Changed work schedule or bike addiction :)

[Catrin]

For years I've worked from 6am -3:30 PM Mon-Thur & 6-10 on Fridays. I loved it, but it was cramping my riding style! I need at least 3 hours before bed for those endorphins to die down so I can sleep....so in the height of summer, the only time I COULD ride was in the heat of the day and during rush hour :eek:

Decided to be smarter this year. Three days a week I now work from 8:30 to 6pm, and now work from 1-5 on Fridays. My poor body still expects to go to bed very early and to rise at 4, but it will adjust.

This morning (Friday) I started out with a 15 mile bike ride and then met with my trainer before coming to the office this afternoon - sweet! I think I just might like this new schedule :)

Am I the only one who changed her work schedule so she would be able to ride in the cooler part of the evening?

[tangentgirl]

Way cool.

Can't say I've changed my official schedule for riding, just switch things around different days. It rocks that you did this!

[nolemom]

My husband and I are both community college professors. Over the last two years, we have slowly been moving to a very bike-friendly schedule. DH agreed to teach an evening class two nights a week so on Monday and Wednesday he begins work at 5:30PM. Long rides on those days. We both have Fridays off unless special meetings are scheduled. Next fall, my classes will not start until 1PM on Mondays and Fridays so I can ride the full ride with the bike club. We realize how very lucky we are to have so much control over our schedules.:)

[Catrin]

I am very fortunate to have such freedom with my work schedule. As public employees we do not get raises very often, but the ability to have a compressed and/or flexible work schedule means a lot to me. We set out schedule for each quarter, and I try to be very consistent with it.

[redrhodie]

I go to work earlier in winter so I get more light for the afternoon ride.

Riding before work is a great option, Catrin. You'll feel so much better all day, more focused and HAPPIER! I work with a couple of depressed people, and I think cycling is the thing that's kept me from getting sucked into the abyss. I find if I don't ride, I start to feel the negative effects really quickly.

[shootingstar]

I am very fortunate to have such freedom with my work schedule. As public employees we do not get raises very often, but the ability to have a compressed and/or flexible work schedule means a lot to me. We set out schedule for each quarter, and I try to be very consistent with it.

I agree being a public servant does have some scheduling flexibility..well, for certain jobs.

Yes, in the past I've deliberately requested to start abit on the early side when I join a new employer...over past decade. when I started cycle-commuting to work 18 yrs. ago, in Toronto I found it simply easier to begin cycling to work at 6:30 am and got into the office shortly before 7:30 am when it wasn't horribly humid in summer. As a result, my whole orientation now, is to wake up early and sleep sometime before 11:00 pm. I've become a morning person...because of cycling. :rolleyes:

If I really wanted to I could begin work at 7:00 am and structure it so that I work very long days and work 4 days per week every week. But I'm not there yet... :p Or I could telework, by 1 day per week work at home.

I'm still a baby in my organization. So I haven't explored other options yet.

[Catrin]

I am actually planning on riding in the evenings - after rush hour :) Thanks to DST (which I don't like) it no longer gets light here before 6am :( It USED to get light before 5am at the height of summer, until Indiana finally decided to move to DST. Such is life.

Friday mornings, however, I will be able to ride since I only have to work in the afternoon on Fridays.

The roads I normally ride are almost like ghost-roads, the traffic volumes are so low. Outside of rush hour that is...my main reason for doing this was to prevent my having to ride in the full heat of the day. Last summer, if I wanted to ride during the week, I pretty much had to start at 4 or 4:30. I tolerate the heat well, outside of heat rash on my legs, but I would prefer to ride after 6. This way I get to do so :)