HomeBalanceOverview

Balance

It is a challenge to balance work and life while working unpredictable hours. Railroaders work in a 24/7 world and are called to perform their duties day and night, with little notice. The industry may never sleep, but railroad employees need sleep to perform safely and meet operational expectations.

Railroaders, as well as their families, have adopted strategies to help them manage sleep in situations that are less than ideal, and times that may be at odds with typical sleep and rest cycles. Industry experts endorse many of these tactics for employees working unpredictable schedules. Consider these healthy sleep strategies to improve your quality of life.

Tips for Families and Friends

It's a delicate balance managing time with a railroader family or friend. Find some common sense ideas here.

Working the Rails, Balancing Family

If you work an on-call, unpredictable schedule, you frequently go to bed and get up at different times. Even if you work a fixed schedule, you may be on the job in non-daylight hours. Your work schedule may be out of sync with the daily activities of family and friends.

Enjoy Family Life

Unpredictable schedules can impact your family life, but there are ways to feel closer to your railroader and help make the most of the time you do have together.

Juggling Work and Family

Plan for Family Meals

Arranging your schedule to be able to eat together as a family as often as possible is a good practice.

Find Personal and Relationship Time

Even with your railroader’s hectic schedule and need to balance sleep with family life, it’s important that you also find time to take care of yourself, in order to best support and help run the household.

Tips for Railroaders

Learn new ideas for good sleep and overall health, and refresh yourself on tips you may not have used for a while.

Make Your Bedroom Sleep-Friendly

Tips to help you sleep better at home

Stay Close to Family and Friends

Promote good sleep in those close to you. The railroader’s life shapes family life.

Be Comfortable Away from Home

Your life will feel more balanced if you make an effort to optimize your comfort wherever you are. Here are some tips to help make you feel more comfortable away from home.

Connect with Friends and Family

It may be harder to stay in touch with family and friends when your schedules don’t mesh—but it’s not impossible.

Make Time for Yourself

On a railroader’s schedule, it’s often hard to plan activities in advance. Your free time may be out of sync with that of family and friends, or you may need to prioritize catching some Zzzs.

Ask for Support at Home

You work hard to contribute to giving your family a good life. Take time to enjoy the benefits of your work with those you love most. Communicate your needs to them and make an effort to understand their needs, too.

Smart Sleep Strategies

Sleep strategies differ from person to person, yet there are some approaches that are consistently used with good success among railroaders.

Making the Railroading Lifestyle Work

Railroading career challenges - a railroader's story

Tips from Industry Experts

Gain practical advice and insight from two renowned sleep experts and a cross-industry panel of railroader stakeholders.

Alertness Is a Shared Responsibility

It is your company’s responsibility to give you time off to obtain the necessary sleep. It is your responsibility to use your time off to get the sleep you need.

Fatigue Management: It's for Everyone

Fatigue management is a team effort, at work and at home. It requires both personal and organizational responsibility.

Tactics for Railroaders to Maximize Sleep

Railroaders have difficult schedules. They work hard to try to balance family life and work.