Night Shifts - Who Does It?

I worked night shift from 11pm to 7am for 4 years while going to college. The trick is to establish a routine.

Mine was to get up at 10pm have breakfast and pack my lunch. Work from 11 to 7. Get off work and go get supper ( somtimes eat out ,sometimes go home). Get to college for 9am class. Get out of class at 2-3pm (I tried to schedule my classes so they were between 9am and 2pm. Go home and go to bed till 10pm.

I ran automatic screw machines at work so I would be very busy for 1/2 an hour and then had a 1/2 hour down time before I needed to reload the machines. That gave me enough time to do any school work that I had.

In the summer I changed it so that I would go home and sleep after work and get up around 4pm to have the evenings free to do whatever. I still maintained the same eating schedule as during the school year.

As others have stated it is very important to have a dark, quiet room for sleeping. That was the most difficult thing at first for me because I was still living at home with my parents and younger brother.

"Your Mom." There, I said it.

poopshovel wrote: "Your Mom." There, I said it.

Some patio companies, too!

I think that was a threat.

friedgreencorrado wrote: \ I'm not sure if it's like this for everyone who tries to work overnight, but my particular problem was 4am. To me, that was the difference between "today" and "tomorrow".

when I work overnights.. it is not tomorrow until I have gone to bed and woken up

Not too many details as to who/where until things are finalized, but I'll say that there are definitely a number of fanboys on these pages. It's not in the bag yet, but I know I impressed the guy.

Okay, can you at least tell me what STATE? I know Left Hand was hiring a while back. Is the shift a "Here's your trial by fire to make sure you're not a whiny bitch, and that you don't sample the product too frequently" or a "Have fun being a vampire for the rest of your life" type deal? Either way, best of luck man. You're livin the dream!!!

Thanks for the input all. I do think this is something I can do. I figure it will take me a little bit to really settle into the routine, but I shouldn't have a problem.

poopshovel wrote: Okay, can you at least tell me what STATE? I know Left Hand was hiring a while back. Is the shift a "Here's your trial by fire to make sure you're not a whiny bitch, and that you don't sample the product too frequently" or a "Have fun being a vampire for the rest of your life" type deal? Either way, best of luck man. You're livin the dream!!!

Brewery is back in California. Medium sized craft brewery. Well established at this point. I will let the cat out of the bag when I get a confirmed yes/no on if they're offering me the job. They have promised to let applicants who have interviewed know about the final decision.

From what it sounds like, it's a case of trial-by-fire and a guy who's been doing the job deciding to quit. The production manager told me they have plans to up production from 24/5 to 24/7, and there would be a good chance of me having the option to shift to 7-4, but over the weekends if I decide I would prefer that. They are expanding production (currently getting the permits to nearly double their yearly production), and this will be a really good position to have opportunities to grow with the company.

I suppose it isn't going to do anything to hurt my chances or anything to tell, will it? I interviewed with North Coast Brewing. The folks who brew Old Rasputin among many other wonderful beers.

Still waiting to hear back with a yes or no...

I work until midnight, but often don't get to bed until just before the wife gets up. We have a guest room that is darker that I often sleep in, but the bed isn't as nice...

I sometimes find that I stay up later and later as the days of the week go on, but thankfully I get myself sorted out come my two days off.

Give it a try, see how it works, and enjoy the new job!

friedgreencorrado wrote: Cook good food at home, and take it with you to work..anything a restaurant will deliver at that time of night is probably unhealthy. And after about 2a, there won't be any delivery at all.

That's one of the things I love about working outside in NYC. Anything I want for dinner at 3-4 in the morning is there somewhere.

I worked either second or third shift for about 15 years. I love those hours, but like others have said you have to have a routine, and can't expect to have bankers hours on your days off. When I first went to overnights I would lose a nights sleep a week until I got used to it, and it makes functioning difficult. I have been working days for the most part for the last few months to help my wife and I can't get used to it. I don't like to be up before the sun. The only good part is the occasional weekend morning where I'm in an area that I can enjoy the kids take their walk of shame back to whereever they came from.

A few weeks ago I was on East Houston st. at about 7:30 when a young lady came up to me, makeup and hair a mess, one high heel and one flip flop too big to be hers and a huge sweatshirt asking where she was and how to get back to Secaucus.

I liked the 4 - 12 shift, especially when I was single. It's like a normal day but moved off a few hours. Get out of work at midninght, quickie shower, smell nice, hit the bars. You roll in fresh as a daisy and someone else has been pouring drinks into those women all night.

I had trouble with the midnight shift because I never had a routine. The tip I always got, but never listened to; is go to bed as soon as you get off work.

At work we get +7% for 4 - 12 shift and +10% for midnights. Some guys would do nights before retiring because your retirement is based on you "high three" years of pay.

Good Luck with the job.

914Driver wrote: I liked the 4 - 12 shift, especially when I was single. It's like a normal day but moved off a few hours. Get out of work at midninght, quickie shower, smell nice, hit the bars. You roll in fresh as a daisy and someone else has been pouring drinks into those women all night.

some people used to say that was the best shift in aviation maintenance in the military for exactly what you said right there. Sunday night through Thursday night. Lol