Night shifts - good idea or not?

[punkypossum]

I'm very tempted to apply for permanent nights at my place of work (absolutely hate my current hours and 5 days a week). This would in theory mean working 10-8 on a three nights on, six nights off basis. In practice, as we would still have to cover holidays, sickness, etc, it sometimes turns out to be 4 nights on, 5 off. Never worked nights before, but I'm quite nocturnal anyway - don't finish till 10 at the moment which means I spend most of the day waiting to go to work, and then, by the time I get home everybody else has gone to bed, whereas I'm up till 2 or 3... Is this a good idea? Anybody on here work night shifts? I've asked the small team at my place and they all say they wouldn't swap, but as there is only 6 of them, it's not a very representative sample....

 

[col]

Personally i dont like night shifts,its probably because i dont like leaving my family all night,also i didnt sleep well through the day,but i know some who love them,the only real way to see if you like them is give them a try,is there a way of doing it just for a few weeks?

 

[Danny]

Hmmm...I'm quite nocturnal too which is why I have come on line at this late hour (plus am listening to the US election results). However I think there is quite a risk that if you start working nights you will end up with very disrupted sleep patterns and feel too crap on your days off to enjoy them.

Maybe you should see if you can do a trial for a month or so to see how you get on.

 

[punkypossum]

Apparently I would get a 3 months trial...the only problem is someone else would be given my old job in the meantime, so there would be no guarantee of getting it back...

 

[Maz]

Is there any slight pay increase for working 'unsociable hours'? I used to work shifts many moons ago and we were given an allowance, if you can call it that.

 

[Keith Oates]

punkypossum, just say to them thankyou, but no thankyou!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[punkypossum]

Is there any slight pay increase for working 'unsociable hours'? I used to work shifts many moons ago and we were given an allowance, if you can call it that.

Yup, 10% flexibility payment...

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

Your body will not thankyou and your mind will hate you for doing it.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I'd give it a try. I prefer working nights too, and have found myself working all sorts of odd hours over the years. I'd certainly go for three on six off.

 

[MrGrumpy]

I work shifts, but it rotational with a a week off at the end of the rotation. Have to say I found it hard at first, however it gets easier and manage now to stay awake on nights. However I`m finding it a bind just now, in that its harder trying to balance family/social life with my work commitments.

 

[Fnaar]

My mum worked nights for 17 years, while me and my 3 sibs were growing up.... no idea how she kept all that together! Dad was on rotating day shifts (they were both nurses)...

 

[Sittingduck]

I worked nights for 8 years (Casino Business). Best thing I ever did was to leave that Industry and get a normal job.... working nights messes up your life in my opinion. Each to their own though I suppose! Either way good luck

 

[mondobongo]

PP I have done nights for 23 years in Casinos and would not have it any other way. Having done a day job for a couple of months was baffled how people fitted things like a haircut in never mind a bike ride.

Its important that you develop a routine I quite often have 6 hours get up and do stuff and grab a couple of hours later on. When you get home from nights take some time to unwind have a beer, post on here, watch some telly dont feel you have to go straight to bed unless you are tired.

Consider how light the room gets that you will sleep in you might need to get a black out blind or heavier curtains.

I could not do a day job simple.

 

[yello]

I have a friend (now I bet that surprises you), a nurse and she has been working night shifts for years. In fact, what's called long nights - not a double shift, I think it's 12 hours. Anyway, whatever it is, she likes it. The main reason is that she gets so much time off. The way the scheduling works, she can be on for 6 days and then off for 2 weeks. Okay, in those 6 days, it's pretty much all work & sleep but then she has a good block of time off to do what she wants. Sometimes too much time because everybody else is at work and she gets at a loss! But she's easily able to get away for a few days as and when, or simple things like going shopping when it's quieter. She has a sense of having her life back and time to do what she wants.

I've often said that if the best thing you can say about your job is the amount of time you get off then maybe you ought be looking for another job! BUT, in this case, I'd make an exception!

So pp, give it a go. It might appeal to you. You will certainly be a step removed from the 9-5 rat race.

 

[DaveP]

I have worked all types of shift patterns, and you are either a shift person or not, same things go for night work.

Done three years of 4 on and 3 off, home circumstances changed, so I came off nights. Would I go back to night work, only if it was an exceptional offer.

Might be worth looking into the research done on the effects of “unsocial” working hours before you make your choice…

Good Luck!