3rd Shift Job

[aaronc879]

Anyone else miss the f in shift when initially reading the title of this thread?

It's way more than my 3rd sh!t job.

 

[ls99]

get window covers built for your bedroom, it helps greatly. Any light at all will trip up what is going to be an unnatural sleep pattern.
I did 100 days straight of 2 weeks day, then 2 weeks 3rd after 8 hours off, then 2 weeks swing after 8 hours off. Repeat. That was brutal only 8 hours to turn.

What he said. Very important!
20 or so years ago did night shift for a few years.
Your digestive system will be messed up for a good while. I definitely had an attitude (not good) in general.
The upside was, no suits around, minimal political BS., Could stick to getting things done without "input".
Could have good but of fun as well, depenfing on what kind of industry you are in. ... Example: We had a Diesel Electric locomotive for recovering dead electric trains if Utility fail or Ice coated the Catenary system. At night when regular service was closed, we boss types, union crew was prohibited that bit of fun, learned to drive the thing and practiced with it on the main line fairly often. Driving through parts of an east coast city in summer time could observe the 2 and 3 AM "Night Shift" activities on several street cornes. Some more scantily dressed than a Playboy model. Hitting the locomotive's air horn in the business district did get the "street corners' night shift" attention.
Or, disable the traction control of an electric train when the wheels were down to minimums needing replacement, and throw fireworks with drag racing, spinning the weheels for a few hundred feet. The benefit of 1000 HP electric motors.
But no would never want to do graveyard shift ever again. Getting back to normal life after took a few months, including getting digestive and other body systems.
YMWV (W is for Will)

 

[rk911]

I have accepted a new job working 3rd shift(10P-6A) Mon-Fri. For the last several years I have been going to bed by 10P most nights so this will be a big adjustment. I won't be able to get adjusted ahead of time because I will be training 8a-4p for a week then go straight to the new shift after that weekend. For those of you who worked nights how did you adjust? Any tips or tricks?

i had a lot of trouble sleeping during the day while i was working overnight. but i was rotating shifts so that was part of the problem. we don't have kids and my wife worked days so the house was quiet. blackout curtains and busying the phone helped. you may find it easier to keep to the same sleep cycle on your days off.

 

[kgtest]

Worked the night shift at a network operations center when I was a senior in high school. I never acclimated and found out night shift is not for me. I was the only one in the building, and I got sooo tired starting at computer monitors and tvs to make sure the network was "up". When I got in my car to drive home it was really hard to keep it between the ditches. I lasted four months. Never again. I've had friends who worked night shift most of their lives and it seems to take a toll on them. I've never met one that shifted back to days that said 'Geez I want to go back to night shift."

I realize it does come with better pay most of the time. That's just my experience. YMMV.

 

[rk911]

...When I got in my car to drive home it was really hard to keep it between the ditches...

i can relate. my route home from the comm center (50-miles one way) put me on I-294 (the Illlinoiis Tri-State Tollway). a local landmark on the Tri-State is a mile-long bridge the locals referred to as, aptly, the mile-long bridge. one morning as i was driving home from a12-hr 7am-7pm shift i found mysellf on the far side of the mile-long bridge wifh no memory of crossing it. THAT got my full attention so I pulled off the road at a service plaza, parked and took a short nap. i hated working overnights.

 

[tmm99]

Worked the night shift at a network operations center when I was a senior in high school. I never acclimated and found out night shift is not for me. I was the only one in the building, and I got sooo tired starting at computer monitors and tvs to make sure the network was "up". When I got in my car to drive home it was really hard to keep it between the ditches. I lasted four months. Never again. I've had friends who worked night shift most of their lives and it seems to take a toll on them. I've never met one that shifted back to days that said 'Geez I want to go back to night shift."

I realize it does come with better pay most of the time. That's just my experience. YMMV.

I did it for a few years (rotating shifts) - Entry-level computer operations way back when. I never acclimated to it, either.

I think we are supposed to be awake when the sun is up (for the most part). It's just not natural to be awake all through the night IMO. I was tired all the time (needing a whole lot more sleep) and a bit depressed. And I'm a night owl.

 

[Hermit]

I have accepted a new job working 3rd shift(10P-6A) Mon-Fri. For the last several years I have been going to bed by 10P most nights so this will be a big adjustment. I won't be able to get adjusted ahead of time because I will be training 8a-4p for a week then go straight to the new shift after that weekend. For those of you who worked nights how did you adjust? Any tips or tricks?

After 10+ years I retired. I couldn't do the night shifts any more at 63.

 

[aaronc879]

After 10+ years I retired. I couldn't do the night shifts any more at 63.

I definitely won't be doing it into my 60's. Probably not even 50's. I should be able to lean-FIRE by 49(43 now).

 

[scaubie]

I was a supervisor on third shift for two years about thirty yrs ago. It was my first position with the company that I would ultimately retire early from as sales director. Third shift is not an easy gig. Frankly, weekends are the worst. Getting back adjusted to ‘regular’ time just to go back to third shift on Sunday night/Monday morning. My advise, develop a routine and get 6-7 hours sleep minimum every day. Take a nap Sunday evening before you go to work. Don’t rely on medication but do sleep in a dark room or with eye shades. Stay away from alcohol if at all possible. Best of luck! It worked out well for me.

 

[gettingthere]

About 40 years ago, I worked as a computer operator for a company that ran it's major batch operations overnight, to post the day's customer activities and have accounts updated and statements and bills available by opening of business in the morning.

As the most recent hire I was assigned to work third shift (11 PM to 7 AM). That wasn't too bad to adjust to; I stayed up during the early part of the day, and went to sleep about 9 hours before my shift started. But after a few months they changed my hours to 7 PM to 3 AM. That was the absolute worst for me.

I had trouble adjusting my sleep schedule and felt like I had no life at all outside of work. I also became confused about time references -- like tonight vs. last night vs. tomorrow night, which made reporting to my boss about any unusual events occurred during my shift a problem. Thankfully, after a year I was able to move to a first shift job.

A coworker confided in me that she had worked a third shift job for a while, but had to quit because she couldn't figure out when to change her underwear

 

[Vacation4us]

My last job was night shift 11pm to 7:30 am in my early 50’s. I hate nights but as a nurse who moved it’s really the only way to get a hospital job in my specialty.

What worked for me:

1) giving up all coffee. There literally is no good time to drink it, when you work nights. Remember your gastric secretions increase at night so coffee might upset your stomach.

2) don’t eat before bedtime

3) you need a very dark cool room to sleep in . Black out shades aren’t that expensive, 2 curtains and a tension rod can convert any window. I have tried an eye mask and didn’t like it. It always falls off (unless you sleep like a dead mummy) and if that’s the case you don’t need any of this advise. Lol

4) lots of blankets for that cool room. If you can tolerate it a weighted blanket. I move too much and a weighted blanket became my enemy combatant .

5) try to nap your first day back to work but if you can’t don’t stress it your going to feel crappy the first night no matter what, hopefully you will be good and tired after your first night.

6) definitely turn your phone off during your sleeping hours. It’s amazing how many people “forget” you are a day sleeper.

Good luck and congratulations on the new job!

 

[ownyourfuture]

I did factory work on night shifts for many years. Most of the time I was on 2nd shift which I had no trouble with. When I was on 3rd shift, I struggled. No matter how long I worked 11:00 PM to 7:30 AM, I was always "pulling an all-nighter." I struggled to sleep during the day and usually got only 3 - 4 hours of sound sleep. By the weekend, I'd be staggering (not a good thing for a guy running a cutting press in a folding carton factory) and would eventually crash for 8+ hours of zzzzzzz's. I just couldn't make it work. Always tired. Always "staying up all night."

I managed to get on 2nd shift and that was much better. Off work at 12:30 AM, either straight home or maybe a couple beers and some pool at the bar across the street which closed at 2:00 AM. Home and asleep by 3 or 4:00 AM. Up by 11:00 AM (I slept great those hours), a little time for myself and then at work by 4:00 PM.

Some folks take to 3rd shift fine and I envied them. I just struggled. If I had to do it again, I'd be sure to have a dark, quiet place to sleep totally undistrubed, try to sleep the same hours everyday and be disiplined about it.

Good luck.

This is almost scary. You described my situation and how I felt about shift work to a T. Had no problems working the 2nd shift. (4 PM to 12:30 AM.) But I despised the graveyard. Never got used to going to work in the middle of the night. Some people loved that shift for this reason. Days was 7:30 to 4:00, 2nd was 4:00 to 12:30, & graveyard was 12:30 to 7:30.... Only had to be there 7 hours, but got paid for 8.

 

[GravitySucks]

Been there. It beats the floating shift and you'll get used to it soon.

Congrats and best of luck on the new job!

 

[aaronc879]

Well this job didn't last long. I woke up at 2am Thursday with severe chills and a fever. Called in to work then figured out I have Covid. Call work and they tell me I have to take at least 10 days off unpaid because I don't qualify for short term disability until 30 days after hire date. I didn't think the job was likely to work out for me due to being too physical so I told them I was quitting effective immediately. Luckily i'm well stocked on everything for the Winter so should be fine to stay home for 10 days.

 

[pacergal]

Oh,no! take care aaron879--covid is not fun.
if you are looking for another job, hope you find one.

 

[skyking1]

that's terrible aaron, I hope you feel better soon.

 

[aaronc879]

Oh,no! take care aaron879--covid is not fun.
if you are looking for another job, hope you find one.

Since I am not FI I will probably just go back to doing clinical research studies after I fully recover from the Covid. If I don't make enough to qualify for ACA subsidies then I will do ROTH conversions or early IRA distributions to make up the extra needed income.

 

[kgtest]

Since I am not FI I will probably just go back to doing clinical research studies after I fully recover from the Covid. If I don't make enough to qualify for ACA subsidies then I will do ROTH conversions or early IRA distributions to make up the extra needed income.

I know when I filed my 2021 taxes there was some sort of a tax credit or reduction for time lost related to COVID. Does anyone know if that tax credit or reduction or however it's classified is still available?

 

[W2R]

Oh,no! take care aaron879--covid is not fun.
if you are looking for another job, hope you find one.

+1

that's terrible aaron, I hope you feel better soon.

+1

So sorry to read that you have Covid! What a rotten turn of events. Take care of yourself; wishing for the best outcome for you and hopefully a quick recovery time.

 

[SecondCor521]

I know when I filed my 2021 taxes there was some sort of a tax credit or reduction for time lost related to COVID. Does anyone know if that tax credit or reduction or however it's classified is still available?

I think you're referring to the tax credits for sick and family leave. Those expired on 9/30/2021 and were not extended. Good thought, though.

 

[ivinsfan]

Well this job didn't last long. I woke up at 2am Thursday with severe chills and a fever. Called in to work then figured out I have Covid. Call work and they tell me I have to take at least 10 days off unpaid because I don't qualify for short term disability until 30 days after hire date. I didn't think the job was likely to work out for me due to being too physical so I told them I was quitting effective immediately. Luckily i'm well stocked on everything for the Winter so should be fine to stay home for 10 days.

Is this legit does anyone here know if a company can legally do this? I mean mandate a certain number of days and then not pay the employee?

 

[ivinsfan]

How your Covid is lite and I think your employed was a total knob.

 

[aaronc879]

Is this legit does anyone here know if a company can legally do this? I mean mandate a certain number of days and then not pay the employee?

They don't have to provide disability benefits at all. It's offered thru a third party company once you get thru the first 30 days. Same as health, 401K, ect.

 

[Walt34]

Sorry to learn of this happening to you. As a niece (who has had more than her fair share of hard times) says, "just another bump on the road of life".

I'm sure you'll recover and find something that turns out to be better anyway.

 

[Dreamer]

I hope that you recover from Covid quickly. Sorry about the job and hope that you find something better.