Starting my new job soon which begins with a 7 week training course then from June I’ll be doing 12 hour shifts, 4 on 4 off. I’ve done the odd 12 hour shift here and there but not on a permanent basis and have worked typical office hours for many years. I’ll be doing 2x 7-7 and 2x 12-12.

Just wondered if anyone here does 12 hour shifts and how you find it. Did it take long to adjust to the working pattern?

Cheers LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

My work just went on to 12 hour shifts last September, 2 days, 2 nights, six off. Seemed fantastic compared to the crazy 5 week cycle we were working before. where we did a run of seven nights, 5 lates, seven early and a week off. Did that for six years and struggled with it. The new 12 pattern seemed a god send. TBH, the actual 12 hour working wasn't bad, i just struggled with all the alone time as my wife was Monday to Friday, 7-4. I worked more split weekends and had even more time alone during the week. Some may argue that sounds great, but then whats the point of being married if you never see each other. Just after Christmas, i fractured my shoulder so have been on "days" since then, im a different person, so much so im actually planning on coming off shift and going onto days. yep, its a 10 grand pay cut, but i have a far better quality of life. Other people say that 12 hours are the best thing since sliced bread, and for them it is. I just depends on your personal circumstances on to which suits you more

You have to try it and see if it works for you

I have been working 12 hour shifts for many years. I do weekday earlies (Monday-Thursday 0630-1830) followed by weekday nights (Monday-Thursday 1830-0630). A week off then back in for weekend nights (Friday-Sunday), week off, then weekend earlies. Week five of my roster is what we call a relief week when I could be asked to work any two shifts that are otherwise uncovered.
It's a bit of an on/off earlies/nights mix and match, but it still averages out as a 39 hour week and over the course of a 5 week (35 day) roster, I only go in for 16 shifts So there's a lot of time off, albeit some of that time is spent in bed after finishing nights but with a bit of careful planning there's the opportunity to take even more time away, without using too much leave; take that weekend of nights off and I can be away for a fortnight for the loss of only 3 days leave.
Few years back, I was away for just shy of 6 weeks for the loss of only 15 days leave
All said and done it's not a bad roster but many experts have said that our mix of earlies and nights can be hard both physically and mentally to adjust to.

............ well that's what comes of working as a 'Picker/Packer' in the Amazon warehouse.

...... and does the Mrs Doctor Who get comparable rates as her Male predecessors ?

I've been working 12 hr shifts of varying patterns since 1990. 2D 2N 4 off was my favourite as the 'working' part flew past.
The only let down is the number of weekends that are messed up in some way or other. But that depends on your social life.

Something a lot of people don't realise is because your average working week becomes 42hrs, the extra 2hrs you work can (and it did for us but we had to point it out.) earn you two extra days holiday per year.

Being a bus driver I’ve done 10-12hr shifts for years, with the odd short one. I’m used to them now and doesn’t really bother me, some of the new guys struggle though. Currently my rota, on paper anyway is 4 days, but it’s 6 on 3 off then 6 on 6 off. My previous rota was all over the place and did screw up the body clock, it still exists and some drivers prefer it due to less weekend work. Though with changes to the work I fear my current rota will be binned  21MY Defender 90 S 3.0 D200

Shift work since -98. (Nursing)

12h night shifts while in the UK.
Now on 18-26h shifts, 8 shifts per 4 weeks.

Friends over the years who just couldn't hack it. My best guess is that either you and your body like it, or you don't.

Me, I love it!

Best of luck!!

Just try & stay off 12hr night shifts unless you can sleep in work

The Doctor wrote:

Starting my new job soon which begins with a 7 week training course then from June I’ll be doing 12 hour shifts, 4 on 4 off. I’ve done the odd 12 hour shift here and there but not on a permanent basis and have worked typical office hours for many years. I’ll be doing 2x 7-7 and 2x 12-12.

Just wondered if anyone here does 12 hour shifts and how you find it. Did it take long to adjust to the working pattern?

Cheers

My daughter is a qualified nurse and whilst working at a general hospital she, and her colleagues (all), worked 12 hour shifts - she is now a practice nurse at her local doctors surgery with "normal" working hours . It suited her at the time bringing up her daughter as a single parent but would not want to go back to her previous work pattern. Don 't know many "briefs" working such odd hours MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

I spent most of my working life doing extended hours, shift work, or out of hours telephone call out.

I did it because, although it was a necessity of breakdown cover, the enhanced payments and overtime made it possible to buy a house, etc.

However I feel that it had a detrimental effect on my first marriage, and also after one very long run of continuous day / night shift weekly swaps, I had a mystery gastric illness which I think was partly caused by the disruption of meal times.

I too had the goal of saving up for an early retirement, which I managed in my 50s. I think it gets harder to do shifts and extra hours as you get older. FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 77k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

For the last 5 years I have been doing 24hour shifts at being retired. It's hard going at times as you don't get time off or paid leave you just have to soldier on. Best job I have ever had though. Thanks to all of you tax payers out there for making it possible.  3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

Yeah, me too. Been retired since 48. Got a few years yet, before the Tax Payers ......... pay my wine bill.

Oh and I do 6 on ..... 6 off ....... months that is.
6 months travelling / Holiday ........ 6 months 'doing whatever I want'

Try working in an office, gyming and chipping in on the family farm. MY14 Kahn Converted Dynamic - Fuji White Ebony/Pimento Interior
MY15 Xenon Headlight Conversion

MY17 RRS SVR - Estoril Blue Cirrus/Ebony 🪣💺’s

LRNut wrote :- "Try working in an office, gyming and chipping in on the family farm."


..... does it come with a Company Car ???