Survival tips for a 24/7 work environment
July 16, 2019 9:22 AM Subscribe
In the next couple of weeks I will be working on something that requires 24/7 on-call as well as travel. This is basically my worst nightmare -- I am not a good traveler, and I fall apart very quickly without my routines. Please hope me with some tips on how to make it through with my job and health and mind intact!
This is a "standard" kind of work trip in my industry. I have been on one such trip before, and it was apparently (according to those who have been on many such trips) "not so bad," but I didn't sleep for 36 hours and was sick for over a week afterward. It took a month for all of the stress rashes and breakouts to finally go away.
This trip will be twice as long and I will be alone, so there will be nobody to "spell" me or even, you know, morally support. I will be responsible for making decisions that represent hundreds of thousands of dollars, by myself, with no sleep. I am having straight-up panic attacks thinking about it.
Parameters:
-Presumably, wherever I end up, I will have a hotel; however, I do not drive, so basically once I am at the work site I am more or less stuck there. I do not know about the availability of rideshares as I do not know yet where the hell they are sending me.
-The work is truly 24/7 on-call, and I will have NO idea in advance about the actual times at which I will need to work. If someone calls me at 2 am, then that is when I need to go. Sleep is expected to be done in the random 2-3 hours between jobs, on sofas in the work site breakroom or on the floor or wherever.
-Throughout all of this I am expected to be fully engaged and professional. We do dress comfortably, but last time I really struggled to be presentable! I am a greasy person with challenging hair who typically showers 2x per day -- how can I even just make myself look CLEAN and AWAKE, never mind GOOD.
-I have a rigorous exercise schedule which is a big part of my mental health care; I will not be able to do any of that. Even if the hotel has a gym, odds are I will never be at the hotel long enough to use it. Any tips on how to counteract this? I will be sticking very rigidly to all of my mental health routines in the next week as a sort of preventative measure.
Any help is welcome. Even if you just want to tell me that there's no help at all but in 2 weeks it will all be over and I'll just have to pick up the pieces.
Thanks in advance.
This is a "standard" kind of work trip in my industry. I have been on one such trip before, and it was apparently (according to those who have been on many such trips) "not so bad," but I didn't sleep for 36 hours and was sick for over a week afterward. It took a month for all of the stress rashes and breakouts to finally go away.
This trip will be twice as long and I will be alone, so there will be nobody to "spell" me or even, you know, morally support. I will be responsible for making decisions that represent hundreds of thousands of dollars, by myself, with no sleep. I am having straight-up panic attacks thinking about it.
Parameters:
-Presumably, wherever I end up, I will have a hotel; however, I do not drive, so basically once I am at the work site I am more or less stuck there. I do not know about the availability of rideshares as I do not know yet where the hell they are sending me.
-The work is truly 24/7 on-call, and I will have NO idea in advance about the actual times at which I will need to work. If someone calls me at 2 am, then that is when I need to go. Sleep is expected to be done in the random 2-3 hours between jobs, on sofas in the work site breakroom or on the floor or wherever.
-Throughout all of this I am expected to be fully engaged and professional. We do dress comfortably, but last time I really struggled to be presentable! I am a greasy person with challenging hair who typically showers 2x per day -- how can I even just make myself look CLEAN and AWAKE, never mind GOOD.
-I have a rigorous exercise schedule which is a big part of my mental health care; I will not be able to do any of that. Even if the hotel has a gym, odds are I will never be at the hotel long enough to use it. Any tips on how to counteract this? I will be sticking very rigidly to all of my mental health routines in the next week as a sort of preventative measure.
Any help is welcome. Even if you just want to tell me that there's no help at all but in 2 weeks it will all be over and I'll just have to pick up the pieces.
Thanks in advance.
I did this. For the better part of a year, if it helps.
Context: I was working for a big 4 management consulting firm and we were leading a multi-vendor RFID Yard Management System deployment at the largest USPS facility in the US (the largest mail warehouse and yard in the world, to my knowledge). The facility operated on a 24/7/365 schedule so that's what we had to support.
How we approached it: full teams on 13-hour shifts. The day team worked 6am to 7pm, with 6am-6pm being the shift transition meeting, and 6pm-7pm being the same, but to the night shift. Sending one person for full 24-7 support sounds completely naive and frankly more than a bit like your employer is taking advantage of you, possibly illegally. Mine was definitely taking advantage of all of us, FWIW. And we were teams of like 20-30 people at a time, not just one person.
I was the only manager across the teams that lived locally so I kind of became the default on-call guy during my non-shift time for emergencies. So that sucked. Every 2 weeks we flipped the day and night teams, which gave everyone a chance to not have to work nights for a bit, but in retrospect it would have been easier on everyone if we made the switch on a monthly basis instead of bi-monthly.
We basically had carte blanche when it came to expenses. Rideshares didn't exist at the time but no taxi / car service charge to anywhere would ever be questioned, it was generally assumed we were all operating too tired to safely drive (although many of us preferred renting a car and driving instead of waiting for taxis).
We ordered delivery from anywhere and everywhere for every meal. We tried to keep it happy but there's only so much you can do when you don't have a kitchen. Point is nobody had to stop to think about where food would come from, it was just always there so that folks could stay fed and focus on the work. Somebody was always on point to do the ordering for a given shift.
I made weekly trips to CostCo and filled a Ford Explorer full of all manner of snacks, drinks, vitamins, fruit, sandwiches, paper plates, plastic cups, frozen food, toiletries, basically anything the team might need that I could save them having to make a trip off site for. We had a war-room with a conference table, some couches, a fridge and a microwave, and shelves for all the supplies, as well as shelves for all the hardware for the system deployment.
I certainly hope you are getting deployed with a company credit card and no questions asked about what you need to expense. If you aren't you should be asking why not.
My exercise routine went out the window for this time, FYI. As a manager I almost never worked a shift under 15 hours which meant I had 9 to commute, sleep, shower and eat, on the good days where no emergencies game up. The good news is that we spent enough time walking around the yard and massive warehouse that we got a lot of energy just moving between work sites. Buy yourself some good sneakers with good arch support, and comfy socks.
Can you cut your hair shorter for this engagement so it takes less effort? Also having a microfiber towel (like the camping ones from REI) with a container of soap and an extra stick of deodorant in your bag can make sink-showers a good option when you don't have access to an actual shower.
Nthing the sleep mask and anything else (melatoniin, medication, RelaxMelodies app on your phone, noise cancelling headphones, etc.) that can help you get to sleep fast. You may also want to look into some of the apps around guided meditation and breathing that can help you regulate your system. I've been really getting into The Tapping Solution app FWIW. If you have psychological support of some kind, maybe consider scheduling calls during this time instead of in-persons?
Have a nice water bottle (I like the HydroFlasks that keep your drink cold or hot). Get in the habit of carrying it with you everywhere (get a belt clip if it helps) and fill it and drink it roughly 3x as much as you think you need to.
We were all pretty seasoned travelers and it was hard enough on our systems. From a long term view perspective, you may want to consider looking into lines of work that won't put you in this position.
Bon voyage.
posted by allkindsoftime at 10:24 AM on July 16, 2019 [6 favorites]
Context: I was working for a big 4 management consulting firm and we were leading a multi-vendor RFID Yard Management System deployment at the largest USPS facility in the US (the largest mail warehouse and yard in the world, to my knowledge). The facility operated on a 24/7/365 schedule so that's what we had to support.
How we approached it: full teams on 13-hour shifts. The day team worked 6am to 7pm, with 6am-6pm being the shift transition meeting, and 6pm-7pm being the same, but to the night shift. Sending one person for full 24-7 support sounds completely naive and frankly more than a bit like your employer is taking advantage of you, possibly illegally. Mine was definitely taking advantage of all of us, FWIW. And we were teams of like 20-30 people at a time, not just one person.
I was the only manager across the teams that lived locally so I kind of became the default on-call guy during my non-shift time for emergencies. So that sucked. Every 2 weeks we flipped the day and night teams, which gave everyone a chance to not have to work nights for a bit, but in retrospect it would have been easier on everyone if we made the switch on a monthly basis instead of bi-monthly.
We basically had carte blanche when it came to expenses. Rideshares didn't exist at the time but no taxi / car service charge to anywhere would ever be questioned, it was generally assumed we were all operating too tired to safely drive (although many of us preferred renting a car and driving instead of waiting for taxis).
We ordered delivery from anywhere and everywhere for every meal. We tried to keep it happy but there's only so much you can do when you don't have a kitchen. Point is nobody had to stop to think about where food would come from, it was just always there so that folks could stay fed and focus on the work. Somebody was always on point to do the ordering for a given shift.
I made weekly trips to CostCo and filled a Ford Explorer full of all manner of snacks, drinks, vitamins, fruit, sandwiches, paper plates, plastic cups, frozen food, toiletries, basically anything the team might need that I could save them having to make a trip off site for. We had a war-room with a conference table, some couches, a fridge and a microwave, and shelves for all the supplies, as well as shelves for all the hardware for the system deployment.
I certainly hope you are getting deployed with a company credit card and no questions asked about what you need to expense. If you aren't you should be asking why not.
My exercise routine went out the window for this time, FYI. As a manager I almost never worked a shift under 15 hours which meant I had 9 to commute, sleep, shower and eat, on the good days where no emergencies game up. The good news is that we spent enough time walking around the yard and massive warehouse that we got a lot of energy just moving between work sites. Buy yourself some good sneakers with good arch support, and comfy socks.
Can you cut your hair shorter for this engagement so it takes less effort? Also having a microfiber towel (like the camping ones from REI) with a container of soap and an extra stick of deodorant in your bag can make sink-showers a good option when you don't have access to an actual shower.
Nthing the sleep mask and anything else (melatoniin, medication, RelaxMelodies app on your phone, noise cancelling headphones, etc.) that can help you get to sleep fast. You may also want to look into some of the apps around guided meditation and breathing that can help you regulate your system. I've been really getting into The Tapping Solution app FWIW. If you have psychological support of some kind, maybe consider scheduling calls during this time instead of in-persons?
Have a nice water bottle (I like the HydroFlasks that keep your drink cold or hot). Get in the habit of carrying it with you everywhere (get a belt clip if it helps) and fill it and drink it roughly 3x as much as you think you need to.
We were all pretty seasoned travelers and it was hard enough on our systems. From a long term view perspective, you may want to consider looking into lines of work that won't put you in this position.
Bon voyage.
posted by allkindsoftime at 10:24 AM on July 16, 2019 [6 favorites]
I hear you about the greasiness and the hair. Can you get a corporate logo baseball cap (or beanie or do-rag if that's more your style) to throw on for those 2 am calls?
posted by Rock Steady at 10:25 AM on July 16, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by Rock Steady at 10:25 AM on July 16, 2019 [5 favorites]
In retrospect, I think I'd feel much more comfortable doing this kind of work today than I did at the time, thanks to advances in technology. Between all the app options for ordering food/supplies/rides/etc. and a sturdy phone battery backup, I would imagine I could cut down significantly on the logistical work I had to do on my own back then.
posted by allkindsoftime at 10:26 AM on July 16, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by allkindsoftime at 10:26 AM on July 16, 2019 [2 favorites]
YMMV but I am very much like you and I find that stressing about not sleeping makes not sleeping much more likely and worse. I do much better when I can tell myself, "resting is just as good as sleeping, you don't have to fall asleep, you just need to lay here and rest, there will be plenty of time for sleeping" and then lay down and use earplugs and a travel white noise machine and an eyemask and do the cognitive shuffle and progressive muscle relaxation, focusing especially on letting my eyeballs settle really deep into their sockets.
Good luck. I feel for you.
posted by stellaluna at 10:26 AM on July 16, 2019 [6 favorites]
Good luck. I feel for you.
posted by stellaluna at 10:26 AM on July 16, 2019 [6 favorites]
Start sleeping for 3 hours at a time. Only go to sleep when you're tired and will nod off quickly. Set alarm for say 4:00 later. Get up for longer and longer periods. Sleep another ~3:00. You'll adapt to being able to lie down and conk out and just wake up 1:30 or 3:00 after your head hits the pillow (sleep cycles are ~1:30 and the 3:00 number is getting 2 cycles). It's easier to fall asleep whenever if you know when you're going to wake up even without the alarm.
The really important thing is to try and work the 1:30 sleep cycle as much as possible. Train yourself to wake up when the dream is ending.
posted by zengargoyle at 10:39 AM on July 16, 2019
The really important thing is to try and work the 1:30 sleep cycle as much as possible. Train yourself to wake up when the dream is ending.
posted by zengargoyle at 10:39 AM on July 16, 2019
This has been a game changer for me. Good luck on your trip.
posted by kate4914 at 10:45 AM on July 16, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by kate4914 at 10:45 AM on July 16, 2019 [6 favorites]
I've never done this, but I've done trials where the hours are almost as long (and have little unpredictable surges).
Sunlight and fresh air during the day are important. Even if you're just walking around the parking lot of the office complex. Eat your lunch away from your desk if at all possible. (Also, you can do burpees just about anywhere...)
Make a little tidiness kit for yourself (in a bag small enough to easily throw into your work bag) and keep it at your desk. Hand mirror, hair brush, face wipes, PackTowl-like object, toothbrush, Tide-to-Go pen. (I've found the women's version of this to be handy, but obviously you're paying for convenience there.) Your hotel will probably offer laundry services; take advantage of them. There are anti-wrinkle sprays, though honestly I'm not sure how effective they are. Don't drop your clothes on the floor at the end of the day--hang them up.
Take a thing or two to the site that will remind you of how great your real life is, whether that be a picture of a loved one, an action figure, whatever. Make a motivational playlist for the ride into the work site. If at all possible, stop using electronic devices the minute you get back into the hotel room at the end of the day (obviously, except for if you're actually being summoned in). Take a book, anything that doesn't give you that blue light. Also, you can try the Headspace meditation app for free for ten sessions. You might find it soothing.
posted by praemunire at 10:58 AM on July 16, 2019 [3 favorites]
Sunlight and fresh air during the day are important. Even if you're just walking around the parking lot of the office complex. Eat your lunch away from your desk if at all possible. (Also, you can do burpees just about anywhere...)
Make a little tidiness kit for yourself (in a bag small enough to easily throw into your work bag) and keep it at your desk. Hand mirror, hair brush, face wipes, PackTowl-like object, toothbrush, Tide-to-Go pen. (I've found the women's version of this to be handy, but obviously you're paying for convenience there.) Your hotel will probably offer laundry services; take advantage of them. There are anti-wrinkle sprays, though honestly I'm not sure how effective they are. Don't drop your clothes on the floor at the end of the day--hang them up.
Take a thing or two to the site that will remind you of how great your real life is, whether that be a picture of a loved one, an action figure, whatever. Make a motivational playlist for the ride into the work site. If at all possible, stop using electronic devices the minute you get back into the hotel room at the end of the day (obviously, except for if you're actually being summoned in). Take a book, anything that doesn't give you that blue light. Also, you can try the Headspace meditation app for free for ten sessions. You might find it soothing.
posted by praemunire at 10:58 AM on July 16, 2019 [3 favorites]
Here is the thing: if they really want 24 hour support, they really want it they would bring more than you.
If things get to crisis levels for you ... You have to sleep. Staffing issues aren't your issue. You will not be useful. You will fall asleep you won't think, you will make mistakes that is the human condition on no sleep. This is guarenteed.
This isn't a surprise for your workforce. The human body hasn't changed recently, your requirements are part of life, not some wierd quirk that's just you. Like if they really cared about rational decision making you wouldn't be it. You would get sleep and have support.
That being said, know your sleep cycle (mines 2 hours, but most people are on 90 mibute cycles) try to sleep whenever you can. Keep routine simple and short, eleminate any decision making where you can. Eat the same thing every day. Do take breaks, make sure you eat.
posted by AlexiaSky at 11:02 AM on July 16, 2019 [9 favorites]
If things get to crisis levels for you ... You have to sleep. Staffing issues aren't your issue. You will not be useful. You will fall asleep you won't think, you will make mistakes that is the human condition on no sleep. This is guarenteed.
This isn't a surprise for your workforce. The human body hasn't changed recently, your requirements are part of life, not some wierd quirk that's just you. Like if they really cared about rational decision making you wouldn't be it. You would get sleep and have support.
That being said, know your sleep cycle (mines 2 hours, but most people are on 90 mibute cycles) try to sleep whenever you can. Keep routine simple and short, eleminate any decision making where you can. Eat the same thing every day. Do take breaks, make sure you eat.
posted by AlexiaSky at 11:02 AM on July 16, 2019 [9 favorites]
Bring things from home that you can put in your room to make it feel less impersonal, and a sleep mask and some energy bars for just in case. Consider relaxation exercises to help you sleep when you can. Hopefully you will be put in a location that has at least one good food-delivery and rideshare app - those can be a godsend to car-less travelers. For exercise, there are things you can do in your room (burpees, crunches, planks) and things you can do in your hotel (find the emergency stairs, make sure that the door on your floor opens inward, and if so take the steps instead of the elevator). If you are a female-presenting person, rayon jersey clothes don't wrinkle, look professional and feel comfy - but they don't breathe as well as natural fibers, so use sparingly if the sweatiness is going to be a problem.
Any help is welcome. Even if you just want to tell me that there's no help at all but in 2 weeks it will all be over and I'll just have to pick up the pieces.
FWIW, not in any way to belittle your job, but other than not knowing your location, what you're about to go through sounds an awful lot like living with a newborn (no set hours to sleep, hugely important decisions needing to be made at a moment's notice with no one there to do it with you or for you, not knowing what challenge will come when, having to look presentable in front of strangers with no time for self care, no time or ability to exercise...) but without the extra joys of recovering from physical trauma or surprise body-fluid explosions. By which I mean to say, ordinary humans are very able to put themselves through most of the deprivations you're describing and survive. Maybe this will be hell the whole time for you, but at the end of the two weeks you'll be able to come back and never speak of it again. Or maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones who only gets softballs during your stint. You can handle it. They wouldn't be sending you if they didn't believe that you had it in you - feel free to interpret that as 'they really think highly of your abilities,' or 'they think even a monkey could do it,' depending on which makes seeing yourself in the job seem less intimidating.
Good luck - you can do this!
posted by Mchelly at 12:11 PM on July 16, 2019 [4 favorites]
Any help is welcome. Even if you just want to tell me that there's no help at all but in 2 weeks it will all be over and I'll just have to pick up the pieces.
FWIW, not in any way to belittle your job, but other than not knowing your location, what you're about to go through sounds an awful lot like living with a newborn (no set hours to sleep, hugely important decisions needing to be made at a moment's notice with no one there to do it with you or for you, not knowing what challenge will come when, having to look presentable in front of strangers with no time for self care, no time or ability to exercise...) but without the extra joys of recovering from physical trauma or surprise body-fluid explosions. By which I mean to say, ordinary humans are very able to put themselves through most of the deprivations you're describing and survive. Maybe this will be hell the whole time for you, but at the end of the two weeks you'll be able to come back and never speak of it again. Or maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones who only gets softballs during your stint. You can handle it. They wouldn't be sending you if they didn't believe that you had it in you - feel free to interpret that as 'they really think highly of your abilities,' or 'they think even a monkey could do it,' depending on which makes seeing yourself in the job seem less intimidating.
Good luck - you can do this!
posted by Mchelly at 12:11 PM on July 16, 2019 [4 favorites]
I absolutely would NOT practice sleeping in 3 hour chunks unless this is something you will be doing for a long time as a lifestyle/job requirement- this is only 2 weeks- you will be fine for two weeks (i say fine, I mean survive) if you do that kind of sleep pattern for a month, say, your sleep will completely change and even after this stint is done you will still be waking up after 3 hours at odd times in the night and that can drive you crazy.
posted by catspajammies at 12:52 PM on July 16, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by catspajammies at 12:52 PM on July 16, 2019 [2 favorites]
When I am traveling and in stressful situations without access to a gym, I pack a jump rope. It is possible to jump rope in many hotel rooms. I also do jumping jacks (I have done them in big office bathrooms), go up and down the stairs (in multi-story buildings), and also do some yoga stretching. I don't need to do a lot of any of these things, but doing 25 jumping jacks, say, is just enough to help release some stress.
One of the stressful things about this kind of situation is the lack of control. So I try to practice self-care by following many of the suggestions above so I feel like I have a small amount of control over things that make a difference to me. Sometimes I travel with a particular pillow and a robe, for example. There's a small framed photo of my mother and kid that I may pack as well. My phone gets filled with entertaining podcasts, not stressful ones, and I create some upbeat playlists. If I am traveling domestically, I take fruit or figure out how to get some where I am going after I arrive because it sucks not to have fresh, affordable fruit/veggies as snacks, IMHO.
I will be alone, so there will be nobody to "spell" me or even, you know, morally support.
You will be alone but do you have to feel so alone? The night before I put on a conference, I wore a necklace my grandmother had given me and a ring from my mother thanks to the suggestion from my therapist. Both of them were dead so they could not give me moral support in person, but their symbolic support was useful when I did this new, challenging, and super stressful thing.
Also, do you have any friends or loved ones with whom you can exchange texts so you feel some real-time emotional support? I live in Europe, so I am awake when lots of folks in the US are sleeping. So if your work is in the US or elsewhere and you would like a text buddy, PM me. Maybe I (or others) can send a validating note if you text, "THIS SUCKS!"
I will be responsible for making decisions that represent hundreds of thousands of dollars, by myself, with no sleep.
Two thoughts:
1. It is true that you may have no sleep. It is also true that perhaps the situation will be different this time and you will be able to get some sleep. I do better, mentally, if I accept that I don't know what will happen and it could be awful or it could be fine but there is no point in having specific expectations because I just don't know. I am a worrier by nature, so it took me a long time to figure that out for myself. May not be helpful to you.
2. Do you have a way of creating a cheat-sheet now, while you are getting rest, as a framework for making decisions in the future, when you may be exhausted? I guess I am talking about a kind of checklist. As someone in Forbes has written:
American surgeon and writer Atul Gawande explained why checklists are an essential productivity tools in his excellent book The Checklist Manifesto. He wrote, "Checklists...remind us of the minimum necessary steps and make them explicit. They not only offer the possibility of verification but also instil a kind of discipline of higher performance."
I don't know your job or your industry, but if there is any way to prep or make a checklist to help you make those super important decisions, maybe that would be a good thing. Apologies if this sounds condescending, I have never been in this situation myself. I have been in situations where I could not sleep because of illness from an operation, I was in pain, and I could not get direct help for many hours. So I consulted the information sent home with me (no way did I remember what was okay to do or not okay) and I made a schedule on the spot when I realized I was not going to be able to sleep and then followed it as best I could. It was very basic: listen to X, drink water, watch Y, stretch, rest. The single most helpful thing at the time was just accepting that the situation sucked, it was going to suck for awhile, and I just needed to take it an hour or 15 minutes or a minute at a time. I really feel for you; this situation sounds more than challenging.
posted by Bella Donna at 2:15 PM on July 16, 2019 [4 favorites]
One of the stressful things about this kind of situation is the lack of control. So I try to practice self-care by following many of the suggestions above so I feel like I have a small amount of control over things that make a difference to me. Sometimes I travel with a particular pillow and a robe, for example. There's a small framed photo of my mother and kid that I may pack as well. My phone gets filled with entertaining podcasts, not stressful ones, and I create some upbeat playlists. If I am traveling domestically, I take fruit or figure out how to get some where I am going after I arrive because it sucks not to have fresh, affordable fruit/veggies as snacks, IMHO.
I will be alone, so there will be nobody to "spell" me or even, you know, morally support.
You will be alone but do you have to feel so alone? The night before I put on a conference, I wore a necklace my grandmother had given me and a ring from my mother thanks to the suggestion from my therapist. Both of them were dead so they could not give me moral support in person, but their symbolic support was useful when I did this new, challenging, and super stressful thing.
Also, do you have any friends or loved ones with whom you can exchange texts so you feel some real-time emotional support? I live in Europe, so I am awake when lots of folks in the US are sleeping. So if your work is in the US or elsewhere and you would like a text buddy, PM me. Maybe I (or others) can send a validating note if you text, "THIS SUCKS!"
I will be responsible for making decisions that represent hundreds of thousands of dollars, by myself, with no sleep.
Two thoughts:
1. It is true that you may have no sleep. It is also true that perhaps the situation will be different this time and you will be able to get some sleep. I do better, mentally, if I accept that I don't know what will happen and it could be awful or it could be fine but there is no point in having specific expectations because I just don't know. I am a worrier by nature, so it took me a long time to figure that out for myself. May not be helpful to you.
2. Do you have a way of creating a cheat-sheet now, while you are getting rest, as a framework for making decisions in the future, when you may be exhausted? I guess I am talking about a kind of checklist. As someone in Forbes has written:
American surgeon and writer Atul Gawande explained why checklists are an essential productivity tools in his excellent book The Checklist Manifesto. He wrote, "Checklists...remind us of the minimum necessary steps and make them explicit. They not only offer the possibility of verification but also instil a kind of discipline of higher performance."
I don't know your job or your industry, but if there is any way to prep or make a checklist to help you make those super important decisions, maybe that would be a good thing. Apologies if this sounds condescending, I have never been in this situation myself. I have been in situations where I could not sleep because of illness from an operation, I was in pain, and I could not get direct help for many hours. So I consulted the information sent home with me (no way did I remember what was okay to do or not okay) and I made a schedule on the spot when I realized I was not going to be able to sleep and then followed it as best I could. It was very basic: listen to X, drink water, watch Y, stretch, rest. The single most helpful thing at the time was just accepting that the situation sucked, it was going to suck for awhile, and I just needed to take it an hour or 15 minutes or a minute at a time. I really feel for you; this situation sounds more than challenging.
posted by Bella Donna at 2:15 PM on July 16, 2019 [4 favorites]
I've done round-the-clock work before. It's hard but doable. Here are some tips:
For a quick 5 min "shower" in a bathroom with no shower, you'll need soap- I'd use Dove as it won't strip your face- a towel, and a water bottle.
1. Wash face with soap and towel dry. To manage greasiness, wipe face gently with alcohol based face toner on cotton pad- do face and neck, especially around the hairline.
2. For a quick sink bath, strip to the waist and tuck a bath towel around your waist to catch drips. Lather up hands with soap and rub your neck and armpits, then rinse hands and rub neck and armpits again a few times, with just water on your hands, to get most of the soap. Towel off and apply antiperspirant.
3. Sit on the toilet, soap up your hand, soap your nether bits front and back, then pour a bottle of water down there to rinse. Pat dry.
4. Put each foot into the sink and wash with soap, then dry.
5. Fix hair with dry shampoo.
6. Put on all clean clothing, especially underwear, socks, and whatever touches your armpits.
7. Brush teeth and use mouthwash.
Smelling bad:
If you need to wear the same thing touching your armpits for more than 1 unshowered day- like a blazer or winter coat- it will start to stink. You can minimize this by putting 2 or 3 very thin pantiliners into each armpit (this brand is the best I've found), and changing them every day and every time you get extra sweaty. After use, hang any multi-use items of clothing inside out if you can, to help them air out.
Working effectively:
Make checklists for your jobs and follow them! Print out a ton of them and clearly label one per day /site/ event / whatever, and put them into a binder in order, so you can jot things into the relevant day's checklist to remind you of any changes. Make them readable and visual and use colours and tabs to help visually organize your thoughts when you have low bandwidth and might otherwise miss details.
Staying sane:
Call friends to chat, especially when tired and on your way to a job.
Drink tons of water.
Eat healthy.
Bring very comfy pyjamas / blanket / slippers / scents to help you relax.
Remember that this too shall pass! Good luck!
posted by pseudostrabismus at 6:26 PM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
For a quick 5 min "shower" in a bathroom with no shower, you'll need soap- I'd use Dove as it won't strip your face- a towel, and a water bottle.
1. Wash face with soap and towel dry. To manage greasiness, wipe face gently with alcohol based face toner on cotton pad- do face and neck, especially around the hairline.
2. For a quick sink bath, strip to the waist and tuck a bath towel around your waist to catch drips. Lather up hands with soap and rub your neck and armpits, then rinse hands and rub neck and armpits again a few times, with just water on your hands, to get most of the soap. Towel off and apply antiperspirant.
3. Sit on the toilet, soap up your hand, soap your nether bits front and back, then pour a bottle of water down there to rinse. Pat dry.
4. Put each foot into the sink and wash with soap, then dry.
5. Fix hair with dry shampoo.
6. Put on all clean clothing, especially underwear, socks, and whatever touches your armpits.
7. Brush teeth and use mouthwash.
Smelling bad:
If you need to wear the same thing touching your armpits for more than 1 unshowered day- like a blazer or winter coat- it will start to stink. You can minimize this by putting 2 or 3 very thin pantiliners into each armpit (this brand is the best I've found), and changing them every day and every time you get extra sweaty. After use, hang any multi-use items of clothing inside out if you can, to help them air out.
Working effectively:
Make checklists for your jobs and follow them! Print out a ton of them and clearly label one per day /site/ event / whatever, and put them into a binder in order, so you can jot things into the relevant day's checklist to remind you of any changes. Make them readable and visual and use colours and tabs to help visually organize your thoughts when you have low bandwidth and might otherwise miss details.
Staying sane:
Call friends to chat, especially when tired and on your way to a job.
Drink tons of water.
Eat healthy.
Bring very comfy pyjamas / blanket / slippers / scents to help you relax.
Remember that this too shall pass! Good luck!
posted by pseudostrabismus at 6:26 PM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
I haven’t seen these suggestions mentioned:
1. Just before you go to sleep, every time, lay every single thing out that you will need upon waking: clothes, sunglasses, hat, keys, computer, phone, work documents, everything! Leave nothing to chance. When you’re exhausted, you will be prone to forget things, and when you forget essential things when you’re tired life just sucks more.
2. Workout options: 7 minute workouts can be done anywhere, buy a set of resistance bands and slide discs. You’ll be able to do cardio, strength training, interval training, and flexibility just aibout anywhere.
3. Bring a roll of 1 gallon ziploc bags, a handful of safety pins, baby wipes, and some bandaids/plasters. You will not regret packing them.
4. Buy more minutes/data for your phone
5. Pack your phone with as much music, games, books, podcasts that you possibly can
6. Pay extra, if needed, for 24/7 hotel WiFi
Don’t skimp in the little luxuries that make life a little bit better when you’re under intense pressure.
posted by skye.dancer at 7:44 PM on July 16, 2019 [3 favorites]
1. Just before you go to sleep, every time, lay every single thing out that you will need upon waking: clothes, sunglasses, hat, keys, computer, phone, work documents, everything! Leave nothing to chance. When you’re exhausted, you will be prone to forget things, and when you forget essential things when you’re tired life just sucks more.
2. Workout options: 7 minute workouts can be done anywhere, buy a set of resistance bands and slide discs. You’ll be able to do cardio, strength training, interval training, and flexibility just aibout anywhere.
3. Bring a roll of 1 gallon ziploc bags, a handful of safety pins, baby wipes, and some bandaids/plasters. You will not regret packing them.
4. Buy more minutes/data for your phone
5. Pack your phone with as much music, games, books, podcasts that you possibly can
6. Pay extra, if needed, for 24/7 hotel WiFi
Don’t skimp in the little luxuries that make life a little bit better when you’re under intense pressure.
posted by skye.dancer at 7:44 PM on July 16, 2019 [3 favorites]
Ick. That is not fun but it’s survivable. By week 2, I’m dropping important things and certain to get sick. My suggestions:
1) a ritual for every time you leave a chair heading to a door , checking off your wallet, cellphone, hat etc and:or that you have touched the floor and seat to check for dropped things. Alternately, take a picture of the seat to prove that wasn’t the place you left your wallet.
2) amazon and postal mail. Stage clothing, toiletries, tools and dried lunch food in packages at the front desk of the hotel or your work site contact. Print off a shipping label at work to return each box to your office. This gives you some variety, reduces boring shopping in each city and helps avoid eating yet another hotel 3 cheese ravioli. You can confirm your package arrived before you get on a plane, and have less stuff to lose.
3) stairs. they’re everywhere, open 24/7 and it’s an easy way to burn off adrenaline before sleep.
4) Your employer is hoping for the best, but if they wanted certainty they wouldn’t be setting you up as a single point of failure. I’ve had good luck with customers and site managers who could see the problem and were willing to work hard in advance to help reduce risk (and pages). One even helped do first tier on-call. Can you get help with prep work or on-site discovery ? Work in “accelerated training” for someone on site?
posted by unknown knowns at 8:44 PM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
1) a ritual for every time you leave a chair heading to a door , checking off your wallet, cellphone, hat etc and:or that you have touched the floor and seat to check for dropped things. Alternately, take a picture of the seat to prove that wasn’t the place you left your wallet.
2) amazon and postal mail. Stage clothing, toiletries, tools and dried lunch food in packages at the front desk of the hotel or your work site contact. Print off a shipping label at work to return each box to your office. This gives you some variety, reduces boring shopping in each city and helps avoid eating yet another hotel 3 cheese ravioli. You can confirm your package arrived before you get on a plane, and have less stuff to lose.
3) stairs. they’re everywhere, open 24/7 and it’s an easy way to burn off adrenaline before sleep.
4) Your employer is hoping for the best, but if they wanted certainty they wouldn’t be setting you up as a single point of failure. I’ve had good luck with customers and site managers who could see the problem and were willing to work hard in advance to help reduce risk (and pages). One even helped do first tier on-call. Can you get help with prep work or on-site discovery ? Work in “accelerated training” for someone on site?
posted by unknown knowns at 8:44 PM on July 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
Sleep is expected to be done in the random 2-3 hours between jobs, on sofas in the work site breakroom or on the floor or wherever
Can you bring a folding cot to the worksite? Ideally you'd be able to set this up in some sort of quiet storeroom, but even if you have to be in the breakroom it's probably more comfortable than the sofa.
If you are expected to sleep in a brightly lit breakroom, there are "bed tents" that are meant to go on top of a bed or cot to block some of the light and give some privacy. Won't help much with the noise but maybe you can wear earplugs or even earplugs plus earmuffs.
posted by yohko at 2:09 PM on July 17, 2019
Can you bring a folding cot to the worksite? Ideally you'd be able to set this up in some sort of quiet storeroom, but even if you have to be in the breakroom it's probably more comfortable than the sofa.
If you are expected to sleep in a brightly lit breakroom, there are "bed tents" that are meant to go on top of a bed or cot to block some of the light and give some privacy. Won't help much with the noise but maybe you can wear earplugs or even earplugs plus earmuffs.
posted by yohko at 2:09 PM on July 17, 2019
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-Sleep: Bring whatever you can to make the sleep you do get actually restful. I would bring an eye mask and ear plugs (put your phone on vibrate and on your person so you do wake up if someone tries to contact you), or wear ear buds and listen to a white noise app on your phone. Also consider something that will help you get to sleep--like a meditation app, and maybe a travel pillow?
-Looking professional: this is what dry shampoo is FOR. Find one that doesn't have too strong a fragrance. And carry around wipes for freshening up. I like the "Say Yes to Cucumbers" wipes and have used them for the prescribed use (face) and for quick sponge baths. And Colgate makes a product called Wisps that are like disposable toothbrushes you can use without water. Alternatively, grab a travel size mouthwash and gargle with that.
-Exercise: Break this up into chunks. Have five minutes while something is loading, or you're waiting for someone to get back to you? Do some burpees, or crunches, or stretch. Have 10-30 minutes? Take a walk--get outside in the sunlight if you can, but even a few laps around the floor you're on, or up and down some stairs, can help.
-Travel: can you ask your company to set you up to travel a day in advance (or even a few hours in advance), so you can get your bearings wherever you're set? Carry antibacterial wipes (I like the "Wet Ones" brand) and wipe down EVERYTHING around you--on the plane, wipe anything you might touch like tray table, arm rests, seatbelt, airflow adjuster. Do the same in your hotel room--don't forget the light switches, faucets, and remote control. You think that people on the plane are going to think you're some kind of germ freak but the last few times I've done this my neighbors have either asked to borrow some wipes or have pulled out their own when they see me do it.
Also, take whatever supplements you think will help your immunity stay strong starting a couple days before your trip and lasting a few days after. I take Zinc and Vitamin D, and perhaps it's a placebo effect, but I think it helps. Good luck!
posted by CiaoMela at 9:43 AM on July 16, 2019 [9 favorites]