Considering Returning To Shift Work At Nearly 50 Years Old-Thoughts?

mrussel1

static111 said:

Is there any other type of work than shift work?

Sure.  I don't do shift work.  

Gern Blansten

HughFreakingDillon said:

tish said:

Higher rates of cancer higher with shift work that switches from day to nights, but steady hours shifts OK. 

4 day weekends rock! Less commute better on environment. That's how David Suzuki's office rolls.

Take a risk. You don't like, get into a new accouting place with better relationships. Relationships are the most instrumental correlates of subjective well being.

yeah, the older guys that have worked in that department for years just look....tired. like, all the fucking time. the commute isn't much of an issue...I live a 25 minute walk from work. 

I have high anxiety and a deep fear of change. It's hard enough changing jobs/departments within my company. I can't imagine going anywhere else after. been here since 1997. 

I took a risk moving to this job two years ago. As a result, now I'm even MORE gun shy of risks. lol. 

thanks Tish!

Take your time and find the right place.  I'm not sure what the job market is up there but down here people with accounting knowledge can go where ever they want and name their price.  

Gern Blansten

HughFreakingDillon said:

mrussel1 said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

The Juggler said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

The Juggler said:

Good luck to you. What will you be doing with the new shift style job?

Also, please don't say that you are close to 50 at age 47. That means I will be close to 50 in three years. I want to put off even thinking of that  number for as long as possible!

it's hard to explain, as it's very specific to the industry that I'm in, but it's entry level IT. 

Nice. You gotta be happy with whatever you are doing and I know the people you work with play a huge factor in that. Hope it works out for you. Are you able to work from home at all?

in my current job i've been working from home full time. the new possible job is on site. but my current job i'll be back full time in a month. my idiot director just likes the whole team to be together, which is dumb and arbitrary. some of us don't need to be there. but whatever. 

Your experience is pretty universal.  Why such a dramatic career change rather than finding an accounting job with a different company?

cuz I don't care for accounting. I'm not an accountant. well, I suppose maybe you'd call me one. But I have no formal accounting education. I took this job to get out of shift work (ha!) and to get full time at my company. and I liked it for a really long time, but like I said, I slowly started to realize it wasn't the job I liked, it was the people. and as people move on to different roles over time, that departmental camaraderie is gone. my boss creates a toxic work environment by being a spineless ass trying to be everyone's friend. I know he talks out both sides of his mouth, hoping to keep everyone happy, but all of us know full well he's full of shit. 

I just need something different. I just don't know if I want something THIS different. 

and when you say my experience is pretty universal you mean by going back to the office, not where I work. only my department. every other department, if they aren't essential to be on site (or exec), they won't be. only finance. and it's dumb. the rest of the staff (200 or so) are mostly going to be hotelling newly renovated shared space, which I'm sure has its own challenges, but still. I just can't stand blanket decisions that don't make sense.  and I told him that yesterday (I have a bit of a reputation of speaking my mind, your title be damned). 

and I stated prior, you may have missed it, I have very high anxiety issues, especially surrounding big change. I can handle change within the box that I'm in (although this current role started a few months prior to covid, so learning it working remotely was a fucking shit sandwich mentally). leaving that box could break me. 

when I was about 30 I went to the doctor about anxiety....he prescribed paxil and it changed my life.

If you haven't explored those medications I would highly recommend it.  I went off of them after a few years because they basically sterilized me.  I have thought about getting back on them because I think I might do better on them again but I take blood pressure meds now which help a lot.

HughFreakingDillon

I've been on and off anxeity/depression meds for 20 years. I went back on them in January. The side effects of the med I have been on before were just too much to bear. Like, really fucking me up (and never any side effects before). So I had to quit them. I agree though, when i was on them before, I couldn't believe how life changing it was and vowed never to go off them. 

well, i went off them. a few times (major life events right around the time of renewal, forgot about them, then decided (stupidly) to try being off them for good). 

I really wish I had never gone off them. 

Gern Blansten

hopefully you don't have high blood pressure but beta blockers really help with anxiety episodes too...

HughFreakingDillon

Gern Blansten said:

hopefully you don't have high blood pressure but beta blockers really help with anxiety episodes too...

sorry, I'm not clear on the high blood pressure comment. what does that have to do with anxiety?

Gern Blansten

HughFreakingDillon said:

Gern Blansten said:

hopefully you don't have high blood pressure but beta blockers really help with anxiety episodes too...

sorry, I'm not clear on the high blood pressure comment. what does that have to do with anxiety?

Beta blockers that are made for hbd work really well with anxiety.  Like if you have a client meeting or some other confrontation that is making you nervous they give you a quick calming feeling.  

Some people use them for public speaking, etc. They are great but situational. My doctor just prescribes me like 20 at a time so you have to save them for when you really need them.  If I feel anxious as hell I take one and they are a great help.

HughFreakingDillon

yeah, my anxiety is more generalized. I'm just always fucking keyed up. I need to find something that is sustainable long term. 

Gern Blansten

HughFreakingDillon said:

yeah, my anxiety is more generalized. I'm just always fucking keyed up. I need to find something that is sustainable long term. 

So you have had your bp checked? 

1ThoughtKnown

See you made your decision already, but here is a resource for you in the event you (or anyone else reading) revisit this in the future.

Fact sheet discussion on rotational shiftwork (days and nights) as it pertains to worker health. Pros and cons of rotational shift work, potential health and safety hazards and mitigation strategies for employers and workers of identified hazards:
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/shiftwrk.html

Circadian rhythms are greatly affected by working nights. 
I noticed tish commented earlier that rotational shiftwork causes cancer. From the above link:
“The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has concluded that "shiftwork that involves circadian disruption" is considered a Group 2A carcinogen and "probably carcinogenic to humans." Group 2A means that this conclusion was based on "limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals.”

brianlux

HughFreakingDillon said:

Made my decision. not going to do it. it would just be too disruptive to our family life. thanks everyone for the insight/thoughts/suggestions!

I only just now saw this thread so chiming in kind of late, but I get a sense of relief from you when I read the above quote.  Sounds like you made the right decision for yourself and your family. 

But big kudos for exploring other possibilities.  I would encourage you to keep searching- testing the waters so-to speak- and keep including the focus on your gut feelings.  They can tell you a lot.

lastexitlondon

1ThoughtKnown said:

See you made your decision already, but here is a resource for you in the event you (or anyone else reading) revisit this in the future.

Fact sheet discussion on rotational shiftwork (days and nights) as it pertains to worker health. Pros and cons of rotational shift work, potential health and safety hazards and mitigation strategies for employers and workers of identified hazards:
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/shiftwrk.html

Circadian rhythms are greatly affected by working nights. 
I noticed tish commented earlier that rotational shiftwork causes cancer. From the above link:
“The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has concluded that "shiftwork that involves circadian disruption" is considered a Group 2A carcinogen and "probably carcinogenic to humans." Group 2A means that this conclusion was based on "limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals.”

I would think its the lack of vitamin d from night work.  Never seeing daylight.

HughFreakingDillon

Gern Blansten said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

yeah, my anxiety is more generalized. I'm just always fucking keyed up. I need to find something that is sustainable long term. 

So you have had your bp checked? 

yeah, he said it was high normal. but that was last year, too, so....

static111

mrussel1 said:

static111 said:

Is there any other type of work than shift work?

Sure.  I don't do shift work.  

mrussel1 said:

static111 said:

Is there any other type of work than shift work?

Sure.  I don't do shift work.  

So you are a member of the Bourgeoisie

mrussel1

static111 said:

mrussel1 said:

static111 said:

Is there any other type of work than shift work?

Sure.  I don't do shift work.  

mrussel1 said:

static111 said:

Is there any other type of work than shift work?

Sure.  I don't do shift work.  

So you are a member of the Bourgeoisie

Haha, yes. I'm neither nobility nor the proletariat. So I guess that's what's left. 

2-feign-reluctance

bootlegger10 said:

2-feign-reluctance said:

I'm leaving the 8-5 Monday - Friday world myself Hugh! 2 more weeks left!! Good luck! 

If it is 8-5 Mon-Fri with no work outside of those hours....don't take that too for granted.   The world of email, flexibility, etc....  means you'll be on call 16 hours a day, every day.  

I'm a therapist moving to private practice, so no on call stuff. My hours are my hours and if they suck, I can move em' around. Total freedom! 

HughFreakingDillon

2-feign-reluctance said:

bootlegger10 said:

2-feign-reluctance said:

I'm leaving the 8-5 Monday - Friday world myself Hugh! 2 more weeks left!! Good luck! 

If it is 8-5 Mon-Fri with no work outside of those hours....don't take that too for granted.   The world of email, flexibility, etc....  means you'll be on call 16 hours a day, every day.  

I'm a therapist moving to private practice, so no on call stuff. My hours are my hours and if they suck, I can move em' around. Total freedom! 

that is FANTASTIC

brianlux

When my wife still had her bookstore, she used to say one of the great things about having a small business is that you only have to work half days.  And you get to choose which 12 hours you want to work.

mrussel1

brianlux said:

When my wife still had her bookstore, she used to say one of the great things about having a small business is that you only have to work half days.  And you get to choose which 12 hours you want to work.

So, so true. 

HughFreakingDillon

brianlux said:

When my wife still had her bookstore, she used to say one of the great things about having a small business is that you only have to work half days.  And you get to choose which 12 hours you want to work.

haha