I worked 3rd shift overtime last night. Can't sleep today. So what do you do?

[oosik]

Now that I am MANY years into retirement - all work, for the man, sucks. H=E=L=L - - just keeping the property up and going around here is tough enough.

I've worked all three shifts and, for me, night shift was the hardest. A good friend was a chief mechanic for a major shipping company. It was his job to train and oversee the maintenance operation on all three shifts. I felt so bad for him - he was ALWAYS tired. Two weeks on days - then two weeks on swing - then two weeks on nights - then start all over again. Fortunately - he was able to retire before it killed him. This company simply would not allow the shift supervisors to do the training and manage the overall operations on their shifts. My friends job paid exceptionally well but it darn near killed him.

 

[JESSE1]

I worked over 32 years on rotating 12 hour shifts. Couldn't sleep over 4-5 hours during the day. It's much harder on you than you think. I retired four years ago, busier than ever but I get to sleep at least 7 hours a night. Feel like a new person.

 

[Redbug]

I worked most of my career of 33 years on rotating shifts. My last 3 years I was a Day Weenie. I think it takes about 2 years to get used to shift work. Getting off shifts was like seeing in color after living in a black and white world. My energy level went up and mental sharpness returned. Don't get me wrong...the job paid pretty good and I have been retired for four years, now. To quote Mark Twain..."I'm glad I did it, partly because it was worth doing, but mostly because I'll never have to do it again."

 

[bunyip]

I work sleeping shifts and find they are as hard as working shifts, finish at 2200 and up at 0630 but on standby in between, not my bed and just find that I sleep from about midnight until 0200 then just lay awake or watch some cruddy old movies on TV.
I should have retired 3 years ago but need something to do.

 

[travlitt]

I started working for an electric company and worked the first 8 years on day shift on a line crew. Then for the next 31 years on a rotating shift as a dispatcher. 10 days 7am to 3pm, 4 days off. Then 10 evenings 3pm to 11 pm, 4 days off. Then 10 nights from 11pm to 7 am, 4 days off, then start over. I have been retired now for 19 years and enjoy ever day working in my business. Repairing mowers and doing custom mowing. Good life.

 

[kevinwak]

My daughter worked what I thought was the crappiest shift ever devised...5:00 pm to 5:00 am, for seven days straight...then she had seven days off, which made it somewhat bearable. I would rather shovel manure...which I have done...or asphalt...which I have done also.

I work 6-6 with five days on and five off. We alternate set between days and nights. So 5 day 5 off 5 nights 5 off. I love it. I have been doing it for 15 years now and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. It did take 1-2 years to get used to the schedule. I always laugh and sympathize with new trainees and students that have never worked a night before. It is next to impossible to make it through a night the first time you ever work one.

 

[mercdv]

Looks like a good way to pass time...Man, I wish I could have done that when I had your problem. When I worked swing shifts (different shift every month) I was stuck in an apartment in the city right next to our HQ. I'd play computer games or my console because I had no land and no yard. It sucked. I'd end up taking side jobs that just needed me to show up in my vehicle and sit there because I had nothing better to do. Just now typing this out made me realize I now hate even living in the suburbs and need to move out so I can buy 100 acres somewhere. I NEED more land...lol.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I work 6-6 with five days on and five off. We alternate set between days and nights. So 5 day 5 off 5 nights 5 off. I love it. I have been doing it for 15 years now and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. It did take 1-2 years to get used to the schedule. I always laugh and sympathize with new trainees and students that have never worked a night before. It is next to impossible to make it through a night the first time you ever work one.

My daughter is a single mother with three boys. It's hard on everyone, including Grand Ma and Grand Pa...both physically and financially.

 

[kevinwak]

My daughter is a single mother with three boys. It's hard on everyone, including Grand Ma and Grand Pa...both physically and financially.

Oh yeah, I totally understand that.

 

[gwstang]

I just retired but worked 12 hour shifts@ 7 days on and 7 days off. Worked 6 am to 6 pm one month and then swapped to 6 pm to 6 am the next month. Fun fun fun. Glad that's over and done. I have read a study done on drs/nurses that working different shifts day/nights, took about 3-5 years off of their life expectancy. I believe it.