Thursday, August 20, 2009

Signos: The Great Body Clock Fuck-Up

Monday

I woke up at twelve in the afternoon to prepare for work. Sleeping at past 4 earlier that morning, getting out of bed to eat lunch was my first order of business. This was my routine after I was transferred from the nine-to-five work schedule to the two-to-ten shift. This was done to get as much sleep as possible, since, my personal life only begins after the shift is over.


Tuesday

Coming from a heavy workout the night before, to close my eyes and return to dreamland was the last thing I had in mind. Keeping myself relaxed (even when everyone is asleep) required a heavy dose of cartoons I could watch on television. My favorites are Bill and Mandy, The Angry Beavers, Samurai Jack, Cow and Chicken or just anything from Animax. Blog writing is also done mostly at night.

Last Tuesday, I was invited to attend a high-level management meeting at work. It was my day-off and I just came from assisting my mother in administering her midterms to one of her classes. I will tell the details of the boardroom drama in the coming days.

What was agreed was I should be ready to show up at work anytime the management needs me and as a parting instruction, I should come to the office at 8 am the following day.

Tuesday would be the last time I'd enjoy the pleasures of living a nocturnal life.


Wednesday

The circadian rhythm which my body strictly follows defied all attempts at tampering its routine. Instead of sleeping early that night, I indulged myself reading articles about Stephen Colbert until 2:30 in the morning. The struggle to find a new order showed its ugly face a few hours later, when I had to force myself to get up and go to the gym at 7 in the morning. The change in the workout routine was also part of the flexibility required for my new resposibilities.

Arriving in the office at nine, I found myself with nothing to do except read emails sent by the clients. Work was laid back since there were only few messages arriving at the center. The stubborn ones - among my colleagues - defied orders by playing online games during the whole shift. Since there was nothing really to do, the Team Leader loosened her restrictions.

Mami Athena, my new immediate officer gave an overview about the new assignment. She tested my loyalty, confidence and even my resolve to go the extra mile for this new project.

The briefing was over before twelve.


Thursday

Sleeplessness keeps me from organizing my thoughts into cohesive sentences to finish this entry. Scatterbrained to even put into words what happened after the shift was over, the only thing I remember was struggling to get some sleep after arriving home from work. If not for the dinner, (I had Adobo, fried egg and potatoes on my plate) which was served at past 7, sleep would be uninterrupted until I wake up at - who knows when.

But it wasn't the case

Instead, the only sleep I got was a four-hour light slumber. The body clock remained defiant to change its old pattern. I woke up at past midnight and there is no certainty that I will still get my sleep back before the training begins at 6 in the morning. If my head will never let off its explosive thoughts, I would most likely end up feeling woozy as the trainer discusses - in details - the scope of the new project.



Good evening to the sun
Might I be the only one
Who sleeps through melodies of morning
while they wake

Barbie's Cradle
Goodnight

6 comments:

engel said...

Body clocks suck. Been preparing for a drastic change in schedule as well. It is possible I'll be posting something like this in the immediate future.

DollsAndSpooks said...

I can totally relate. Its really hard to adjust especially when you are used to sleeping in a certain time and waking up also in a certain hour. However, what can we do? Callcenter lang ang medyo matino magpasweldo ngayon. I just grin and bear it.

charmedwishes18.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

problem ko din iyan before when I used to have your kind of work. dko kinaya kaya I had to resign.

wanderingcommuter said...

been there and that is one of the reasons i decided, never again to distorted body clock!

DonCholo said...

Ibang klase talaga body clock mo supremo.. hehe!

red the mod said...

Oftentimes we find it such a great challenge to admit to the requisites of change. Being able to cope with the nuances and responsibilities of a new work environment heeds the heart to forego most of the anxieties we dwell on.

But more often than not, our circadian cycles only align to what our psyche prescribes. It is both indicative and symptomatic of the comfort zone we have provided ourselves. I too am undergoing a lot of renewed anxieties and pressures from work, primarily from an impending promotion which I reckon at this point am most unprepared for.

Sometimes I wonder why my superiors have decided to bestow this challenge, when there are people far more experienced and tenured to accept the opportunity. Nonetheless I am thankful still, despite the fact that change is something I am keen to welcoming.

We are creatures of comfort, whose sordid attempts to make sense of the anarchy of our situations provide us the shield detrimental to our sanity. May the challenges we face on our professional existence afford us the distractions we seek from the bitter meanderings of fate.

Time will be our judge if we can step up to the plate, and vindicate that our superiors were not mistaken in bestowing us with the opportunity. Keep strong, kuya, the night will find in its wake a dawn whose brilliance renews the longevity of our soul, and the wisdom of our ways.

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Andito pala kami sa Terraza ni June Showers. Sana sa susunod na pagpanhik namin, makasama ka din. Sagot ko na ang pizza kuya.