Saturday, March 17, 2018

Night Owls and Early Birds

What is your favorite time of day?
Do you wake up early so you can get a lot done early in the morning?  Do you prefer to stay up late?  Or is the middle of the day your best time to get work done?  Writing about what time of day you prefer to work can tell a lot about you.  The time you need to be at a job probably determines whether you get up early or not.  Sometimes you may stay up late trying to get a little more done.  Your daily schedule may seem pretty boring, but in the future, you may really appreciate knowing what you did at what time of day. 

You might have some information on some of your ancestors' work schedule.  If they ran a business, you may be able to find their store hours.  Did they work graveyard shift or swing shift?  Did they work on weekends or holidays?  How did their work schedule affect their family time?  I knew a mother who worked graveyard, but she would come home and get her children ready for school before she would get some sleep.  Since I grew up on a farm, my parents tended to get up early.  Chores on the farm need to be done even on holidays and weekends.  Saturdays were a busy day when many things were done especially when we as children were home from school.  Sundays were much quieter though feeding the animals, milking the cows, and gathering eggs needed to be done.  There are many jobs that require people to work around the clock like policemen, firemen, nurses, doctors, and caregivers.  

Writing about what your ancestor's day looked like could give insights into their lives.  Record what time they went to work and when they got home.  Did they work for themselves or were they on call?  How did they handle doing their work and caring for their family?  Work is a major part of our lives.  Sharing what your ancestors did in their work-life will add significantly to their story.