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2nd and 3rd shift gaf, pros and cons?

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I worked second shift for years, and have just recently moved to third shift.

I actually really like both shifts. I was getting a bit frustrated/burnt out with the way my company was handling a lot of things so when I got an offer to move to third shift I decided to take it since I knew I wouldn't have to deal with most of the things I was having issues with anymore.

Now on third shift things are very slow and peaceful most nights. Aside from the very beginning and end of my shift there are at most only 3 of us here on third shift which is another nice change of pace.
 
Bluth54 said:
I worked second shift for years, and have just recently moved to third shift.

I actually really like both shifts. I was getting a bit frustrated/burnt out with the way my company was handling a lot of things so when I got an offer to move to third shift I decided to take it since I knew I wouldn't have to deal with most of the things I was having issues with anymore.

Now on third shift things are very slow and peaceful most nights. Aside from the very beginning and end of my shift there are at most only 3 of us here on third shift which is another nice change of pace.
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Yeah, I'm in the same boat. My workplace is a madhouse in the mornings and I have no interest in getting involved with the office bullshit.
 
I basically work second shift from 4:30PM to 1:00AM 5 days a week.

It's not bad. I leave for work before rush hour and come home when there's zero people on the roads. I miss that I can't really hang out with my friends on work days, but I get to see them on my two days off. I can't do mornings because I just hate the feeling of waking up early, but waking up at 3PM every day is nice, and I can still go do bed while the sun is down.

For me, the biggest part of it is all about sleep. I'm a night owl, so the hours just mesh nicely. Plus the house is nice and quiet when I come home so I can do all my activities in peace and quiet.
 
Some pros for working nights:

Hardly any traffic,can get to and from work super fast

Less hectic around the office,for me I have no boss or supervisor to deal with.

I can out party those weaklings who can only drink until 3-4am and pass out,I rock until sunrise like a pro.

Freetime. Probably more to do with my profession but I can get away with things like browsing Gaf all night XD
 
3rd shift here (10pm-6am) 5 nights a week. and love it. There's less to deal with at night, and you have more freedom/less supervision. *edit* I'm actually posting this while at work right now :). Paid2GAF!

You definitely need some good window shades to sleep though, and studies have shown that this shift can potentially be damaging to your health. Overall though, I like it. There are numerous pros and cons to 3rd shift.

Ideally IMHO, 1st shift M-F would be the best possible shift. There are so many variables though. If you have to commute through heavy traffic it can be hell.
 
I work third. Great advantages but only if you have the personality for it.

If you hate watercooling it up or just hate other people in general, you'd love third shift.

If you love breakfast for dinner or the other way around, you'd love third shift.

If you want to browse gaf for 8 hours while getting paid since there ain't shit to do, you'd love third shift (maybe that's just me :p)

Sadly, if you want to have fewer advancement and pay raise opportunities since you aren't face-to-face with the people in charge every day, you'd probably also love third shift... but that's just crazy talk, right?

No, seriously... I really like third shift. Honestly I'm not sure if i'd like second... since my commute means I'd have SUPER PACKED trains both ways and it'd take me about 30 mins longer each way as a result (I've already tested this when I've had to fill in for other people).

But now? When i leave for work there is no traffic and the trains are (usually) like 1/4 full unless there is a concert getting out or something. it's soothing and i love it. I can't handle the high stress bullshit of the morning life.
 
I mix between 7am-7pm, 7pm-7am, 9-5, anytime-anytime so I get a nice variety.

the 9-5 is nice because I get to actually socialise in an office with people. But the travel is a killer at that time of day and would much rather do 7-3 were it possible.
 
I work 7-7 and rotate from days to nights every 2 weeks. I hate it. I can never get used to sleeping during the day
 
I start at 4:30am but only 2 days a week for several years now. Doesn't seem to bother me at all. Now, my second two shifts are 6pm to 6am and I hate it. Night work is genuinely bad for people. Personally I think anyone who works the night shift should receive more pay or private health care.
That said I'd prefer a later start, say 8:30. But 4:30 seems fine to me.
 
NIGHT- said:
I work 7-7 and rotate from days to nights every 2 weeks. I hate it. I can never get used to sleeping during the day
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How many days do you do in a row?

I used to do 2 on, 2 off, 3 on 2 off, 2 on, 3 off.

Fine on days, a killer on nights as you just find yourself getting in and out of the pattern every couple of days.

We switched to 4 on, 5 off, 5 on, 4 off, 5 on, 5 off.

So much better, can get into the pattern properly and get out of it properly, and with 4/5 days off I never get that Sunday afternoon "fuck, work tomorrow" feeling.
 
I've worked a graveyard shift for the past 4 years and I love it. I work from 8pm to 5am right now. Less workload for more money no traffic and I get to watch the sunrise every morning on the way home. It's probably not for everyone though.
 
Worked 3rd shift for 7 years. If you are single then it's pretty good. While you are sleep nothing is really going on. And if you do need to run errands there are no lines or traffic. Also if you are seeing someone at least you will see them before you go to work. It's easy for me to sleep during the day so it was perfect for me. Also on the weekends you are good for hanging out all night.

2nd shift is awful, you can't really date anyone while on 2nd shift because you will never see them during the week. You will be asleep when they get up and they will be asleep when you get off. You can't watch anything live, if you are a sports fan then it's the worst possible shift.
 
I worked 7p-7a for 2 years. Worst 2 years of my life.

I felt like Ed Norton's insomniac character in the beginning of Fight Club, all the time. The extra money was nice, but I wouldn't recommend that lifestyle to anyone.
 
3rd shift is the worst. At my last job I worked 3rd shit and a majority of it consisted of overtime including weekends because the company deals with a quota system.

Never again. It might pay well but it's not worth it.
 
I love working third shift, it suits my daily rythm that much better. 10pm-6am, bed by 7 and up again at around 2 pm. All afternoon to do the same stuff as the 1st shifters.

At the moment though, I'm working the weekend shift. 2x 13h every saturday and sunday while getting paid for the full 40 hours :)

No weekend socializing/partying, but plenty of time to do other stuff on the weekdays.
 
2nd post really nailed it. With second shift, yeah, you can wake up later, but then it's like a ticking doom clock, counting down to when you have to go to work. When you get home, it's late, and you have a few hours before you need to get to bed so you don't completely ruin your sleep cycles.

Not to mention, unless you have friends working second shift, you won't ever see anyone because they're at work when you are free before you go to work, and they are going to bed when you get off work.

I did it for about six months, and it was miserable.
 
4x12 sucks DONKEY BALLS.

FEELS LIKE YOU ARE WORKING 24/7 sleep work sleep work, you miss most of the holidays, it's WAY more depressing watching the sun go down and go dark then watching it rise. You miss prime hours of the late afternoon and night. ALSO 2nd shift feels like it lasts an EXTRA 2 HOURS for some reason.. Shit feels longer than the other shifts..

Fuck that. FUCK the 2nd shift.

I've been working 12x8 for 4 years. I typically sleep 10:30 am to 6pm, you can have freedom at anytime of a typical workday.

Thankfully I have Saturday night off, pros are like others have said, way fewer people to deal with, if you go to school you can get away with doing a shit ton of schoolwork, Internet phone browsing, etc. The major cons is not having typical sleep and if you have a significant other that sleeps at home without you and your kids.


Props to whoever manages to live with 4x12, it's the worst shift by far imo.
 
I do 7am - 3pm and it's alright. The problem is the traffic. I have to wake up at 4:45 everyday and I dont get home until 4:30-5:00. I used to work 3-11 and that was nice because I could get up at 9 or 10 and still have time to get things done before I have to leave for work. But on the other side, there would be times that I wouldnt go to bed after work until 4am and then would sleep until noon, which doesnt leave time for much else. I've never tried 3rd shift, but if I didnt i'm sure i'd like it.

Tbh, it's all about managing how much sleep you can get without forgoing your other responsibilities and your "you time."
 
I use to work 5am to 130pm and I hated it. At first, I thought it was awesome because I was getting off work so early in the day. Then after a while that got a bit lame because everyone I knew would be at work. By the time my friends are home, I'm winding down for the night. Having to be in bed by 10PM was the worst. There was always something I'd rather be doing at 10PM than going to bed. I was constantly tired. Now I work 10AM - 630 and it is pretty much perfect.
 
I've worked them all at one point or another.

3rd shift was nice because of no traffic and a peaceful office. Plus I had the daytime to myself to do whatever and go shopping. Only real problem is trying to sleep when lights creeping in the window, and noisy neighbors, gardeners and such.

1st shift is actually the one I like least. Loads of traffic causing me to lose more time, having to wake up early, difficult to go shopping if the place closes early and generally feeling more tired.

2nd is what I prefer and work now. Can wake up late, go places and do things before work and little to no traffic. I'm married so no social life anyway.

Mr. Enigma said:
11-7 is my sweet spot. Not too early. Not too late.
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This was actually my most hated shift when I was working at Disney. Early enough that you still have to set the alarm to wake up but you get off too late to really do anything.
 
I used to work in a 'continuous' system with 5 teams where there is always one team working. I'm currently applying for a job in the same sector, it's hard work but I'm fine with it because you get to stay like 3 days at home after working 4 days in a row.

32hrs/week, so I work for example four days in 3rd shift (10pm-6am) and then I have three days off. And then you get a different shift for the next three days etc, it switches around.

I remember this one guy who worked for 24 days in a row. He actually had days where he did a 3rd shift, went home to sleep for just a bit and came back right away for a first shift. He earned lots of dosh that month but damn... I could never do something like that
 
I'm on first shift now, but I worked second shift for about 6-7 years and it can kill your social life. A lot of my friends were on the same shift at the time, so we'd usually hang out after work, but if you're alone with second shift, you might miss a lot. I did feel better on second though, I still have trouble falling asleep to get up in the mornings.
 
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