[Tsukimiya]

I work for a company that provides customer service for small banks and credit unions among other things we do. I started a 8pm to 5am shift after learning that they make a shift differential that boosted my pay a good amount. For a little bit, I was doing ok. But now its a nightmare.

My roomate and I share one vehicle which has not been too bad because he works when I sleep and I work when he sleeps. The real problem comes when it is time to pay rent. Since we only have one vehicle, I have to plan to stay up until 8:30 in the morning or try to squeeze in a couple hour sleep so that I can take him to work and then go to the bank at 9 am to pick up the money order to pay the rent. I come home around 10am after paying rent and I'm exhausted. I sleep until 4 or so and I feel like a zombie

Thats just to pay rent. If I'm invited to a social,or party, or something, I would get very little sleep depending what time the event starts. One Saturday, I was invited to my mother's bday party at a bar during noon. I come home at 6 am, sleep until 10 then get ready and head out to said party. As a result, I don't get a full nights rest. If I need something done, I have to sacrifice sleep to get it done.

I'm tired. But I screwed myself. I cannot return to day shift or I would take a hit in my pay. And this extra pay has allowed me to book vacations and buy things I otherwise would not have done so. I was able to spoil my mother and close friends with expensive christmas gifts and it just feel awesome to finally be able to afford things.

I'm tired.... but I can't go back to day shift. It's a nightmare I can't wake up from

[Tohopekaliga]

Yeesh. That doesn't sound fun.

Does the apartment not accept personal checks? If they do, that'd probably be a good idea to look into...get yourself a checkbook.


I suppose you've found why you get paid more for night shift, though. Nothing's open when you're awake. D:

[Tsukimiya]

I'm working on ordering checks but my bank does not make that easy. My order was placed on hold because my bank has a weird account number format and I have to wait until Monday to call the bank to figure out my real account number since the one I have always used is not the standard format. Hopefuly I can get the checks in by end of December so I can pay January's rent without sacrificing sleep.

[Tohopekaliga]

...Huh. That's bothersome. Well, you'll have them eventually, then, so that's something at least.

[Tsukimiya]

Yeah.
Part of the problem is, I spoil my roommate into getting used to the fact that he can depend on my truck to get to work and as a result when something comes up I have to take him to work or he'll get upset when I force him to Uber or take a bus.

[Glitch]

you need to get into that promotion to the better position!

I admire you though, I could never do it.

[Tsukimiya]

It's only temporary. Eventually I'll be promoted to better position with better schedule :3

[Coda]

You sound a lot like me, honestly. I chose job and family over sleep for years, and I suffered for it.

Be very, very careful. You're putting yourself in a double bind (when you have to meet two separate requirements, but each requirement prevents you from fulfilling the other on a different level) and that's a ticket to long-term psychiatric problems.

I had a job that was ruining my life because of a bad environment and a bad manager, but I couldn't leave the job because of a penalty clause in my contract that would have ALSO ruined my life. It took having to leave a job with Google before I found out that this double bind was actually a life-alteringly traumatic experience that's severely screwed with my ability to do the things I used to excel at -- and it's possible that I might never fully recover. This is my life now, and I can only learn to deal with the new normal.

The good news is that double binds often have a way out if you look past the immediate conflicts -- you CAN'T solve it by trying to address the direct issues. I strongly encourage you to find such a third option, for your own health.