I just was reading a newsletter that I get periodically from NH Nurses.org and in it they published an article that was originally put out by The Center for American Nurses. The article is titled "Personal and Career Conflicts: Effects on Well-Being"
Wow, finding that link saved me some time cause I wanted to quote some and comment on some. The first thing is about shift work! I work third shift aka Graveyard Shift and here's what they had to say about that "Studies indicate that working the evening shift is associated with striking differences in home life than working the day shift. Women's evening shift work results in re-gendering the divisions of household and childcare tasks. For example, fathers whose wives work evening shifts will spend more time with their children and do more 'feminine' household tasks than those whose wives work day shifts." I must be one of the few whose husband takes almost no part in doing the "feminine" work!! But I do have to say he does spend a lot of time with the kids in times that I need sleep. But the chores, it all lays on my shoulders people! Getting the kids off to school, laundry, cooking, lifting heavy objects, bring up all the groceries up to the third floor apartment, I DO IT ALL!! But it's not because my dear hubby is lazy oh no no no no!! He's got hip/lower back problems degenerative disk disease that don't enable him to move like he used to. Its been about 5 or so years that it has been affecting him.
"Women who work evening shifts report significantly higher work-family conflict than do day shift workers (Barnett, Gareis & Brennan, 2008; Barnett & Gareis, 2007; Presser, 2003). Conflict at home related to work expectation--does this resonate with your work-family experience?" My Answer is that sometimes working the overnight sure does put a damper on some aspects of life. Also the article went on to say, "The flexibility and variability of working hours appeared inversely related to health ! and psycho-social wellbeing: the most favorable effects were associated with higher flexibility and lower variability. Physical work, age, and flexibility were found to be the three most important factors affecting health and well-being. Flexibility was reported as the most important factor to influence work satisfaction; the second to affect family and social commitment and the ability to do the same job when 60 years old, as well as trauma, overall fatigue, irritability, and headache; and the third to influence heart disease, stomachache, anxiety, injury, and the feeling that health being at risk because of work. Variability was the third most important factor influencing family and social commitments. Furthermore, shift and night work significantly influenced sleep, digestive and cardiovascular troubles, as well as health and safety at work. Time pressure also showed a relevant influence, both on individual stress and social life. Workers who reported control of these variables had positive consequences related to coping strategies as evidenced by "feeling to be able to work until 60 years of age" That's a lot of truth in that! Remember I was having high levels of cholesterol-was working 3rd shift to blame? obviously sleep...my social life...oh my..I am out of any social scene outside of family, and its part of my own choice but also part of who I don't have for friends! I rarely commit to any kind of social happening especially thru church cause there's some nights that they hold an event and I am deadbeat tired that I choose bed/sleep instead, or I forget because I'm so tired! Trying to have anyone come over is another feat, if my house is falling apart, which it often does, than I avoid it at all costs cause that brings stress on me also! And for a good example our friends from England are coming in 3 weeks and I've already started to clean hoping the house will STAY CLEAN with kids its close to impossible unless we are paying close attention and follow them with picking up after themselves.
One more quote "How are you doing with so many "balls in the air?" Is your juggling of all of these conflicting roles and expectations taking a toll?" I try not to let my complicated life get to my head and I cope well with all that has been going on, however I've had my cracking moments! Also there are evidently some lack of sleep worrying about all that was left undone outside my bedroom door, as I try to keep my bedroom a place of rest and peace and try to keep even the world out of my house but life sometimes gets the world in somehow! I'm reminded of a last verse of the song Scripture Power"I'll wear each vital part of the armor of the Lord, and fight my daily battles, and win a great reward". I know that what I'm doing is the right thing right now for us, however I don't want it to last forever!!!
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