Anyone work shifts ?

[colpol]

Normally i’m a Straight 8am - 4pm but on a 2100 - 5am due to a short project.

Planning on a cycle & haircut this morning / tidy out garage when back/ light lunch & then bed. Get to drive in & use basement car park as out of hours rather than usual public transport

Probably just a novelty at moment & have heard shifts suppose to shorten your life but kind of like the change & peace/ quiet while everyone at work

[Rogdogg]

Everything these days is claimed to shorten your life! I wouldn't worry about that aspect of it too much.

[kzm40]

Originally Posted by colpol

Normally i’m a Straight 8am - 4pm but on a 2100 - 5am due to a short project.

Planning on a cycle & haircut this morning / tidy out garage when back/ light lunch & then bed. Get to drive in & use basement car park as out of hours rather than usual public transport

Probably just a novelty at moment & have heard shifts suppose to shorten your life but kind of like the change & peace/ quiet while everyone at work

Pension actuaries in the UK usually quote 10years of shifts takes 1 year off your life, so you do get a more generous pension, as 'on average' you won't be drawing on it so long.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by kzm40

Pension actuaries in the UK usually quote 10years of shifts takes 1 year off your life, so you do get a more generous pension, as 'on average' you won't be drawing on it so long.

basically work kills you then. Makes sense.

Or is that specific to unsocial hour shift work? The overnight stuff.

[Widows Son]

There have been many studies that show that shift work will shorten your life by 3-7 years. Your body really never gets used to working midnight shift. The main reason I retired from the PD after 25 years was because of rotating shifts, it was causing too many stresses with the family. I wanted to be home in the evenings to see my son grow up. I took a 38% pay cut (receiving pension) to do this. I still work part time, but only during the day and when I want. Working rotating shifts is hell on your health, and family life.

[Brenngun]

For 6 years between school years I worked a 3 shift job in a local steel mill. Good money for a student back then. Of the three shifts the one I hated the most was day shift.

Afternoon shift let you to sleep in late, get a lot of stuff done during the day, never fight the traffic then meet friends for beers after work.

Night shift or as it was known by the full time guys "no work shift" was just that. Work load was done by lunch then the place went dormant. Even the foremen were part of the disappeared. You could literally hear a couple of alarm clocks going off around 5:30am.

Day shift was drag your ass out of bed after hitting the bars hard the night before. Try to stay awake while driving in rush hour traffic. Fight the line up at the bank after work on pay day. More noise, more in door air pollution, more white hats around. More stress ....

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by Brenngun

For 6 years between school years I worked a 3 shift job in a local steel mill. Good money for a student back then. Of the three shifts the one I hated the most was day shift.

Afternoon shift let you to sleep in late, get a lot of stuff done during the day, never fight the traffic then meet friends for beers after work.

Night shift or as it was known by the full time guys "no work shift" was just that. Work load was done by lunch then the place went dormant. Even the foremen were part of the disappeared. You could literally hear a couple of alarm clocks going off around 5:30am.

Day shift was drag your ass out of bed after hitting the bars hard the night before. Try to stay awake while driving in rush hour traffic. Fight the line up at the bank after work on pay day. More noise, more in door air pollution, more white hats around. More stress ....

In college I worked as a third shift draw bench operator in a wire mill. No management equals no stress for the working guy (that job was a leadership lesson I've carried for life). I got off work, went to morning classes, studied, then went to bed.

In grad school I worked as a carpenters assistant building houses. The night shift at the wire mill was a better job in hindsight.

[77T]

Originally Posted by Brenngun

For 6 years between school years I worked a 3 shift job in a local steel mill. Good money for a student back then. Of the three shifts the one I hated the most was day shift.

I did that for 3 years in college, had the 3rd shift: 22:30 - 07:00, then drove to classes until 14:00. 4 hours of sleep, then up again to study/read/write a few hours, and then back to work. A true treadmill.

Made it to Senior year and then switched to a different company working 2nd shift as a part-time job. It was like I had gone to heaven. Classes in the AM, work in afternoon, and home for normal cycle. Went to a more normal work/sleep rhythm. I'm sure I'll pay for it in long run - but it sure made me a more effective manager of time and priorities.

[BravoOne]

Originally Posted by Widows Son

There have been many studies that show that shift work will shorten your life by 3-7 years. Your body really never gets used to working midnight shift. The main reason I retired from the PD after 25 years was because of rotating shifts, it was causing too many stresses with the family. I wanted to be home in the evenings to see my son grow up. I took a 38% pay cut (receiving pension) to do this. I still work part time, but only during the day and when I want. Working rotating shifts is hell on your health, and family life.

If that was the case the airline pilots would be dropping like flies. The ultimate version of shift work, 12+ time zones in one day.

[1William]

I worked for thirty years on and off of shift work across all three shifts. Never had an issue with it other than the rotation onto and off of midnight shift. Discipline through diet, rest and exercise makes it somewhat more bearable. I had friends who suffered greatly as we rotated so everyone is not the same.

[cop414]

I worked 4 different shifts for decades, I could never get used to it. It seemed that often I was in a constant state of sleep deprivation. I’ve heard of the studies that say you loose several years off of your life because of this, I retired after 26 years, hoping that if those studies are true that I can reverse some of the effects. One of the most enjoyable things about my retirement is that I can go to bed every night and get a full nights sleep.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by 1William

I worked for thirty years on and off of shift work across all three shifts. Never had an issue with it other than the rotation onto and off of midnight shift. Discipline through diet, rest and exercise makes it somewhat more bearable. I had friends who suffered greatly as we rotated so everyone is not the same.

and you are still alive... apparently that an accomplishment right there

[77T]

Breathing shortens your life - I mean there are just so many breaths your lungs can accept, right?

- and then you stop breathing -

So....I am going start holding my breath to live longer...

When I get up to an hour between breaths I figure I can live long enough to get my 117500 Daytona from the waitlist...the AD said "don't hold your breath", but I'll show him...

[Pix]

Being Self-employed, I get to work half days...At least I get to determine which 12hr shift I want.

[dba]

In an over 34 year work life, (full time job), I can count on one hand, the times I voluntarily signed up for the day shift.

As attributed to Orwell, "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." I was one of those rough men and I loved every minute of it.

[Passionata]

24/7 every day

[TheVTCGuy]

When I was a Navy Pilot I too my share of "Alerts" on the carrier. That is alert 5, in the cockpit, on the catapult ready to start the engines and take off, alert 15, still wearing my equipment but sitting in the ready room, alert 30, in the ready room (gear off). But the worst was when I was ships company standing watches on the bridge. These were the "shifts."

Midnight to 0400.

0400 to 0700

0700 to 1200

1200 to 1600

1600 to 2000 and

2000 to midnight.

You served two watches in a 24 hour period and advanced one slot per 24 hours. For example, the first day you would stand the midnight to 0400, and the 1600 to 2000. Then, the next day you advanced one so would stand the 0400 to 0700 and the 2000 to midnight.

Talk about having sleep deficiency! You could never get in to any routine! After a couple months I was a zombie, and quit my goals of earning OOD (Officer of the Deck) qualification. For those of you Navy Surface Warfare Officers out there I have no idea how you did it; flying was not easy, but at least I was allowed enough time to sleep! We (Pilots) made fun of the Surface Warfare guys, (Blackshoes), but MAN, I seriously don't know how you guys did it.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

When I was a Navy Pilot I too my share of "Alerts" on the carrier. That is alert 5, in the cockpit, on the catapult ready to start the engines and take off, alert 15, still wearing my equipment but sitting in the ready room, alert 30, in the ready room (gear off). But the worst was when I was ships company standing watches on the bridge. These were the "shifts."

Midnight to 0400.

0400 to 0700

0700 to 1200

1200 to 1600

1600 to 2000 and

2000 to midnight.

You served two watches in a 24 hour period and advanced one slot per 24 hours. For example, the first day you would stand the midnight to 0400, and the 1600 to 2000. Then, the next day you advanced one so would stand the 0400 to 0700 and the 2000 to midnight.

Talk about having sleep deficiency! You could never get in to any routine! After a couple months I was a zombie, and quit my goals of earning OOD (Officer of the Deck) qualification. For those of you Navy Surface Warfare Officers out there I have no idea how you did it; flying was not easy, but at least I was allowed enough time to sleep! We (Pilots) made fun of the Surface Warfare guys, (Blackshoes), but MAN, I seriously don't know how you guys did it.

When I took the ASVAB test in 1981 the nuclear power guys wanted me to join the nuclear Navy. They showed me similar watch hours and I said no way.

[SearChart]

I couldn't do shifts. If I don't get 7-8 hours of sleep I'm a wreck.

[Wcdhtwn]

I used to work a 3PM to midnight shift. It's actually not that bad until you try to have a social life, people are going out to dinner, you're at work. You want to be social after work but everyone is in bed, well during the week. But traffic isn't an issue, and if you get used to not sleeping too late the next morning you can get things done before work w/out the crowds.

[kulak]

Occasionally depending on where the project is on the timeline I support the 1800 to 0600 shift with an hour on each end for the commute for months at a time. I never get used to it.

[stockae92]

My 2 shifts are 9am-6pm in the office to serve my boss in the office, then 6pm-9am at home to serve my bosses at home :D

[Brenngun]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

In college I worked as a third shift draw bench operator in a wire mill. No management equals no stress for the working guy (that job was a leadership lesson I've carried for life). I got off work, went to morning classes, studied, then went to bed.

In grad school I worked as a carpenters assistant building houses. The night shift at the wire mill was a better job in hindsight.

Damn straight Skippy

Originally Posted by 77T

I did that for 3 years in college, had the 3rd shift: 22:30 - 07:00, then drove to classes until 14:00. 4 hours of sleep, then up again to study/read/write a few hours, and then back to work. A true treadmill.

Knew this well back in the day. Builds character for later life experiences.

[Jagsie]

I worked days 8-4 for 27 years. I went on to shifts to bump my salary by £11k and an approx boost to my pension of £6k (I plan to retire at 50). It took some getting used to 2 7-7 days followed by 2 7-7 nights and then 4 days off. A year later, I've gotten in to the groove of it, but I only plan to do shifts for the next 2-3 years.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HogwldFLTR]

Me, 6P to 6A alternating 3 and 4 night weeks. Also alternating 3 and 4 day weekends. It works for me plus it pays a reasonable differential.

[pyrostick]

I got to have the pleasure of working a DuPont Shift Schedule.

it went like this.

12 hour shift 6 to 6

4 days on 6am to 6pm
3 days off
3 nights on 6pm to 6am
1 day off
3 days on 6am to 6pm
3 days off
4 nights on 6pm to 6am
7 days off

I did that schedule for a year. it gets so bad, you can only count your days just to try and keep track. your body never gets used to it, its brutal.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by pyrostick

I got to have the pleasure of working a DuPont Shift Schedule.

it went like this.

12 hour shift 6 to 6

4 days on 6am to 6pm
3 days off
3 nights on 6pm to 6am
1 day off
3 days on 6am to 6pm
3 days off
4 nights on 6pm to 6am
7 days off

I did that schedule for a year. it gets so bad, you can only count your days just to try and keep track. your body never gets used to it, its brutal.

I did the Dupont schedule for four years. I loved the 7 off - a vacation every month.

[pyrostick]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

I did the Dupont schedule for four years. I loved the 7 off - a vacation every month.

I am guessing probably doing demil? I should also say, living three hours away from work did not help. driving home got a little hairy sometimes.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by pyrostick

I am guessing probably doing demil? I should also say, living three hours away from work did not help. driving home got a little hairy sometimes.

Yep. Chemical demil.

[joeychitwood]

In residency, I often worked 36 hours on duty, 12 hours off. It was brutal. In practice as an Emergency physician, I worked rotating 7am-7pm and 7pm-7am shifts for 26 years. I never was able to sleep well during the day, and as I got older, the recovery period after night shifts grew longer and more uncomfortable. Shift work was probably the most stressful part of the job.