Adjusting to shift schedules

Transitioning from a regular day to a ship shift schedule can have its challenges!

By Victoire Lucas

During the first days of this mission, we received our assigned shifts. I consider myself lucky because I received the 5 to 8 shift, which means that I will have to be in the lab every morning between 5 and 8am, and every evening between 5 and 8pm. This is a good shift because it is not too far from a habitual rhythm: I have to wake up at 4:30 every morning, and I usually go to bed around 8:30 in the evening. However, mornings are sometimes more difficult to manage, especially at the beginning of the survey.

Indeed, my very first shift didn’t go as planned. I was supposed to be in the lab at 5am, so I put my alarm clock at 4:30. Sadly I just didn’t hear it and I woke up late. When I opened my eyes, I checked my phone just to see what time it was, I had no doubts that it was still the middle of the night. But my phone showed me “5:08am”! I was already late, I jumped out of my upper bunk, hit my knees badly in the lower bunk where Michelle was sleeping and got myself ready as fast as possible. Finally I arrived at the lab at 5:15 with a red face and uncombed hair.

To avoid such an unpleasant morning in the future, I started to look for some solutions to be sure to wake up on time. To do that, I really needed to go to bed early. As I was not used to sleep before the sunset I had the bad idea, during the first days, to spend some time on the upper deck right before sleeping. Now I realize that was a mistake, because seeing the sunlight was not helping me sleeping early. Since I understood that, I have avoided going to the deck in the last 30 minutes before going to bed. Instead, I spent some time reading in my window-less cabin and since then I have slept far better! I also avoid taking naps during the day even if I’m tired, because I know it will be more difficult to sleep on the evening after that.

Finally, I always prepare all of my things (clothes, bag etc.) the evening before the next day, this way I can be ready quicker in the morning. I just have to get up, get dressed, grab a snack in the mess and I can be ready within 15 minutes!

COMING SOON: Our first data has arrived and the science operations are in full swing!