23 Problems You’ll Only Understand If You Work Non-Traditional Hours

People who work weird hours are a small but powerful group of people. If you've ever been a member, you'll definitely relate to most, if not all, of these problems.

Friday Just Doesn’t Hold The Same Excitement For You Anymore

Your friends are excited that they don’t have to work tomorrow, but their contagious fervor is lost on you and your twelve-hour-long Saturday shift.

Never Getting Off Work At The Same Time As Any Of Your Friends

You want to call your friends to hang out, but it’s 10 AM. On a Tuesday. They’re not going to be free for several hours. Hang in there, buddy.

You Can Only Buy Groceries At The Most Desolate Times

The only times you can go to the grocery store are the times when no one else can go to the grocery store. On the bright side, at least you won’t have to shove anyone out of the way for the last carton of eggs.

Drinking At Times That Might Raise An Eyebrow Or Two

Everyone has had those days when they need a drink as soon as they get off work. Most people have the luxury of that time being in the 5 p.m. range. You do it at 7 o’clock in the morning. But, hey, that’s your 5 p.m.

The Days Of The Week No Longer Hold Sway Over You

Because you don’t have a specific weekend anymore, the linear calendar is a thing of the past. You operate on a binary: you either work tomorrow or you don’t.

Being Completely Unable To Party On Saturday Nights

Maybe you just got off work and might not be able to stay awake long enough to get to your bed. Maybe you’ve got work in the very very very near future. Or, in a horrifying turn of events, maybe you’re at work. If the party doesn’t start until you walk in, then the party won’t start at all.

Your Eating Schedule Makes Most Nutritionists Break Down In Tears

It’s not just that you eat whatever random crap is lying around because you’re too tired to put the time and effort into making something healthy, it’s that you’re also having a full meal at 2 a.m.

The Phrase “Have A Good Weekend” Is Basically An Unforgivable Curse

Sure, those lesser, uninformed mortals don’t know that you don’t have weekends, but that still won’t stop you from throwing serious shade their way as soon as they turn their backs to you.

You Can’t Be Part Of Any Inside Jokes At Work

You’re the night warrior, the lone ranger, and all the jokes that you imagine might happen in your workplace happen when other people are there. And you’re not there when other people are. Just remember that it’s OK to have inside jokes with yourself, as long as when people ask why you’re giggling you don’t tell them about your invisible coworkers Larry and Tiffany.

Related: You’ll Never Be At The Office Parties

Not only will you not have those jokes that people love to mention, but you won’t even get to hang out with the other people who work where you do because you’re the person who holds down the fort when everyone else goes out to play.

Forget Office Parties, You’ll Never Even Be At Your Friends’ Birthday Parties

Your friends like to go to birthday dinners, but dinner is something that you don’t know anymore because you’re in the middle of your shift when it’s supposed to happen. It’s OK, the stories you’ll hear about who took the most shots and then danced on the bar will be just as good as the memories you won’t have.

Don’t Even Think About Being At Family Gatherings Either

Even worse than missing events for friends, though, is missing family lunches and picnics and other fun things. Your grandma won’t say that she’s mad at you, she’ll just keep telling you on the phone how disappointed she was that she didn’t get to see you last Sunday, and that makes you feel even worse.

All Of Your Friends’ “Going Out” Instagrams And Selfies Are Lacking A Certain Someone

The last time you were in a cute Instagram was two years ago at your cousin’s wedding, and the only reason you were able to attend was because you knew about it months in advance so you could make sure you weren’t working during it.

Being In Your Pajamas At 3 P.M.

It’s not weird that you’re in your PJs an hour after you woke up, but the UPS guy who’s dropping that package off at your house doesn’t know your schedule, and you can smell the judgment dripping off of him as you sign for your package.

The Only Time You See Your Significant Other Is When His/Her Picture Pops Up On Your Phone

It really sucks, because you work opposite hours, so even you’re both off of work, the odds are that at least one of you is sleeping. The only time you hear that sweet voice is when the two of your have a couple coinciding free minutes to talk on the phone.

You’re Awake For More Nighttime Than Daytime

It’s not that you’re a night owl, because that implies that you choose to be up for most of the night. Instead, you feel like you’re always wintering in Alaska due to the lack of sunlight in your life.

You Drive To Work And It Seems Like You’re The Last Person Alive

Because your shift starts so late at night, the streets are deserted as you make your way in to work. Sometimes you’re not sure if you just got teleported into The Walking Dead, because there’s no other way you would go this long without human contact.

No One From Your Country Is Online At The Same Time You Are

Sorry, but none of your friends will be on Facebook at 4 a.m. Maybe you can chat with some nice Norwegian friends instead.

The Thought Of Your Friends Lounging By The Pool Makes You Want To Strangle Someone

Why is it that every time there’s a fun pool outing planned, you’re always at work? Seeing all those Snapchats from your friends by the water just makes you angry, and people don’t like it when you’re angry.

Your Friends Think You’re A Giant Flake Because You Can’t Make Concrete Plans

It’s not your fault that dinners are off the table. Or lunches. Or movies. Or nights out. You’re working. They shouldn’t judge you just because you don’t have a 9-to-5 like the rest of them.

The Hardest Worker You Know Is You, Because You’re Also The Only Worker

If any problem comes up at work, you can’t delegate anyone else to fix it, because there is no one else. When you hear your friends talking about how tired they are from work, you just shake your head. They don’t understand.

The World Doesn’t Want You To Sleep

Sunlight sneaking in through your window. The sound of children laughing and enjoying life outside. The ice cream truck driving slowly down your street. All of these things wouldn’t bother someone on a regular sleep cycle, but they’re all your worst nightmares, in that they don’t let you get to sleep to have regular nightmares.

People Who Complain About Being Awake Since 7 A.M. Make You Sick

They don’t know the struggle. While they’ve been up for a paltry eight hours, you’re closing in on a full 24-hour cycle of being awake. You’d probably strangle them to death, but you’re actually too tired to do it.