night, doing household chores, watching TV or reading. She cooks, cleans, and even shops at the 24-hour supermarket nearby. When Alex comes home from work in the morning, they have a light meal, sit and talk together, watch TV, or maybe even go out for a morning bike ride.

At about mid-morning, they go to bed. They remember to take the phone off the hook, turn off the doorbell, pull the blackout shades down and perhaps turn on a fan or the small tabletop waterfall to provide some white noise.

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