Constructive solutions

Ever since we in the US quit daylight savings time, I've been literally
waking up in the middle of the night. I can fall asleep anytime between 9
and 10:30pm and just like clock work, I'll start to feel restless around
3:15am. Don't get me wrong, I'm not forsaking the diurnal for the
nocturnal...rather, this seems to be a whole new circadian rhythm...one in
which I find I'm absolutely done with my day at 2:00pm (even though my
shift at MegaBucks Industries lasts 'till 4:30pm).

When first I wake, I listen to a little NPR and pet whatever cat has
managed to crawl under the covers. No later than 4:15am, I'm downstairs, out of bed either surfing the internet or writing...sometimes both. It's a cruel joke by the time that 6:30am rolls around and I have to get ready for my paying job. The obligatory sh_t, shower, and shave drag me out of a really productive flow. Consequently, by the time we leave for work around 7:30am, I'm tired and cranky and my creative energy is severely blunted.

So, I'm trying to be more practical and use this forum as a way to discover
solutions to my belly-aches (How Novel!)

»Change my hours at work
An interesting idea but ultimately unworkable because I commute with my partner who does not wish to come in earlier. Plus, even if I came in at 6:30am, I'd still need to stay late.

»Work part time
I actually have considered this. Pluses: Not as much time spent at the day
job. Minuses: concomitant reduction in benefits accruals (i.e. years of
service, pension, health care vesting, etc.)

»Find a new job within the same company
Again, another good idea. Jobs like mine are hard to come by. I'm pretty lucky to have worked my way into it. I don't know that I have enough good karma to make lightening strike twice.

»Re-invent my job
This is absolutely, positively doable and incidentally the best recourse I could pursue. At this point in time, this is my highest and best use of my time...

Next, I come up with my plan to transform into a butterfly... and I KNOW it has to include the principles I've outlined here (esoteric consulting on the side), here (more writing), and here (an understanding that I need to be of value to my employer).