EMS doesn’t affect your lifestyle, it becomes it.

Weird hours, rotating schedules, sleeplessness. All this makes it hard to have a normal life when you come home from work. Especially after a 24, 48, or even 72 hour shift.

And most people give up.

They make work their life. They give up on friends and hobbies. Others quit and go back to the 9-5 grind.

You’ve probably dealt with something similar. I sure have.

Plus most of the advice out there is pretty useless. We get told things like

• Limit overtime
• Have a supportive group of friends and family
• Practice “self-care” (what even is that anyway?)

But there’s a few things you can actually do to make that EMT lifestyle a little easier to manage.

• Master Your Calendar
• Nap
• Play

But first, hey, I’m Shay. I’ve been working 911 for over a decade now. Today, I’m going to share a few things that have helped me keep sane while enjoying my friends and hobbies.

Master your schedule

“To find tranquility, do less”- Markus Aurelius

It doesn’t matter if you with a 5/6, 3/4, or 48/96, paramedics and EMTs work some weird schedules.

And then we get off and have to live normal adult lives.

It’s hard, and the only way to make it easier is by using your calendar. Like a lot. And you’re not just using it for big things like bachelor parties.

Here’s the trick, schedule your day based on how much energy you have.

Shifts are unpredictable. In fact, the only thing you can count on is that you’re going to be tired when it’s over. So why are you jamming your days full when you’re still exhausted?

On in between days, or your first day of, schedule like you’ve had a stand up 24.

Anything less is a blessing.

Leave a lot of space in your days. Maybe you feel great and can pack them with whatever chores or tasks you want. Maybe you’re exhausted and you sit like a bum on the couch all day.

It doesn’t feel so bad if that’s the plan.

Monthly meet ups.

Most shift workers have rotating schedules. We might have one Thursday off then not be off for another Thursday for three weeks.

This makes it really hard to schedule any weekly plans.

That means you’re going to miss a lot of Friday poker nights or Thursday Dungeons and Dragons meet ups.

So here’s the trick. Find things that have a monthly schedule.

You’re more likely to make something once a month than you are once a week. Especially if your friends can schedule that once a month hang out around your schedule.

Plus you don’t have to deal with feeling like you’re missing out all the time.

It’s hard missing 2 out of 4 weeks for something. You’ll end up always feeling like you’re always behind the rest of the group. And it’s a prime reason for us to drop out of groups we want to be a part of.

Self Care is Bull Sh**

We always hear stuff like this…

Take care of yourself on your days off. Relax. Recover. Prioritize yourself

But what does it actually mean?

Because I don’t see myself going and getting a pedicure anytime soon (but if that’s your thing have at it). But there is one thing that is consistently proven to improve your well being.

Getting more sleep.

Wow, ground breaking stuff, I know. But it’s the truth. And here’s a few things that actually help you sleep better

SLEEP HACKS

Don’t go to bed earlier.

I tell myself almost everyday I won’t stay up late watching YouTube videos. I also apparently lie to myself everyday. I find myself in some YouTube hole and realize an hour later I should have already been asleep.

So instead, plan to sleep in the morning.

This goes hand in hand with scheduling your day ahead of time. Block out your mornings right after shift for two hours and actually take a nap. Even if you slept the night before, having this routine helps you for those rough nights.

A big part of this is not having stimulants on your way home from work.

Don’t drink coffee coming home. Don’t pop a Zyn pouch. Definitely no bump of meth to stay awake for the drive.

Just suffer a tiny bit in the morning and be ready for a good couch nap as soon as you walk in.

Sleep as soon as you get home.

If you’re like me, once you start working on something you’re locked in. You can’t start a project, take a little little nap, then get back at it.

I won’t even tell you to go to bed on time.

You’ve heard that a million times before. However, I will give you 3 things that might help you sleep better.

• No caffeine 8 hours before bed. You might think caffeine doesn’t affect you or you can sleep after a cup of coffee no problem. You’re wrong. Caffeine stays in your system for a long time. Even if you can fall asleep, your sleep is always going to be worse with it.
• Nicotine. Nicotine only has a half-life of about 2 hours. That means half of it is gone from your system in 2 hours. Way less time than caffeine. So, if you really need a late-night pick-up, try nicotine gum.*
• Magnesium. Paramedics out there already know magnesium is a smooth muscle relaxer and CNS depressant. Not enough to knock you out, but I get way better sleep with it. I like the raspberry lemonade flavor.

Wanna Play A Game?

No, not like in Saw. A real game.

As firefighters and medics we get caught up in being busy all the time. It’s fun having projects to work on. Plus, it distracts us from being so sleepy.

You need a hobby that isn’t productive at all.

No side hustle, no house projects, just fun. I’m a huge nerd. I play board games, video games, or watch sci-fi. But you do you.

And schedule a time for it.

For me, every Saturday or Sunday, if I’m off, becomes my free day. I plan on doing absolutely nothing but spending time with family and playing games.

No chores or house work. Heck I won’t even cook if I can get away with it.

I started doing this last year and I’ll never go back. Having one day a week where I’m just off the hook for everything is amazing

It’s hard in the beginning, but you’ll love it once you start.

Ready, Set, Chill!

And there you go. 3 pieces of actual advice on having a better work-life balance when you work 24 hour shifts.

And if you want to see any more of our articles check them out here.

*I do not endorse using any amount of nicotine, however gum and patches seem to have very little to no cancer causing affects. Unlike chewing, smoking, or pouches.