working nights again

[krsmith58]

just curios, how many of my fellow forum members still work. also how many work nights as part of their schedule. i will have to work a rotating shift until i reach retirement.

don't get me wrong, i am Blessed to have a decent job but the nights make me goofy and seem to be harder to get over as time goes on. was 63 as of Feb. 10th 2021.

i know,pics. we love pics. pardon my wine and yes i have cheese to go with it krs

 

[kraynky]

Still working days, at 62. Been in this roofing industry for 44 years now. Not so much on the roof these days tho. Can't tolerate the extreme heat or cold like I used to. Getting harder to get up and get going like a youngster too. LOL!

Still happy to wake up each day however, so it ain't all bad. Just the whine, no cheese.

 

[LVSteve]

My father's experience suggests that rotating shifts for the over 40s are a bad idea.

 

[krsmith58]

My father's experience suggests that rotating shifts for the over 40s are a bad idea.

that's what my primary Dr. says. "kenny , when are you going to get a straight day job, shiftwork is not good for you." i agree but it beats fighting the others for the best place under the overpass. krs

pics

 

[Smoke]

It is 0330 MDT.
I have been working nights for at least 7 years. I have been working nights so long I literally find myself walking my rounds (outdoors) and looking up and being surprised that it's dark.

I actually prefer it. ZERO customers, almost no client employees and all the management works days.

 

[Rodan]

Swings are actually my preferred shift, though I just finished a graveyard rotation, hopefully my last. I actually prefer the work at night (none of the day shift BS, and no brass around), but as I get older, graves are a real life wrecker!

I've been the senior Sgt. in our agency for nearly seven years, and never had to worry much about what shift I was going to get until two years ago when a junior Sgt. whined about working graves. They instituted a shift rotation that was a real insult to all of us that had put our time in the barrel when we were junior, but it is what it is. With the time I have left, I should be able to finish on swings with a couple of day rotations.

 

[jimmyj]

Working Nights

New hires expect to work 9am -4pm, monday to friday, every weekend and holiday off, with a 30min break every morning and afternoon. also being late coming on duty and leaving early is ok.

Swings are actually my preferred shift, though I just finished a graveyard rotation, hopefully my last. I actually prefer the work at night (none of the day shift BS, and no brass around), but as I get older, graves are a real life wrecker!

I've been the senior Sgt. in our agency for nearly seven years, and never had to worry much about what shift I was going to get until two years ago when a junior Sgt. whined about working graves. They instituted a shift rotation that was a real insult to all of us that had put our time in the barrel when we were junior, but it is what it is. With the time I have left, I should be able to finish on swings with a couple of day rotations.

 

[quikdraw67]

I'll be 54 this year. The last time I worked nights was back in my post college dropout days.
Delivering pizza, checking ID's at college bars.

When I got my 1st "real" job in 1990, I always worked some if not all Saturdays, mostly until noon..From 2017 to 2020 some Thursdays 8 until 7.

I got promoted last year. From counter sales to purchasing department. 7:30 to 4, Monday through Friday. 40 hours.

I don't miss the overtime. Money isn't an issue for us. But the 2 days off in a row is priceless. I've started shooting on a regular basis since.

If I can stay there for at least 13 years I can retire with full Social Security benefits (provided there's any left) and a decent 401k and other investments.

Let us pray.

 

[scott1970]

New hires expect to work 9am -4pm, monday to friday, every weekend and holiday off, with a 30min break every morning and afternoon. also being late coming on duty and leaving early is ok.

You ain't kidding. It's unreal nowadays. Not too long ago we had a rookie officer request a shift transfer, because the hours interfered with her gym schedule. And don't get me started on the current applicant pool. I don't think most folks have a clue what's coming as a result of the anti-cop movement.

No nights for me, because I have too much seniority to get rolled.

 

[Rodan]

I have too much seniority to get rolled.

That's what I thought! LOL

 

[djohns6]

Never worked shifts but got a lot of callouts at night ( Power Company ) . Also worked some special projects that had to be done on off peak times . Really screwed with my sleep schedule ..

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

New hires expect to work 9am -4pm, monday to friday, every weekend and holiday off, with a 30min break every morning and afternoon. also being late coming on duty and leaving early is ok.

This isn't just in the LEO and Security fields either. I had 20 years straight of nothing longer that a 4 day weekend vacation, on call every night and weekend (had to go in 7 consecutive Thanksgivings), why? Because I was the guy. The Foreman, Lead, and Crew! I was also the owner, and there wasn't anyone else.

When I went to work for others, WOW! there were months I didn't have to go unstop some dump tenants kitchen sink or toilet in the middle of the night. Wow!

Maybe, I was the dumb one and should have whined until I got my way!

Ivan

 

[quikdraw67]

New hires expect to work 9am -4pm, monday to friday, every weekend and holiday off, with a 30min break every morning and afternoon. also being late coming on duty and leaving early is ok.

This isn't limited to LEO.

The millennial work ethic is nonexistent.

As I posted, I did my time.

New guys work Saturday and late Thursday.

We have driver call-offs constantly.

And it's just going to get worse.

 

[jeffrefrig]

At 63 last March 2020 I called it quits finally. Perfect timing since I had all my retirements taken care of, etc., before the world shut down. When people called me to "look at mom's A/C or my buddy's pizza shop refrigerator" I just told them I sold all my tools. No. End of story. It's retirement, don't bother me. Don't need the money.
I remember working the swing shift for 9 1/2 years after high school in the Coke Dept. of the steel mill. Never did like day shift. Glad I got out at 27 years old, young enough to learn a trade and start all over.

 

[pawngal]

Still work part-time in my own business, days. My first real job was swing shift as switchboard operator at the hospital. Only problem was playing catchup at the bar after work. Could get plenty wasted in 2 hours of power drinking at age 20-21. After a year of so of that all my "jobs" were the 7-3 variety.

 

[Neversink n Klapperthal]

I worked graveyard in a major wood shop for just 8 months back in 2009, Even though nights was much less stressful than days,it was the happiest day of my life when they told me I was going back to day shift

 

[jscheck]

Worked swing shift in the Air Force, dayshift (and whatever else they came up with on manoeuvres when I was in the Army), swing shift and night shift while working in prison, rotating shift in the Sheriff's office until I became a detective and finished up on a swing shift. Whatever job I get next I will be at the mercy of the company and fully expect to be on the worst shift. I don't care as long as I work.

 

[16thVACav]

Work is a four-letter word.

 

[Skeet 028]

A lot of my working life was on 24 hour shifts..loved it as I had lots of tme "away" from the job. A couple good ones from the past...I got a call one evening from a new hires"significant other/wife". Answering the phone this gal told me who she was and wanted to know if her"SO" was out on a fire or something. No says I...he's over watching TV I think...she said WHAT? I said to her that we worked 24 hour shifts...to whuch she replied...that's impossible...they abolished slavery in the 1860s! ...to which I answered..well maybe...we did have to use a whip on him to get him to watch TV. His 1st(and last) day at work. Had another wife call one evening from a new guy's wife asking when he got off work...Told her 7 in the morning...to which she replied ...well you tell him from me if he doesn't want to stay at home nights with me I'll find some man that will. I told her I'd get him to call her. He was only on the job for about 10 days. I liked the night and weekend portions of my work. No powers that be in attendance cause I was usually it...and when I wasn't there...never thunk about the place and I was almost impossible to get ahold of when off duty(wink, wink). Never really seemed to have a traditional 9 to 5 job and didn't want one!

 

[Skeet 028]

Work is a four-letter word.

^^^^^^ So is wife...and the worst most fearsome four letter word....BABY!!

 

[llowry61]

Still at it-just turned 60 and hoping to make it a couple more years. 8:30 am till whenever I am done. No weekends or nights unless the SHTF. Did swing shift 6 days a week for a couple of years. I liked the shift diff and the O/T but 6 days a week wore on ya.

 

[Retired LTC USAR]

Will be 65 in November. Now that things have calmed down, I'm back to a 40 hour week (7-3).

Plan to work till 70 as long as my health holds out.

 

[Maddog 521]

The hardest part about working nights is trying to be a day shift person on the weekends with your family. Very difficult for me

 

[smoothshooter]

I am a civilian employee at a National Guard military helicopter facility that does overhauls and wiring replacement work, among other things. We work 4 ten-hour days a week, with every Sat-Sun-Mon off, which is great. All day shift, which is great. If a holiday falls on a Monday, we get the preceding Friday off too, making it a 4-day weekend.
In have worked second and third shifts at other places. Second is bad, third is downright unhealthy for most people, myself included.
The absolute worst was rotating shifts at a police department years ago. The most unhealthy of all. I firmly believe third shifts and rotating shifts actually shorten lifespans of a significant number of people.

 

[tops]

When I first started working I had to work the 3rd shift for a few months. I couldn't sleep, eat or go to the bathroom and I thought I would die. That was just the first night and it got worse. I just barely made it out alive and probably one more night would have killed me. Larry

 

[Doug627]

When I was in my late 20s, I worked a a respiratory therapist. I would get third shift on a rotational basis. Only two of us on third shift. No one looking over your shoulder. For the most part it was great. However, when the SHTF, you were on your own.

 

[LVSteve]

I think many have missed the OP's point. He is working rotating shifts, maybe a week of days followed by a week of nights. I know from personal experience that this simply does not work as you get older. In the UK it used to be that once you hit 40 in LE they fixed your shift, usually days or swing, rarely nights.

I think there is a serious liability issue here. The OP said up front...

don't get me wrong, i am Blessed to have a decent job but the nights make me goofy and seem to be harder to get over as time goes on.

If he is doing armed security, being goofy doesn't cut it. This is nothing to do with work ethic, it's about common sense.

 

[mtgianni]

I worked a rotating shift between ages 33 and 53. Two weeks Mon-Fri, one week Sat-Wed, while taking all calls Sat and Sun resulting in 14-16 hour days often. Two weeks Mon- Fri days then week of 1-9 or 3-11 seasonally with taking all calls until 5 AM averaging 50+ hours that week.

What worked for me was having breakfast when I got up whether it was 6 or 11. trying to do what I would do after dinner at home. I was required to wake up when the phone range and be out the door in a reasonable time, 10 minutes or so, taking sleep aids was out. I needed 30-45 minutes wind down time before getting to bed whether it was at 11 or at 3 AM. When interacting with my wife I would not be at my best and we both knew it. We each left love notes as with her 8-5 schedule it might be a couple of days before seeing each other.

 

[sigp220.45]

As an Air Force cop I worked three swings, 24 hour break (get off at midnight, come back the next midnight), three midnight shifts, three days off. I never got used to it.

Once I was in the loving arms of the Eff-Bee-Eye I worked days, but got 25% AUO (Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime) which meant if they called, I had to respond. This was later changed it to AVP (Availability Pay).

I quickly learned 95% of agents never got called after hours. I was on a variety of Indian Reservations, so I actually earned mine.

My oldest kid is a city cop. He’s on straight swings, which is the best. Sleep in, do your errands, go to work, home around midnight.

 

[Rustyt1953]

After 6 1/2 years of working second shift, Ruthie went back to days yesterday. It is an on going adjustment for all of us.

BTW...there are 22 millenials in my extended family and all have impressive work records. I'm proud of 'em.