THinking about the overnight shift at work...

[Mike Phillips]

Re: THinking about the overnight shift at work...

I worked a 12 hour graveyard shift for years and when you're young it's doable if you get right to bed when you get home and get your sleep in. Dark out the windows so there's now sunlight or any light as your body manufactures certain chemicals/substances only when you sleep in the dark.

My dad worked graveyard as a Police Officer and I remember having to be quiet in the house when he was sleeping, that can be tough for little kids...

As you get older as already mentioned, not as easy to do with a family.

[new2detailing]

Re: THinking about the overnight shift at work...

Oh, and another thing. I had to avoid having caffeine past a certain time, because it would keep me up when I returned home. Is the extra money worth the decrease in your quality of life? For me personally, I will take the reduction in pay to live healthier.Just my 2 cents

[new2detailing]

Re: THinking about the overnight shift at work...

I worked exclusively midnights when I was in Law Enforcement. If you are single, the schedule can work, but it becomes increasingly difficult once you put a family in the picture. I had difficultly trying to "catch-up" on sleep on my days off and had to completely change when I ate( your internal body clock doesn't respond well to heavy meals in the middle of the night). The first day back after having several days off was brutal and I felt the same way whether I had ample sleep prior to the shift or no sleep prior to the shift. I work 3pm -11pm now and while I miss family time during the week, I am able to take my kids to school, exercise, eat right, and have a relatively healthy lifestyle. ( something I could not say several years ago)

[geert dr]

Re: THinking about the overnight shift at work...

DONT DO IT MATE !!!!!

I am doing nightshift for about 4,5 years now and it messes up every aspect of your life !

[RacerX88]

Re: THinking about the overnight shift at work...

I worked third shift during one Christmas season at the major toy retailer. Never did third shift again. I can relate to feeling like a zombie!

[TXShine]

Re: THinking about the overnight shift at work...

It seems to me you already have a good thing/schedule going, I wouldn’t mess with it. I worked a night shift once, felt horrible for a couple of months and felt I had no home life and everything just seemed screwy. I decided the job wasn’t worth all the negatives that came with it.

I have no doubt you can do it, if that’s what you decide. Keep in mind at this point you don’t know how your going to respond to the change, not to mention how your family will respond. And when our minds, bodies and relationships aren’t right the things that we enjoy sometimes become not so enjoyable anymore, so be careful.


I wish you all the best in your decision.

[Nick Chapman]

Re: THinking about the overnight shift at work...

Thanks for all of your thoughts on this guys!

My schedule is 6 days on, 3 off. So, that may play a factor in my decision.
I work at Love Field, so the air traffic isn't anything like DFW. Napping on the job is not something that is encouraged, as I'm sure you knew. But it isn't something looked down upon either. If we are slow, and there is nothing going on, then no one really cares(I worked the 3rd shift for about 2 years when I first came into this ofice).

Yes I do hae a little girl(just turned 7), but she is a momma's girl, and could care less if I'm there or not But even still, she is in bed by 8:30, so spending time with her would not be lost.
My only concern is sleeping during the day. When I originally did the overnight shifts, I was a single guy. So I could sleep whever I wanted, and had nobody around to wake me up.

I'm still considering this decision. Both sides have their pro's and con's. Just need to nail down whats more important.

[mcox]

Hey Nick,

I believe I saw in one of your posting where you work however I'm not sure so... If you are at DFW, how busy would you be is a factor I would consider. If you work where I think you do and based on being "stuck" for a year I would assume a CBA is in place so other things may affect the deciding process. The no management around thing is a huge plus. You will readjust in terms of sleeping pattern and others have made the point it may take you awhile. I always looked at it like this-my 8 hour period of work time is simply a different time of day. Driving to and from work tends to be not as big a PITA as it normally is. Living where you live it also may not be nearly as hot. Again, that no management thing comes into play. Age of your child(ren) is a factor. What the boss thinks about it and if she is willing to adjust as well. If you are working a "normal" 5 day work week then you get out off work Friday morning, good thing, but have to return late Sunday night/early Monday morning, could be a bad thing. Understanding that you are still wanting to do your detailing, you would have the time in the am hours to bang out a car or two. I suppose my point is that there are many good thing as well as many bad(?) things about working the third shift. Consider all pros and cons, talk with your family, and understand that it may turn out to be something you really enjoy. My 2 cents.

[erobertson]

Re: THinking about the overnight shift at work...

My guess is you wont be happy on the night shift for that long. I currently have to rotate amongst all three shifts and while the nights are ok, I've never been able to make good use of the daylight when working nights. Your sleep patterns get all screwed up and you become lethargic. Harder to maintain family contact although it can be done. Think carefully before making this decision.

[BigLeegr]

Re: THinking about the overnight shift at work...

I would say if you were on your own, then it my not be a problem, but since you've got a family to look after, it wouldn't be such a good thing. If you were given more than 2 days off a week, then it may not be so bad, but if you have only 2 days off, it really is only 1, as you will spend the first day sleeping part away to get into "day mode" and then you'll likely be tired going back to work the first day, as you won't have more than a nap before hand.
As mentioned by others, it's hard to keep a family quiet during the day. Telemarketers will call and wake you if you don't turn off your ringer. You mention more time to detail, but you still need to factor in some sleep time, so you may not actually have more time to detail, and if you do, your sleep time will suffer.
Overall, unless it's the only job you can get, or the money is too good to turn down, I'd say skip it. From experience, I don't know anyone that says "Wow! You work nights?? I'd love to do that too! You've got it made!!" It's more like "What??? Nights?? When are you finished and coming back to days?"

[dvtldav]

Re: THinking about the overnight shift at work...

I have worked all three shifts & although I didn't mind it when I was in my twenties, when I got in my thirties and had to work it, I hated it. It just screws up everything. Weekends are messed up, holidays are messed up, in fact I thought everything was messed. I didn't mind working second shift except I missed seeing the family during the school year, and my wife is a teacher so during the school year I didn't see her or my son except on weekends. So my advice is stay on days, or go to second.

Dave

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: THinking about the overnight shift at work...

Well, here is a person who enjoyed working nights. However in your situation, Being that you have not done it before. You would be stuck in it for a year. I would say do not do it.

Your internal clock will eventually reset itself. You will be dog tired at first. About 45 days. Because of lack of sleep you will be more irritable at first.

I say since everyone in your house is use to the schedule now, stick with it. This is my 0.02 worth.

[Nappers]

Re: THinking about the overnight shift at work...

Nights stink, I'm on them currently and I miss my wife and home life after work. But thats the nature of the beast for a jailer. Nights, weekends, holidays and 12 hour shifts.

We get a lot of comp and vacation to burn so that helps. I got 2 weeks left of nights and will be going back to days. We rotate every 2 months nights to days. Every 8 months or so we switch ends of the week. Right now I work Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and every other Saturday. Next month we switch to Wed-Fri every other Sat. Best part of switching is the 7 days off in a row, other side has to work 7 in a row which will be my case in about 9 months.

Nights stink.

Where is it that you work? Having to stay in a shift for a year is not good. Tim is right, nights mess you up. I try to have a normal home life on my days off but takes a day or so to recuperate then back to work. We work 3 and 4 days a week. First day off is shot as you sleep. Been there 15 years, in my twentys I could stay up all day and go to bed that night, now that I'm approaching 40, I can't do that anymore. LOL.

Think a long time about it.

Aaron

[VonLego]

Re: THinking about the overnight shift at work...

Up bright and early, work hard all afternoon on cars? Sounds like the life to me...

Other side---

Working all night, detail cars from morning until 7, sleep from 8-12? Not to sure how to fit another full time job in with out sacrificing the ability to stay at 100%. Your work is amazing, and you got that far with a "go-get-em" attitude and a love for cars and what you do. De-rooting everything you know and shifting it around can't be good for this sense of self. I don't know you in real life, but you sound like one heck of a dude. Don't let a graveyard shift take that away from you.

[Paul S]

Re: THinking about the overnight shift at work...

Nick,you'll be sorry.
I have been stuck working most of my adult life on evenings and nights. If I had it all to do over again I would take a cut in pay or change my line of work to work days.Studies by various universities and colleges show working nights increases health problems . Its hard for the family to remain quiet during your sleep and schedule activities that don't interfere with your changed hours. Friends will have trouble seeing that you're home (car at house) but not up.My mom always thought if I was home in the morning then I should be up.Sales people are the same and I could go on and on but you can see my point so I'll get off of my soap box now.I vote stay on days. Paul