Dear Abby on larks, robins, owls, and jobs

So it turns out I'm a robin-owl hybrid...

From the Friday, 4/27/07 column at uexpress.com:

DEAR ABBY: I just got out of college and have a part-time job in my field. The hours are horrible, but my job has been pretty easy and laid-back, so I had no problems.

Well, my job just got "upgraded," which means more responsibilities but no pay raise, and I am now being assigned more tasks than I can handle that early in the morning. I keep nodding off because no matter how much sleep I get, I just can't function that early.

There are other shifts that are open later in the day, and I have been thinking about asking my boss if he could put me on those, but my parents say it would be a huge mistake, and it will get me fired.

I want to keep my job, but I am just not a morning person (for the record, I tried doing the extra-caffeine thing for a while, and it literally made me sick and bedridden for two days). Any advice? -- TOO TIRED IN PARKVILLE, MO.

DEAR TOO TIRED: When it comes to biorhythms, not everyone is created alike. Some people are "larks" who spring out of bed fully alert in the morning, and that's the part of the day they are at their best. Others are "robins" who function best during the afternoon and evening. The rest are "owls." A lot of people in the entertainment business and those who work swing shifts fall into this latter category.

Because you are obviously not a lark, it seems you have two choices. The first is to approach your boss and explain that you could do a far more efficient and effective job if you were assigned to a later shift. The alternative would be to change jobs or find another field of endeavor entirely.

http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/?uc_full_date=20070427

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