Day 340-- Ways to Deal with Early Morning Shifts

Early morning shifts are sneaky little bitches.  At 5:30am, or 6:30am, or even 7:30am there's a good chance you're still too tired to open your eyelids properly and your reaction time is that of a 5 drinks-in slob.  Not to mention you're grumpy as hell.  But then you're done by the early afternoon and get to enjoy the middle afternoon like your 9-to-5 comrades miss out on each day.  It's a trade off, and the hardest part is getting ready for work.

I was reminded of this once again as today and tomorrow are my 7am to 3:30pm days.  Feeling a disoriented first thing in the morning?  Check.  Looked for food that kinda wasn't there? Check.  Want to stand around and have a moment of peace before work but can't? Check. Digging around for the right work clothes?  Check.  Almost out the door and late but can't find that one fucking thing you know is here somewhere?  Check.

Here are some tips for waking up early for the morning shift. 

1.) Don't be a vampire

Open the blinds, open the doors, and be amazed at how sunlight can be a little jolt to the system. 

2.) Do the "where the fuck is my other shoe?" checklist the night before

It's almost time for bed; do you have breakfast in the morning?  Do you know where your work shoes are?  Is there something you have to drop off after work?  Where is your chapstick (thank you, boyfriend waking me up this morning asking me where it was)?  Do you need to do a quick load of laundry? Get your shit done at night to save massive irritation, hunger, or stress in the morning.  Personally I believe that everyone has a time limit when errands aren't worth it, and mine is 8:30pm. I can know that having breakfast food and clean shirt in the morning will be vital in just a few hours time, but if it's past 8:30 it ain't happening.  So I try to do my checklist at 8pm to get the last minute milk or switch purses.

3.) Keep glasses in car/sleep in contacts

I don't know about you but my eyes burn like acid in in the morning if I try to add my contacts too soon.  I keep my glass in my car so I can wear them during the car ride to work and then change into contacts in the parking lot.  For super early mornings though I sleep in my contacts and take them out when I get home.

4.)  Ziplock bags are your friends

Maybe you're the kinda of person that can survive without breakfast but if you're my co-worker I'd rather that you have a snack at least.  Studies show time and time again that people who eat breakfast have more energy and perform better at tasks.  I don't have time for pancakes in the morning so I like to bring left-overs if I can.

5.) In winter: keep 1 bottle of tap water in your car at all times 

If you're like me you're usually running late and simply do not have time to wait for your car to defrost.  A bottle of tap water splashed on your windows should make an easy fix.

6.) In spring: keep sunglasses in car at all times

You're already drowsy, so you really don't need the bright early rising sun to hit you square in your sensitive, tired, already prone-to-close eyes.  As a fellow driver, thank you.

Good luck out there!