We work in blocks of two days on and two off. With every other weekend off so I do try to stay up on the first day occasionally but I get really cranky when I don't sleep lol
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Nights and you: A soul sucking job
- Thread starter Cantaim
- Start date
I work 8p-4a at my local news station, and I'm fairly well adapted to it (even if it isn't my ideal schedule, but I'm putting in my time until the morningside supervisor leaves and they slide me into his position).
I usually sleep from about 4:30a/5:00a to about 10:30a/11:30a, which gets me anywhere from 5-7 hours of sleep. I catch a 20/30 minute power nap in the afternoon, which helps a LOT. I start drinking my two cups of coffee around midnight and take no caffeine in any form otherwise. I usually eat a good brunch and dinner, and just snack on a protein bar or something with my coffee overnight.
It has worked out pretty well for me, but part of that may just be that I'm super flexible and generally pretty healthy. Being able to powernap, and making that part of your schedule, goes a long way to alleviate sleep debt and fatigue. It also gives me plenty of time to cook dinner for me and the missus, so when she gets home after work we can sit down and eat together before I have to get ready to go in. I've made it work.
But then again, I work 5 8-hour days a week, so my schedule is both predictable and as minimally invasive as overnight work can get. Working 12 hour factory shifts would probably ruin me.
I usually sleep from about 4:30a/5:00a to about 10:30a/11:30a, which gets me anywhere from 5-7 hours of sleep. I catch a 20/30 minute power nap in the afternoon, which helps a LOT. I start drinking my two cups of coffee around midnight and take no caffeine in any form otherwise. I usually eat a good brunch and dinner, and just snack on a protein bar or something with my coffee overnight.
It has worked out pretty well for me, but part of that may just be that I'm super flexible and generally pretty healthy. Being able to powernap, and making that part of your schedule, goes a long way to alleviate sleep debt and fatigue. It also gives me plenty of time to cook dinner for me and the missus, so when she gets home after work we can sit down and eat together before I have to get ready to go in. I've made it work.
But then again, I work 5 8-hour days a week, so my schedule is both predictable and as minimally invasive as overnight work can get. Working 12 hour factory shifts would probably ruin me.
20pm to 08am, 7 nights on, 7 nights off. Suits the family life as wife has part time hours and we work around them to get kids into school, etc
Been doing this rotation for the last 5 years
Had done it before about 20 odd years ago, 00.00 to 08.00. At the time had weekends off, young and single. It was good times. Not going to lie tough, by the end of the rotation i feel pretty knackered. And the first night back is crap. Waking up in the morning and then trying to get some rest before the beginning of a weeks work is not easy
Been doing this rotation for the last 5 years
Had done it before about 20 odd years ago, 00.00 to 08.00. At the time had weekends off, young and single. It was good times. Not going to lie tough, by the end of the rotation i feel pretty knackered. And the first night back is crap. Waking up in the morning and then trying to get some rest before the beginning of a weeks work is not easy
I couldn't imagine dealing with a third shift news station job, ugh
I was 19 at the time and was just starting out, I had energy to spare hahahaha (God I just hit my ten year anniversary this month)
I'd kill to work hours like those.
Goodbye traffic. Goodbye office small talk.
Cherish this gift.
Goodbye traffic. Goodbye office small talk.
Cherish this gift.
Did a few weeks in a hotel during summer in college.
4pm to 1am or later. Alot of the time it was around 3am so good for a long shift that paid but bad because fuck regular 11-12 hour work days
I got out of there as quick as I could.
Current job I am 8:30am to 5pm which sucks in its own ways(Traffic, having to take time off work to do literally ANYTHING) but I can live with it.
4pm to 1am or later. Alot of the time it was around 3am so good for a long shift that paid but bad because fuck regular 11-12 hour work days
I got out of there as quick as I could.
Current job I am 8:30am to 5pm which sucks in its own ways(Traffic, having to take time off work to do literally ANYTHING) but I can live with it.
I work 3PM-midnight (hour-long lunch in the middle) Saturday-Wednesday, and it's OK, although it's hard to have a social life - I get up in the middle of the day, go to work, and then sit around gaming or watching TV til about 3-4AM before going to bed. I much preferred my schedule at my old job, when I worked midnight to 8AM on the weekends - I've always been a night owl and it gave me plenty of time during the evening to hang out with people before work.
totally agreed. if you don't mind me asking, what line of work are you in? i might like that, especially with the pay bump you mentioned.
I work two nights 11p - 7a and two afternoons 3p-11p and it's a schedule that took a long time to get used to. But like many people have said you need to tailor your life and sleep schedule around that so you aren't completely dead at the end of your shift.
I don't know how y'all do it. I balked when my boss asked for 10-6 (though it was more that between me and my coworker, one had to do 9-5 and one had to do 10-6 and neither of us really wanted to do the latter, but he ultimately volunteered, getting brownie points for him and a talking to for me, which sucks because i'm very new at this job and might've already screwed myself).
9p - 5a for me. And I don't. I feel like I'm perpetually exhausted no matter how much sleep I get, but a quick nap usually perks me up enough to get me through my shift. Just biding my time until I've got the years to move to a coveted first shift position or the experience to move somewhere better.
I've always been a night owl so I figured overnights would be perfect for me. Not so much as it turns out. Give me early mornings all day every day.
I've always been a night owl so I figured overnights would be perfect for me. Not so much as it turns out. Give me early mornings all day every day.
I once had a job that was 5:30pm to 1:00am. On busier nights I wouldn't leave until 3:00am.
The work itself was fine but I only lasted a year before I had to quit because the hours were impossible to get used to. I always felt exhausted.
The work itself was fine but I only lasted a year before I had to quit because the hours were impossible to get used to. I always felt exhausted.
I did 11pm-7am for a couple of months. I loved it.
The office was quiet, I had a small team to manage and our tasks didn't get changed halfway through the shift because there was no one to change them. Very relaxing.
Plus when you finish work at 7am it's easy to get to the bank or go get a hair cut or any other errands before going home. Go to bed around noon and then wake up for dinner before heading into work again.
Really works for me. The normal work week has never suited my body's natural sleeping pattern. Posting this at 3:45am is proof of that, I guess.
The office was quiet, I had a small team to manage and our tasks didn't get changed halfway through the shift because there was no one to change them. Very relaxing.
Plus when you finish work at 7am it's easy to get to the bank or go get a hair cut or any other errands before going home. Go to bed around noon and then wake up for dinner before heading into work again.
Really works for me. The normal work week has never suited my body's natural sleeping pattern. Posting this at 3:45am is proof of that, I guess.
I would love to work at that time frame cause i always somehow considered the time between 6am and 12am as a "dead time". I don't know, it always was like that, from 6am to 12am, the time passes by so fast, you can't do anything, nobody is awake, it's a useless time. To work up to 6am and then go sleeping to 12am or 14pm feels perfect and like a good start into the day.
I currently work evening to night shifts at my job and am perfectly fine with it. I'm a night owl and have been since I was a child. Being up and active during the later hours is just normal to me.
For about a year I had an overnight job that was demanding and required being on call within the position. I learned the requisite nap spots, gained 10 pounds ate like shit, struggled sleeping at home during day light hours and was all around miserable.
Never again. Hats off to those work overnight shifts.
Never again. Hats off to those work overnight shifts.
I'm never going back to night shifts. My last company kept me in a 4 day-12 hours shift for 2 years just because they don't trust anyone else in the team. Left the company and got hypertension.
Now i'm trying to lower my bp and not drink maintenance meds. My body really got fucked up.
Now i'm trying to lower my bp and not drink maintenance meds. My body really got fucked up.
What was your job? Can't imagine staying up late fucked your body that hard damn.
I try my best to make the most out of my off days. Fortunate enough to have friends that are usually down to hang out. That's why I don't mind night shifts. Job isn't soul crushing or particularly exhausting either. At least compared to some of my former jobs.
I work 6am-6pm at my current job which is gonna suck in the winter, since I'll be going predawn and leaving after sunset. And the cafeteria windows are tinted so goodbye to any little sunlight I may see during my work days.
Fortunately due to my 12hr days and alternating schedule I get an extra off day or two at least.
I also still somehow can't sleep until midnight so I'm regularly sleeping only 5 hours a night, which is somehow not killing me?
Fortunately due to my 12hr days and alternating schedule I get an extra off day or two at least.
I also still somehow can't sleep until midnight so I'm regularly sleeping only 5 hours a night, which is somehow not killing me?
When I graduated I worked at a data center for a couple of years. It was an overly complicated day/night rotation but basically 4 x 12hr shifts a week. My ex couldn't stand it and they were doing construction on the house across the street (which went on for 1 year +) so that didn't help. Personally I didn't really mind it otherwise. Quiet trains, low workload and we got to watch movies and play vidya games a lot of the time.
I've worked 1-9 PM for ten years although lots of times i leave at midnight.
it's really not so bad I can do my artwork during downtime and putz around generally.
I get home and I can relax and I don't have to deal with the morning commute.
it's really not so bad I can do my artwork during downtime and putz around generally.
I get home and I can relax and I don't have to deal with the morning commute.
Service desk, very stressful place where you train someone that becomes your Senior just because the boss likes the person. We work in pairs but my buddy is always absent or might go home because reasons.
It was fun before but after the management change everything went downhill. I needed to beg to go back to a regular shift and wait for another 2 months to transition. Hell, they even put old employees on multiple accounts while the newbies watch movies on youtube.
I work a 4-shift schedule, so basically I do one week of first shift one week of second one week of third then rotate.
it's miserable and I have no social life but gotta do what ya gotta do. the only shift I really dislike is the one i'm on now, where once a month I have to work 1130p-1130a for a weekend. pretty much have to bomb out right when I get home or else things get fucky. it comes at the start of third shift week though so it makes the actual week of working third seem like a breeze after some 12s on it
it's miserable and I have no social life but gotta do what ya gotta do. the only shift I really dislike is the one i'm on now, where once a month I have to work 1130p-1130a for a weekend. pretty much have to bomb out right when I get home or else things get fucky. it comes at the start of third shift week though so it makes the actual week of working third seem like a breeze after some 12s on it
I've worked nights for years (7p-7a). If I have to work a day shift I feel pretty terrible. I get nauseous trying to wake up that early.
It eats your social life, your health, and a bit of your soul if you do it for a while. I've done it one-third of my life.
I've worked 11pm-7:30am for the last 6 years. It's meh. The only thing that sucks is family gatherings or parties.
"I need to know what day and time, so I can go to sleep early or later."
"We'll message you later when we figured it out."
That very day when I'm just about to go to sleep... "The party is in an hour."
"I need to know what day and time, so I can go to sleep early or later."
"We'll message you later when we figured it out."
That very day when I'm just about to go to sleep... "The party is in an hour."
I work a rotating schedule that looks like this..(also take into account my hour commute there, hour back..I live in South Jersey, work in North Jersey..85mph the whole way!!)
7 days on 5:30am to 1:30pm off Wed/Thur
I hate shift. My family tho, they like it..
Dads home for dinner, watch TV etc.. But, I have to be in bed by like 9-10pm and that means working with my boss, actually working, driving during rush hour which can add 30-45min some days to my drive etc.
I'm doing it today (OT hours, its my day off)
Fuck getting up at 4am..its dark!
7 days on 1:30pm to 9:30pm off Wed/Thur
Fav shift, family hates it. I get up at 8am, eat breakfast, go to the gym, take my time an enjoy the morning. Home by 10:30pm watch a little TV, warm up dinner, maybe grab a beer, etc.. Roads are clear on my drive. Boss only works with me for 2 hours. Watch Netflix, practice guitar, draw etc..
7 days on 9:30pm to 5:30am off Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon
Its not my fave, but better then day shift.
Easy commute. Nobody is here at work so I put my feet up around 1am and sleep to 4-4:30am. Get home at 6:30am and sleep to noon. Family likes it..a little. I can get 'grumpy' by like day 5 on this shift.
I do a lot of double shifts. Love any that fall on weekend cause no boss. Hate any that are 3rd into 1st shift on weekdays. Sucks ass working overnight then having to work with boss all day.
Upside is my double shift OT is double pay, so about $100 an hour to do 16 hour days.
We had a guy quit so OT is flowing right now..pulled 3 grand last week so perfect for Xmas!
I worked 3pm to 11pm at my last job...for 15 years.
Its the no life shift. Say goodbye to family and friends.
Get home at 1130-12 and good luck going out if you plan on showering/dressing up. Get to bar/club by 1-130am and everyones already shit faced.
These were my 'gaming years'
BF2...COD..Destiny..etc.. from 12am to 5am every night.
7 days on 5:30am to 1:30pm off Wed/Thur
I hate shift. My family tho, they like it..
Dads home for dinner, watch TV etc.. But, I have to be in bed by like 9-10pm and that means working with my boss, actually working, driving during rush hour which can add 30-45min some days to my drive etc.
I'm doing it today (OT hours, its my day off)
Fuck getting up at 4am..its dark!
7 days on 1:30pm to 9:30pm off Wed/Thur
Fav shift, family hates it. I get up at 8am, eat breakfast, go to the gym, take my time an enjoy the morning. Home by 10:30pm watch a little TV, warm up dinner, maybe grab a beer, etc.. Roads are clear on my drive. Boss only works with me for 2 hours. Watch Netflix, practice guitar, draw etc..
7 days on 9:30pm to 5:30am off Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon
Its not my fave, but better then day shift.
Easy commute. Nobody is here at work so I put my feet up around 1am and sleep to 4-4:30am. Get home at 6:30am and sleep to noon. Family likes it..a little. I can get 'grumpy' by like day 5 on this shift.
I do a lot of double shifts. Love any that fall on weekend cause no boss. Hate any that are 3rd into 1st shift on weekdays. Sucks ass working overnight then having to work with boss all day.
Upside is my double shift OT is double pay, so about $100 an hour to do 16 hour days.
We had a guy quit so OT is flowing right now..pulled 3 grand last week so perfect for Xmas!
I worked 3pm to 11pm at my last job...for 15 years.
Its the no life shift. Say goodbye to family and friends.
Get home at 1130-12 and good luck going out if you plan on showering/dressing up. Get to bar/club by 1-130am and everyones already shit faced.
These were my 'gaming years'
BF2...COD..Destiny..etc.. from 12am to 5am every night.
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I worked 12am-8am for about a year and a half up until not too long ago. The best thing you can do is have an extremely strict sleep schedule, and also make sure you do a decent job of blacking out your bedroom.
If you don't go to sleep at roughly exactly the same time (even on weekends), your circadian rhythm will very quickly start slip out of your control. It's also entirely likely that you will feel like shit regardless, these type of sleep schedules can be detrimental to your mental health even if you get enough sleep each night.
If you don't go to sleep at roughly exactly the same time (even on weekends), your circadian rhythm will very quickly start slip out of your control. It's also entirely likely that you will feel like shit regardless, these type of sleep schedules can be detrimental to your mental health even if you get enough sleep each night.
If you're earning that much, should live on a lot less, save up, and retire in 10-15 years. Then again that might not be doable with a family.
Insomnia's gotten to be a real thing now- I took an Ambien prescription which I take 2 times a week to deal with it.
Insomnia's gotten to be a real thing now- I took an Ambien prescription which I take 2 times a week to deal with it.
When I was young and single I worked 7p-7a in a hospital ER. I did it for 2 year then got a huge promotion where I then worked 2:30p-11p for 4-5 years, then 4p-1:30a for another 4-5yrs.
I'm currently 6a-2:30p and holy shit this shift is awesome.
Those 12hr 7a-7p could be fucking rough. 1 day was no big deal. Two in a row sucked. Three in a row would take a 4th day strictly to recover. The beauty was when your shift worked out to 3 in a row at the start if the two week period and then 3 days in a row at the end. I would get 8 days off and that made it worth it, even on the worst days.
The real bitch was changing sleep schedules from my normal 7a-7p. I would have to work a day shift every so often and it always had an impact on my health.
I'm currently 6a-2:30p and holy shit this shift is awesome.
Those 12hr 7a-7p could be fucking rough. 1 day was no big deal. Two in a row sucked. Three in a row would take a 4th day strictly to recover. The beauty was when your shift worked out to 3 in a row at the start if the two week period and then 3 days in a row at the end. I would get 8 days off and that made it worth it, even on the worst days.
The real bitch was changing sleep schedules from my normal 7a-7p. I would have to work a day shift every so often and it always had an impact on my health.
4 days in a row 6:30pm - 5:00am, somtimes 5 days until 6 am. Two paid 15 minute breaks and a 30 minute lunch. It was tough at first, and my neighbors play loud music so I have the windows covered and put on some tunes and my sleep mask on and try my best.
I miss... normal hours. I miss going out to dinner with my family. Last week I got a night off and did laundry with my mom. On my days off I am busy doing other stuff, but the hours before I have to go to bed on Thursday night/Friday morning to work Friday night... doesn't get any lonlier than then....
My family acts like its my own fault I miss everything from birthday parties to weddings. No one tells me shit. Oh, family in town? Glad you told me AFTER they left. Breakfast at grandma's? Glad you told me when I have to go to sleep. Bring me back some pasta.
I miss... normal hours. I miss going out to dinner with my family. Last week I got a night off and did laundry with my mom. On my days off I am busy doing other stuff, but the hours before I have to go to bed on Thursday night/Friday morning to work Friday night... doesn't get any lonlier than then....
My family acts like its my own fault I miss everything from birthday parties to weddings. No one tells me shit. Oh, family in town? Glad you told me AFTER they left. Breakfast at grandma's? Glad you told me when I have to go to sleep. Bring me back some pasta.
I've been working night shift for just over a decade now and it's so much better than when I was doing days. It's quieter, I got a pay bump for the shift, and I run the place by myself as opposed to the team that works the day shift.
Half the time I have my tablet or a tv running Netflix and I can play my music without worry. I also haven't sat in traffic coming or going to work in a decade. Once i got used to the new sleep schedule it was smooth sailing and I basically have zero stress related to work. It's definitely not for everyone but it's pretty sweet for me.
Half the time I have my tablet or a tv running Netflix and I can play my music without worry. I also haven't sat in traffic coming or going to work in a decade. Once i got used to the new sleep schedule it was smooth sailing and I basically have zero stress related to work. It's definitely not for everyone but it's pretty sweet for me.
I've been working a 12am to 8am job for the past 6 months. It's definitely obliterated the amount of sleep I get (a lot of the time I only get about 3-4 hours a day).
Even as a night owl I'm looking forward to getting a non-nighttime job.
Even as a night owl I'm looking forward to getting a non-nighttime job.
