Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Anybody work a rotating shift?

I’m about to take a transfer at work. Comes with a good pay bump and it’s relatively easy work. But it’s a rotating shift, modified DuPont schedule for whatever that’s worth. 13 workdays a month, half days half nights. I’ve never done anything like this and I’m a little nervous. Anybody else work a schedule like this? Any pointers or anything I need to keep in mind?

I have the flexibility of choosing my shifts, generally 8-4 but we get a 3 week block that consists of a 3-11 and a 1-9 shift. This time of year I swap for the 3-11 a lot because it allows me to get things done before it gets dark. I also like that it's more quiet and the only supervisors are by phone if you need them

I worked a rotating shift was was one month on days, and one month on nights, then back to days etc. It usually took me a couple of day to adjust to the different shifts as far as sleep goes. I was younger then and did not care for it much.

Retired after working this 12 hr shift for years: 4 days starting on Tuesday then 2 off, 3 graveyards-2 off, 3 days-2 off, 4 graveyards-8 off. Rinse and repeat. Greatest shift I ever worked. You actually work 120 more hours per year on this shift (extra pay, imho) Basically we were off half of the year. Combine that with your vacation and that's serious time off. Sounds like your proposed shift is similar.

One of the first jobs I had was at the local Phelps Dodge wire factory. Swing shift........2 days 7-3, 2 days 3-11, 2 days 11-7, and then 2 days off. I didn't know if I was coming or going. Thank goodness I was young and could go without a lot of sleep.

I worked rotating shifts for years. I actually liked midnight shift the best. Buy good black out shades, have a small fan going, silence all the phones helps with the sleep schedule. Never could figure out a good eating schedule.

I worked a rotating shift of 27 days, then 27 nights. Within each of those time periods you were given an 8 hr shift. My favorite shift was nights 10pm to 6am. Go home and sleep and then you had the day to do things. If you could work the system right when you came off your 27 days you could take two days vacation and get 8 days off.

Worked it in the past. Preferred nights actually as others said.

Biggest thing was sleep - getting the family buy off on "when I'm home during the day to sleep - that's it, it isn't that I'm not working and do a list of chores. I need to sleep to be safe at work and come back in 1 piece"

When I was an instructor pilot, we worked alternating early and late weeks. Early week you reported at about 5 am and worked/flew from dawn until about 1 pm. The next week you reported at about 11 am and worked/flew until about 7 pm. I did that for four years and never got into a sleep rhythm. It was brutal.

The week off every month was sure nice, but the short change from days to nights really, really sucked. I was single then so it didn’t really bother me. I wouldn’t want to do it again tho.

Did the rotating Dupont schedule for 9 years. Now I am on a 3 month Monday thru Friday Schedule. Midnights, Swings, and then Days. Blackout curtains and earplugs are what works for me.

I had a long term girlfriend back in the late 90s that worked shifts like that. Her sleep was messed up and I never thought it was healthy for her. I knew other folks that worked at the same place and they always looked worn out. She worked in a control room so not heavy work. She was in her 30s then so pretty young. I guess it depends on the person. She always said the financial benefits of working there outweighed the swing shift issues for her. I never encouraged her to change jobs as she seemed ok with it.

Worked rotating shifts for near 25 years. Week of days, week of middays, week of nights and a week of midnight shifts every 5-6 weeks. It has advantages and disadvantages.

It’s not why I’m disturbed.

My shifts varied, 0500-1300.0600-1400,0700-1500,0800-1600.0900-1700.1200-2000,1300-2100,1400-2200.1500-2300,2230-0630 and 2300-0700
Was a State Trooper form 25 years.

It’s odd. The guys at work who are on shift love it, half your work days the regular 9-5 guys aren’t there so it’s laid back and slow. Plus all the time off. The 9-5 guys all say the shift guys are crazy and there’s no way they’d do it.

I’m in a position where I can take the job and get a 25 percent pay raise or stick to my job now with straight days and have no chance of upward movement in the pay scale. I don’t hardly know what to do other than to give it a shot. Just might be stuck with it until something else on days opens up, could be a few months or could be years.

ETA. It’s always either 0600-1800 or 1800-0600. No other schedules. And never more than 4 days or three nights in a row.

Worked split shifts at two different jobs at the same time. Brutal for a couple of years. 7 to 11, 11 to 3, 3 to 7 and 7 to 11. Young, in debt, too proud to ask for help. A day off of 1 was like a weekend. A day off of both was glorious that one time it happened.

Training yourself to fall asleep quickly at any hour is crucial. If you can't adjust you're screwed.

No way, my sleep would be so jacked up

My uncle worked swing shift for 30 years. It can take it's toll - not just mentally & physically but what is does to your family life. Another item to consider.

My uncle and aunt made it work and raised 3 kids while doing it.

We called it "swing shift". I loved it!
Sat 7a-3p
off 24 hours
Sun-Mon 3p-11p
off 24 hours
Tue-Wed 11p-7a
off 48 hours

Basically, I worked 5 days a week with 4 days off! 😉👍

Swing shifts aren't that great if you have kids imo but lots of people make it work.

Best of luck whatever you decide