SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  What's Your Deal!    Working Wonky Hours
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
Working Wonky Hours Login/Join 
Do No Harm,
Do Know Harm
posted
Laying here trying to go back to sleep, have to teach a class from 08:30-15:00ish, then work my regular shift from 19:00-05:00, and training a new guy to boot. Plus I’m on call until Monday.

Last week...worked my regular Sunday night shift, then Monday-started my day at 14:00 for a meeting, worked all night, taught all Tuesday, then got called in all night. Actually slept 8 hours IN A ROW Wednesday, then worked all night and had to start again at 13:00 for another afternoon plus working all night for Thursday and Friday. 77 hour week.

Weekend rolls around and I was legit completely off Sat/Sun nights...but my sleep pattern was completely screwed. Woke up Sunday at 15:00 and never fell back to sleep. Taught in the morning (Monday) then range time in the evening for re-quals, watched a movie with my son and fell asleep at around 22:00.

Woke up two hours later.

Still awake.

Damnit. Im getting too old for this shit.




Knowing what one is talking about is widely admired but not strictly required here.

Although sometimes distracting, there is often a certain entertainment value to this easy standard.
-JALLEN

"All I need is a WAR ON DRUGS reference and I got myself a police thread BINGO." -jljones
 
Posts: 11444 | Location: NC | Registered: August 16, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of OttoSig
posted Hide Post
One month 12 hour days. Panama schedule

One month 12 hour nights. Panama schedule

One week normal 8 hour days.

Repeat.

Guess what happens just when you get used to working night shift!





11 years to retirement! Just waiting!
 
Posts: 6252 | Location: Maryland | Registered: August 10, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Do No Harm,
Do Know Harm
posted Hide Post
That rotating shift stuff is nuts. What kills me is the extra crap that I do entirely to myself.

My usual schedule? Pretty sweet (10 hours):
4 on
4 off
3 on
3 off
Repeat

This is completely self-induced, but for the inability to actually SLEEP (or stay asleep) when I’m off. And I can’t take anything to help this week because I’m on call and it makes me feel hung over.

Right now it’s either no sleep until around 06:30 tomorrow, or maybe cut out early this afternoon for a nap between noon-5. But that’s assuming I can actually SLEEP Mad

I’ll sleep good Wednesday. I’ve got somebody covering for me so I can have a beer and some melatonin and crash hour for a solid 8 hours hopefully.

But I’m to the point I’m gonna have to get off permanent nights the next opportunity I have.




Knowing what one is talking about is widely admired but not strictly required here.

Although sometimes distracting, there is often a certain entertainment value to this easy standard.
-JALLEN

"All I need is a WAR ON DRUGS reference and I got myself a police thread BINGO." -jljones
 
Posts: 11444 | Location: NC | Registered: August 16, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of OttoSig
posted Hide Post
It gets old for sure. Navy so pretty good as a whole about respecting time off.

As much as I get run down and sleep schedule is never right I am not sure I will trade it for the 5 day a week 6-3 schedule.

Typically we do one year of 12’s and get relieved by the FNG and yo to the easy schedule but I’ll probably push through a second year until I leave here. I like the extra days off





11 years to retirement! Just waiting!
 
Posts: 6252 | Location: Maryland | Registered: August 10, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Do No Harm,
Do Know Harm
posted Hide Post
That’s usually how it works here...old timer retires or someone gets a new position, FNG comes in and you switch to an afternoon shift or day shift.

Except I volunteered to stay. The kids on nights had 16 bosses in 5 years. It was a mess...I was (and still am) having fun and wanted to give them some stability. That’s no exaggeration...16 supervisors had rotated through that quick. It’s a beast of a division. I think I hold the record, December will be 2 years.

Next guaranteed chance to go to second shift is June I believe.




Knowing what one is talking about is widely admired but not strictly required here.

Although sometimes distracting, there is often a certain entertainment value to this easy standard.
-JALLEN

"All I need is a WAR ON DRUGS reference and I got myself a police thread BINGO." -jljones
 
Posts: 11444 | Location: NC | Registered: August 16, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Rotating shifts contributed greatly to one of my divorces. Fortunately, we managed to get shift preference by seniority in our labor contract that put a stop to rotating shifts.
Citizen complaints against officer were greatly reduced when we dumped rotating shifts too.


End of Earth: 2 Miles
Upper Peninsula: 4 Miles
 
Posts: 16004 | Location: Marquette MI | Registered: July 08, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of OttoSig
posted Hide Post
We’re not too different then.

I volunteered for a year stretch before coming here so I’m doing second year now and likely will volunteer for 3rd year next March.

The schedule does suck for the marriage. Especially nights. But my wife works with me and the amount of political bullshit I get to avoid being on nights routinely and shift work in general is a HUGE plus.





11 years to retirement! Just waiting!
 
Posts: 6252 | Location: Maryland | Registered: August 10, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Thu/Fri-4p t0 12a

Sat 8a-4p

Sun/Mon 12a-8a

Any incidents, stay until it is resolved.

It's called "relief" schedule for Bureau of Prisons supervisors.
 
Posts: 17121 | Location: Lexington, KY | Registered: October 15, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Fighting the good fight
Picture of RogueJSK
posted Hide Post
Rotating shifts have consistently proven to be extremely detrimental to morale, decision-making, citizen complaints, use of force, officer health, and a whole slew of other factors.

I have no idea why agencies continue to force that on their officers in the face of such overwhelming evidence. It's an absolutely terrible idea, even in less-intensive and less-stressful occupations, and doubly so for law enforcement.
 
Posts: 32423 | Location: Northwest Arkansas | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of Prefontaine
posted Hide Post
I did 7pm-7am, then rotated to 7am-7pm every 2 months. I did that for quite a while. Night or graveyard was the worst. I had to really work to sleep in the daytime. And some ass hole would ring the door bell. Waking me up and screwing up my sleep and I wanted to punch the wall. It was terrible.

I don't mind working late, doing maintenance windows, but graveyard consistently I hate. And then rotating every few months to day, brutal.



What am I doing? I'm talking to an empty telephone
 
Posts: 12568 | Location: Down South | Registered: January 16, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Sorry brother, those hours suck!

Been there/done that with the side jobs. THATS the stuff that really messes you up.

But the money is hopefully worth it somewhere down the line.


______________________________________________________________________
"When its time to shoot, shoot. Dont talk!"

“What the government is good at is collecting taxes, taking away your freedoms and killing people. It’s not good at much else.” —Author Tom Clancy
 
Posts: 8320 | Location: Attempting to keep the noise down around Midway Airport | Registered: February 14, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Lead slingin'
Parrot Head
Picture of Modern Day Savage
posted Hide Post
I did a 12 + hour night shift for 17 years. For the most part it was hell just working that schedule consistently, but mixed in at various times were transfers to days or, in a few cases of meetings, a hybrid night/ day shift...my father worked a rotating swing shift for years and it was hard on him, so I feel for you guys working rotating swing night shifts.

About 15 years ago the World Health Organization declared night shift working a carcinogen. I accepted their explanation at the time, but given their track record for the pandemic I'm not sure I trust their declarations any longer.

Chongo, or for any of our other law enforcement types, for the next time you can't sleep...

https://www.bitchute.com/video/KAZlGvKceg6n/
 
Posts: 7324 | Location: the Centennial state | Registered: August 21, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ammoholic
Picture of Skins2881
posted Hide Post
I could never work a rotating shift, I'd never sleep. I work 10PM to 8AM, and I hate it, but at least it is consistent.



Jesse

Sic Semper Tyrannis
 
Posts: 20756 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: December 27, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of LimaCharlie
posted Hide Post
When I was in the military, we worked what they called a 2-2-2-80 shift for about a year. We went in for two day shifts in a row. We had eight hours off after the second day shift and came back at midnight for two mid shifts. After the second mid shift, we came back after eight hours and worked two evening shifts. Then we had eighty hours off. We were essential, so no holidays off.

It was in California and we didn't have air conditioning, just a fan for the 100+ degree days. I never got into a routine or used to it.


U.S. Army, Retired
 
Posts: 3725 | Location: Northwest Oregon | Registered: June 12, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Hop head
Picture of lyman
posted Hide Post
in retail, my hours are not 'normal' but not horrible either,

currently I am 8-5 or 10-7 or 12-830,
depending on the day and only 5 days a week,

and maybe 25hrs a week on top of that working form myself,



used to do 60+ a week in grocery store management, but no longer,

still basically work teh same hours, but much more relaxed setting,



I have a friend that get a yearly schedule, but works odd shifts,

usually 4 on, say midnight to 8, the 2 off, then several on at 7a -4, the a few off, and 4 to midnight,

looking at his schedule it seems completely random but works out to a 40 hr week avg with a couple weekends off a month

and yes, he hates it



https://www.chesterfieldarmament.com/

 
Posts: 10409 | Location: Beach VA,not VA Beach | Registered: July 17, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Plowing straight ahead come what may
Picture of Bisleyblackhawk
posted Hide Post
I worked for Norfolk Southern Railway for almost 40 years with shift hours changing almost weekly...I understand your frustration...hang in there...one day it will be better.


********************************************************

"we've gotta roll with the punches, learn to play all of our hunches
Making the best of what ever comes our way
Forget that blind ambition and learn to trust your intuition
Plowing straight ahead come what may
And theres a cowboy in the jungle"
Jimmy Buffet
 
Posts: 10580 | Location: Southeast Tennessee...not far above my homestate Georgia | Registered: March 10, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
First paramedic job was 36 on-36 off, then went to 48 on-48 off. Next was 24 on-48 off, 24 on-72 off and 48 on-96 off when I retired....

I much prefer 24-72 schedule.
 
Posts: 465 | Location: Pell City, AL. U.S. | Registered: December 25, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Do No Harm,
Do Know Harm
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by medic15al:
First paramedic job was 36 on-36 off, then went to 48 on-48 off. Next was 24 on-48 off, 24 on-72 off and 48 on-96 off when I retired....

I much prefer 24-72 schedule.


Worked last night and had to go pick up my daughter 1.5 hours away this morning when I got off. My son decided he wanted to get up at 0530 to go with me.

We were meeting at a gas station and I saw an ambulance pull in. Saw a paramedic I used to work with and commented to my son that as much as my schedule sucks sometimes, it’s better than working 24 hour shifts as a paramedic. Or 36, 48, or 72 (the longest I ever did) hour shifts.

Perspective certainly makes a difference.




Knowing what one is talking about is widely admired but not strictly required here.

Although sometimes distracting, there is often a certain entertainment value to this easy standard.
-JALLEN

"All I need is a WAR ON DRUGS reference and I got myself a police thread BINGO." -jljones
 
Posts: 11444 | Location: NC | Registered: August 16, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of OttoSig
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by chongosuerte:
Perspective certainly makes a difference.


I struggle keeping calm when I hear younger sailors complaining about working 3 straight 12 hour shifts.

Prior to joining the Navy I worked for a decade as a mechanical engineer. We worked 12 hour shifts until the job was done.

For 10 years straight I never worked less than 4000 hours a year. Longest stretch ever was 39 straight 12 hour days. hearing them bitch about 3-12's really tests my ability to just ignore them as I'm sure I was that unaware at one point in my life also.

Bottom line is you're absolutely right.





11 years to retirement! Just waiting!
 
Posts: 6252 | Location: Maryland | Registered: August 10, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
  Powered by Social Strata  
 

SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  What's Your Deal!    Working Wonky Hours

© SIGforum 2024