5 Tips For Dating While Working Night Shift
When you work nights, you have to make a lot of sacrifices. But just because you have to give up your traditional sleeping hours, your early morning exercise routine, and your ability to have a robust nightlife, does not mean that you have to sacrifice your dating life, too.
Here are five dating tips that will help you maintain successful relationships while working nights:
1. Remember you are more than your job
All too often, night shift workers allow their work to become a part of their identity. It’s important for you to remember that there is more to you than your night shift work so that you can present your whole, most authentic self on dates.
No one wants a second date with someone who talks nonstop about how hard it is to get enough sleep or how stressful their job can be.
Think about the positive aspects of your job- like shorter commutes and chances to run errands without crowds- and allow this to keep you from feeling negative about working nights before you go on dates. Then, think of all of the hobbies, interests, and qualities that make you the person you are today, and try to share those positive qualities with your date.
2. Be creative
When your schedule is non-traditional, your dates may have to be non-traditional, too.
While you might not be able to meet up at a bar in the evening for a date over drinks, you may be able to meet at a coffee shop when you get off work in the morning (be careful with the caffeine if you’re going to go to sleep after!)
There are plenty of fun dates that you can plan around your schedule:
- Watch the sunrise together when you get off work
- Instead of going to the movies, bring the movies home by renting a Redbox video, cooking popcorn, and buying a couple of boxes of candy
- Have a late-night picnic under the stars before your shift
- Fight off your extra night shift weight gain by going to the gym together on their lunch break
- If your date has time off or an afternoon free, try activities that are typically only available in the afternoons like exploring art galleries and museums
There are tons of creative dates that you can pull off when you work nights that will make dating easier and much more fun!
3. Be present
When you’re struggling with shift work sleep disorder and a stressful job, it can be hard to find the energy to plan great dates.
Regardless of whether or not you are going on a spectacular date or just a walk in the park, it is crucial that you use the energy you do have to be present.
If you plan a date when they get off work and you are just getting up for the day, don’t let your tiredness keep you from listening to what they have to say. If you’re going out to eat or going for a stroll through your neighborhood, keep your phone away and avoid distractions.
Make sure your date knows that you are determined to make things work even if it is a little challenging by being present (mentally and emotionally, not just physically) on all of your dates.
4. Find small ways to connect
When your schedules conflict and you can’t see each other for a few days, it can make your date start to feel like the two of you are in a long-distance relationship.
It’s imperative that you find little ways to connect during these times. Sending a “thinking of you” text when you get up for the day while they are at work, or a goodnight text when they’re heading to bed and you’re on a break during your shift can make a world of difference.
Here are a few other ways to connect with someone you’re dating when you’re on different schedules:
- If one of you spends the night at the other’s place, leave a positive note on the bathroom mirror for them to find later
- Send them (hand-picked) flowers or chocolates
- Plan something special for days when you do not have to work to make the most of your time together
- Write handwritten notes and love letters as you start to get serious about one another
These gestures are small, but they are meaningful, and they can go a long way toward building a relationship.
5. Look in the right places
Many people are able to find potential dates by going to bars and clubs after work. However, chances are that is about the time when you are getting ready to go to work.
While you may miss these opportunities, you can still find plenty of people to date if you know where to look.
Try frequenting bars and coffee shops near hospitals and buildings where night shift work is common. You’ll likely see other people who work nights that are milling about these areas.
You can also go to coffee shops, parks, and bookstores during the day where you are likely to find people who are self-employed, freelance workers, graduate students, or employees who work non-traditional hours.
If these ideas don’t work for you, you can always try online dating. The perk of online dating is that you can make it clear that you work nights and find people who won’t let your schedule be a deal-breaker.
Dating while working nights can be difficult, but it is not impossible. Keep these tips in mind, and you might find that your schedule is less of a hindrance than you might think!
Night Shift Nutrition is a community focused on living your best life, while working nights. We do this by sharing our experiences and science based educations. The point is to not only survive working nights but to thrive! If this sounds like something you’d like to be a part of you can apply to join our facebook group or subscribe to our email list.
