In the span of 15 minutes on Tuesday I was laid off from my job managing MaineBusiness.com and given a new job as a night content producer for the Portland Press Herald. I went from working from 6am to 2pm, Monday through Friday and having a social life to working 6pm to 2am Tuesday through Saturday and having no social life. It's been a bitter pill to swallow.
Not that I'm not thankful to still have a job -- because I am. But I moved to Portland six weeks ago for a job that no longer exists. A job that I loved and was excited about. I know that I'm not the first person this has happend to but it's the first time this has happened to me. I'm not taking it well.
A half an hour before I was to start my new job last night I had a full blown panic attack. I couldn't stop crying, I was shaking, and my lips were going numb. My sister talked me through it via cell phone. Thank goodness. I felt like a baby. Some people totally lost their jobs all together and here I am hyperventilating because I lost the job I liked and was given another job instead.
Working nights is odd. I'm a single 30-year-old woman who enjoys meeting her friends for a drink after work. Making plans to visit my family or friends on the weekends. Those plans are now out the window. If anyone has any suggestions how to make the most of a crappy situation I'm all ears....
Related Stories: | Topics:Careers, Work/Life, unemployment, Laid off, Maine, MaineBusiness.com, New England, downsizing, Portland, Portland Press Herald, MaineBusiness.com, Business, Jobs and Labor |
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Recent Comments | 4 Total
July 7, 2008 at 9:48pm by Jay Tatum
WELCOME TO THE PARTY! All is not lost and the change in venue may be more profound and significant than you can possibly imagine. For most of my professional career I hav worked days, though I've been on-call for emergencies in some capacity. For five years, though, I worked second shift in a Trauma Center Emergency Department where life and death were often separated by a real human heartbeat.
There were some real transitional issues with which to deal on the practical level - 1, Day shift folks think the world revolves around their schedule and like to have meetings at times I could not be there versus having my days to myself to get things down during the day I had put off for years. I actually built a house during the day while working evenings. 2, Family and Social functions can be a real pill to swallow, even if it's not bitter versus doing extended lunches with my career professional wife, although I missed my son's entire Jr/Sr High School years. 3, Seeing the world through a Middle Shift perspective provided me with insights I'd never have had versus remaining ignorant of a world that exists after dark.
All this to say that despite the change in venue, you may discover you have way more options than you've ever had before. There are limitations to being bound by a later work schedule but there are liberties you probably have not discovered yet that will set you free.
I actually resigned from a great job last year to take a year off to see the world, live at the beach, and just be a stay at home husband, father, and student. I've learned as much about my family and career from not working than I may have had if I'd remained on the job.
One final existential philosophical thought on your metaphorical window. Why limit yourself to physical space and time when there is so much more to discover? The umbilical chord between family and friends isn't limited to evenings and weekends. . .
July 8, 2008 at 1:41pm by Shakiara Kitchen
Sundays. Sundays will be come your new 'weekend'. And lunch dates with your friends on the other days. Socially, you will be surprised at the amount of people out and about during a work day -people with flexible or telecommute schedules. This will be a great opportunity for you to explore your new surroundings during the day.
July 9, 2008 at 12:47am by Melanie Brooks
I'm embracing my night shift -- or trying to. I went to the beach today. Tuesday mornings at the beach are a lot less crowded than on the weekends that's for sure. I am learning new things here, so not all is lost. Thanks for the encouragement!
July 28, 2008 at 4:42pm by Jim Baumer
Melanie,
Sorry to hear about the situation at the PPH. I knew something was up when there were no new blog posts put up by you.
I've been hearing things through the grapevine about the happenings at the newspaper.
I've worked nights, and they are difficult to adjust to; I've also been in jobs that were more like doing jail time. I'm fortunate that for one of the first times in my life, I'm on the other side, for once. I can truly empathize with your plight.
You obviously have marketable skills that you may have to take elsewhere, at some point in the future, when you are ready.