How I Transitioned To (and From) Overnight Shifts

Weather is cruel: it never stops. Similarly, clients are always working and in all time zones of the world. As a result, clients often need information or assistance in the wee hours of the morning in the U.S. At my job at Weathernews, new employees are trained up during day shifts for the first 6-9 months then move into overnight shifts (one to two weeks at a time) once basic knowledge of the world's oceans has been imparted.

We also use a 10 hour a day, 4 days a week schedule (Sun-Wed or Wed-Sat) which provides three day weekends (a very nice perk!).

So when the schedule for March came out and I saw I would be working two sets of "flex" shifts (7pm-5:30am local time), I began to think through how I could get my body out of its lifelong routine of going to bed early and waking up early (presently, Veronica and I go to sleep between 9:30 and 11 and wake up between 5:30 and 6 on weekdays). I'm in the middle of the two weeks of overnight shifts but the first week was a success. Here's how I did it:

1. Get what you need to sleep! For me, I need a cool, dark room. If I'm sleeping in the daylight hours, I need eyeshades. And with my wife waking up on a regular 8-to-5 schedule, I need ear plugs to sleep through her morning routine.
2. Begin transitioning to the new sleep schedule three days before the first overnight shift. I got off work Saturday at 5:30pm and made sure to stay awake until 12:30am that first night while sleeping in until 8:30am (something my body doesn't allow, even on off days). The next night, Sunday night, I stayed up until 2:30am. The last night, Monday night, I stayed up until 4:30am. By Tuesday night, my body was ready to go for the shift.
3. Eat when you're hungry. I found this advice on another website and it worked for me. My appetite has been fairly consistent in desiring breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So I eat breakfast at 1pm when I wake up. Lunch with my wife before work at 6pm. And dinner around 11:30pm at work.
4. Keep mentally active in the transition nights. Watching a movie or TV wasn't going to work for me, I'd fall asleep easily. I saved chores for the night time, I read articles online, I played SimCity, etc. I didn't allow my brain to turn off.

5. Do what it takes to stay awake on shift. I found that eating little snacks keeps me fresh. Knowing this, I tried to give myself healthy options such as: homemade granola bars (thanks Veronica!), bananas, fruit snacks, yogurt, oranges, and Cheetos/crackers (ok, so I wasn't completely healthy). I also stretched on my way to/from bathroom breaks and drank plenty of water (with one caffeinated can of Dr Pepper each night).
6. Know your wall. I "hit the wall" between 1:30 and 2:30 every night. My eyes get heavy, my mind drifts, and my work capacity slows down. Once I figured this out, I had my Dr Pepper and granola bar waiting each night for the inevitable weariness. Thirty minutes later, I was back to being fresh. Be ready for your body to start shutting down and have a plan in place to combat it!
7. Use your lunch break to be active. I tried to do something physical for each night's break. I went outside for a while one night, did part of the Insanity workout the next. You have to keep the body moving!
8. Cut your body off from the sleep schedule after the last night. This advice came from a supervisor for overcoming the feeling of jet lag (thanks Polk!). I woke up at 11am on the Saturday morning after and was naturally tired by midnight that night (before starting the transition back for the second week).

So that's it: my tips for working a rotating overnight shift in meteorology (or elsewhere). Someday, I hope to put the overnight schedule behind me! 

I must thank my encouraging wife for keeping me going when things got difficult and frustrating. Thank you for supporting me, Veronica!

What are some tips you have for working overnight shifts?

Technology: Introduction

I am a technology enthusiast, spending much of my leisure reading time on tech sites such as CNET and Droid-Life. Considering how I wanted to spend my first summer in college, I thought about seeking a tech position at Student Life camps. I was hired on as a production assistant for the summer of 2009. That summer I gained experience operating Pro Presenter for displaying graphics/lyrics. The following summer, 2010, I was hired as a video director directing three live cameras. I returned for a two week contract in 2012 spending one week as an on-stage camera operator and one week as a video director. These weeks shaped my technology interest and allowed me to become involved at Journey Church, where I am a volunteer graphics operator in Pro Presenter 5 for Lifestream (college worship) and, occasionally, the main services. I aim to use my talents in understanding/using technology for serving God with excellence.

Sports: Introduction

While living in many states and cities throughout my childhood, I developed a fanhood for a diverse set of sports teams throughout the Central U.S. The teams below are listed in order. I have lived in each city or state and have been following the teams for many years (i.e. not a bandwagon fan).



I have enjoyed the thrill of a championship victory four times since I truly started watching and enjoying sports (after 1998):



1999 - Dallas Stars
2006 - St. Louis Cardinals
2011 - Dallas Mavericks
2011 - St. Louis Cardinals
(Note: OU's 2000 National Championship was won prior to my becoming a Sooners fan)

Weather: Introduction

From a young age, I have been fascinated with the weather. I pursued this fascination until it became a passion which led to a career. I visited only two schools, Iowa State and Oklahoma, choosing the latter. I attended the School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma from 2008-2012, graduating in four years with a Bachelor's of Science in Meteorology and a minor in Physical Geography.

Major Courses	Support Courses
3 semesters: Atmospheric Dynamics 3 semesters: Physical Meteorology (Thermodynamics, Cloud Physics, Radiation) Synoptic Meteorology Lab Mesoscale Meteorology Meteorological Measurement Systems Full year of Senior Capstone	4 semesters: Calculus 2 semesters: Physics (with labs) Computer Programming Physical Math Applied Statistical Methods Public Speaking OU Core Requirements (Humanities, Social Science, Etc.)

Upon graduation, I accepted a position as Voyage Planner/Risk Communicator at Weathernews Inc. in Norman, Oklahoma (located adjacent to the National Weather Center on OU's Research Campus). Weathernews is a company headquartered in Japan, where they offer a television network, mobile apps, and much more. The Norman location provides ocean routing service for ships at sea worldwide. I route vessels around inclement weather and seek to provide the safest route while saving fuel, distance, and/or sailing time.

If you have any questions about meteorology as a career or meteorology at OU, find me on Twitter or Google+ and let me know!