So I'm semi anti work. I'm extremely passionate about my career as a therapist, but also anti capitalist and totally think work schedules should be deterkine by the worker basically and I have some struggles (I'm 99% sure I'm undiagnosed narcolepsy as is my father). For his hx, he worked mostly on fishing boats and was a fireman where you work a very abnormal schedule but also sleep at work and then have days to crash. (Then he got injured and has been on disability) I got in that habit all through college and grad school working as a waitress and doing courses..weird schedule, working like 12 hours 3 days in a row then crashing. Always been a “night owl” as well. That being said, I've slept at almost every job I've had since I was a teenager (31 now). I am just so tired during the day and when it's slow and quiet and I'm not interacting with people, it's so hard. I've slept working at dentist offices, restaurants, etc. I can't help it sometimes it's totally just a pass out other times I'm overcome with such a wave of tiredness I have to close my eyes and keep 1 ear out if someone approaches. It's terrible.
I'm now on my 2nd post grad full time job as a therapist. My first location was a far train ride away so I slept on the trains and only fell asleep at my desk once (the lady who I shared the office with did at the same time as well it was a cozy cold heated up November day). I was pretty amazed I was as good as I was at that job regarding not missing trains/passing out, etc.
However now I'm at a new job without the long commute and with shifting hours… I'm 9-5 some days, 12-8, 11-7, 10-6 etc on other days. However I'm finding on the 9-5 days, especially after I work late the night before, I literally can't function when I get into work. I sit at my computer desk and close the door to my office and just pass out in the start of the day. And not briefly. For like an hour..
It's happening too much like almost every 9am start day, and I'm a little worried, although old school therapists napped all the time (some even in session ). But it's interfering with my ability to get all my notes done and I have to do time tracking so I'm frustrated with myself. I don't even have a high case load so I shouldn't be behind. But I save these days for notes becuase my other days are busy and then I don't get as much done as I should.
I've talked to my sueprvisor a little about this and she's aware somewhat. But do you think I should talk to my supervisor further and request to work more late days cause it's too hard to shift back and forth? I think the difference with me and other people is they'll still wake up at 8am their late days and get stuff done before work. Where I just sleep in. So it's hard then to wake up on the early days.
I don't have this morning nap at desk problem on the other days.
Honestly, starting work in the afternoon is a HUGE reason I became a therapist also. I was very aware I have this issue and thought it would be the ideal environment. I envision when I do private practice I'll have like 11-8 as my office schedule. I always sort of pictured napping on the couch as well if there's a large gap haha. But working in orgs I have less control of my schedule and clients.
The arbitrary 9-5 schedule, especially as I get more into doing the work, just kills me. Even the idea of getting out early and doing stuff after if I leave at 5, I usually don't cause I'm sleepy. I have been gardening in the summer after work sometimes on the early days but those days are almost gone. Plus, the evening timeslots are coveted and we don't have enough. It would benefit the clients..
Last time I brought this up to my supervisor her concern was work/life balance and not overworking/taking advantage of me and putting all these extra late days on me, but she did acknowledge for some people it isn't that and is better.
Should I just talk to her and try to do more late days? How do you all cope with our culture's ridiculous obsession with 9-5? I also try to balance being honest and advocating for my self without looking unprofessional. But I'm worried if it keeps going like this I will look unprofessional. I'm lucky I haven't been “caught” but I wonder if people suspect it. If I just worked late most days I would preform better..but the other problem is they don't do late days on Fridays. So that's always a hard morning day for me..I'm also conflicted on if I really want to have my evenings occupied by work every day of the week but it's so much better compared to when I had my weekends occupied by work waitressing! I also feel 100x better waking up and going into work on the late days. Not to mention I always tried to take night classes in college as well for all these reasons.
Anyways any advice/empathy?