Has anyone experienced burn out due to shift work and night shift?

[ZackP]

Same boat here. I would say the thing that burns me out the most is the absolute shit management. I went salary 3 years ago and have been promoted twice since then, with no intentions to go any higher. I did 8 years on shift, 3 years on days, then took higher pay to go back to supervise a shift for a large bump and bonuses but it still wasn't worth it.

The only thing that keeps me sane is trying to keep a decent diet and working out. Going to Church and prioritizing that has helped a lot to be honest as well. If the economy wasn't so terrible, and I could afford it, I would either try to move back to days or look for something else entirely. Having 3 kids in sports year-round kills the pocketbook all on its own LOL.

I still look forward to my hunts, but I have noticed sometimes I don't maintain the same enthusiasm I used to. FWIW I plan to be out of here sooner than later, however I end up making that happen. I just know it needs to happen for my sanity and well-being. Your health and family are more important than an extra 0 at the end of a check.

 

[Roosterstraw]

I’ve worked rotating shift work for 12 years. Absolutely hate it. There are no other good paying jobs around here and the benefits are good, so leaving really isn’t an option. I’ve got 20 more years to go…

 

[pacoalcracker]

20 years at a job you hate? Pure torture. Move!

 

[Ultracarry]

I worked nights for 3 years, then a rotating shift for over two in the military, then police work for another year which I hated so much I decided to just be self employed, I fish and hunt all I want (as long as I can get tags).. I don’t make as much as I could , I don’t hustle for business, I don’t advertise, I just work for people that want me to work for them. I tell my clients I’m on vacation and everyone is happy when I bring them fish or meat..

1. Having an employer is draining and at times it’s not worth the pay.

2. Working nights is definitely not good for you and I experienced the same things as the OP said when I worked long hours and nights.

3. Get a doctor to order your hormone levels and see if those dropped while working nights …

 

[3325]

Yes, I can’t stand night shift patrol. It’s 1900-0700 and I never felt good working it. Ever. Didn’t like the activity either. At this point in my career, it wouldn’t matter if I arrested one more drunk or 101 more drunks. There’s no job satisfaction in it. Don’t want to go to another bar fight either. Let the pricks thump on each other for all I care.

Fortunately, I work investigations now and I’m only out at night infrequently and for something specific like a surveillance.

 

[rookieforever33]

Over the past 35 years of working various shifts,hours, rates of pay, and different bosses I have learned a few things.
1. Always remember work is for pay and life is where you spend it. Your job may not be ideal, but support for your family is important.
2. Nobody else can tell me when I should be happy with what I have or strive for something different. They live their lives, I live mine!
3. I cant leave a job without another lined up. It may be hard to find another job while working full time. But if its important you will find a way.
4. What works for me now may nit be the best for me in 5 years. Make the best of the current situation.

 

[JStol5]

I’m an EMT and starting paramedic school in a very busy 911 system. I consciously chose to work day shifts at a pretty significant pay cut and it’s helped my overall quality of life tremendously.

I get burnt out like everyone else, but I truly believe the symptoms would be heavily exacerbated if I worked strictly nights. I’ve seen what it does to people over the long haul and it isn’t pretty. I’ve had to be stricter on my budget and all but having a functional thyroid, better eating habits, better sleep quality, and maintaining a normal schedule on my days off is worth far more than a pay bump to me.

Our night shifters work 4-5 days a week, 12 hour shifts at night, then swap back to a normal sleep schedule on their days off. I cannot fathom doing this for the long haul. I did it for my first 3 months and it was extremely tough- and I was 24.

 

[JoeB]

That would be tough. When I worked outages all the guys in the control room did was drink coffee with there feet on the desk.



That’s the only one. I promise.

I don't drink coffee so there's where the challenge starts. Hard to stay awake on night shift during an outage lol

 

[7LRM]

FWIW, I think company loyalty goes a long way and being honest with yourself is step 1, then being honest with others (your employer) is step two. That was the approach I took when I brought it up. “I don’t want to leave you, but I can’t keep working this shift/position.”

Of course, for your own self, have a safety net.

First, Go go talk to your company HR and tell them about your mental and physical situation, they would help you , if not ? Then you start looking for a new job and good luck.

 

[Shoot1000]

When I worked the night shift I was tired all the time. I wore earplugs to bed. It was work either 3:00 to 11:00 or 11:00 to 7:00. Inchose the 11:00 to 7:00 so I could soend time with my children.

 

[DiabeticKripple]

i work oilfield shift work.

15 days on 13 off, 14hr days with rotating night shifts.

i enjoy nights in the summer, way cooler and no one bugs you on nights. Winter however you literally dont see the sun for 15 days and need to take Vitamin D to supplement. i find it helps my mental health big time. Not always so tired and feeling drained after a shift. Ive done everything from 15/6, 21/7 and 15/13 for the last 10 years. 15/13 is 1000% better.

Sometimes on days off i cant find the will to do anything at all. just be a couch potato all day. Ive got tons of hobbies (fishing, archery, shooting, hunting) and all the gadgets to do it, but getting off the couch is hard somedays since I do everything alone. I think I only got my boat in the water twice this summer.

 

[Taudisio]

First, Go go talk to your company HR and tell them about your mental and physical situation, they would help you , if not ? Then you start looking for a new job and good luck.

HR is a fallacy and not there to help you, it’s there to protect the company. Don’t be naive and think otherwise.

 

[go_deep]

Assuming full time schedule that's $650k/year!

? How are you getting that number?
2080 work hours in a year for full time, $100 an hour is $208k. Where is the other $442k coming from?

 

[go_deep]

My scheduled work week, every week is Monday thru Friday 8-5, because apparently HR had to write something down on paper.
I'm the only one within 3-5 hours of my area depending on the week, so I'm on call everyday of every week. Then we can only do maintenance work between midnight and 5 a.m. and nearly every week we got something going on, and since I'm the only one in my area, I'm still expected to be to work the next day at 8 a.m.
From September 3rd thru September 9th I had 93.5 hours, I was scheduled for 40 hours...

 

[bigsky_hunter]

Some great info here. I’ve done shift work for 15 years.12 hr shifts,2 days 2 nights, 4 off. I enjoy my job so it hasn’t been terrible but I’m starting to look for a daytime position for better home life. A few things that have worked for me:

- Routine is huge. Figure out a system before, during and after a shift as well as days off. Don’t have to complicate it. Makes life simpler but also keeps you motivated to accomplish something when you don’t feel like doing anything. Also make lists, keeps you on track.

- Diet and exercise. Enough said but not always the easiest. I am fortunate though and can workout on my lunch breaks. 2 am works out aren’t always the best but doing something is better than sitting at a greasy restaurant. Do the hard work and it will pay off with better sleep, more energy and a more positive outlook. Also the mental health benefits are definitely a byproduct.

- Tell your spouse/family what you need from them before/after a shift and days off. For me my wife makes my lunch, lets me sleep in on certain days, doesn’t plan things for first day off after nights etc. and understands why I’m a bear sometimes.

- Make plans well in advance for hunting/outdoor trips. This way I pick away at getting gear together and am not overwhelmed last minute and just say why bother. Also gives me something to look forward to.

-Always prioritize your family. My Dad worked 35 years shift work and I now understand the sacrifices he made to put food on the table. He still took thetime to get us outside even though I’m sure he didn’t always feel like it.

-As it’s been said, if you don’t like what your doing and have to work nights, I would look for a different job.

 

[307]

? How are you getting that number?
2080 work hours in a year for full time, $100 an hour is $208k. Where is the other $442k coming from?

He claimed to work 100 hours per week.

The first 40 hours of a week are paid at regular rate (stated as $100/hr) which would leave 60 hours paid at $150/hr.

$13k/week, 50 weeks a year, $650k.

 

[Matt5266]

I'm a LEO and work 12 hour shifts. We rotate from nights to days every 4 months. Its brutal. I always feel drained. I have several "extra " responsibilitys at work too that make staying on a schedule hard along with young kids.... really going to be hard to continue this for another 19 years...

 

[derrick454@]

In the middle of nowhere 12 hour shifts in Alaska in the winter. Some outside. It will burn you out big time ….Darkness goes on for months. Temperatures sometimes at zero or below. We can’t get any young people to stick around. Wonder why.
But the summers are awesome

I only do it for the money and solitude because I couldn’t stand being in a city and commuting around a holes all the time

Nowadays it’s not even that great thanks to inflation and you know what. I don’t make a $100 an hour like the dude above. That would be nice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JJOutdoors]

There are so many potential factors at play here, and those are all reasonable guesses.

There are people who are experienced, knowledgeable, and competent in guiding people through untangling the ball of yarn. Maybe find one of them that you jive with. Mental health issues come in waves sometimes, and a classic symptom of the "Big D" is not finding interest and joy in what you used to. Another is lack of energy.

Another place to check is nutrient deficiencies. Testosterone, B vitamins, D vitamins, iron, all that. I tell everyone I meet on the street to get a blood analysis. I found out some time ago that I was very deficient in some basic energy and mood regulating nutrients and had to start supplementing to get back to normal levels.

Best of luck.

 

[Pilarczyk85]

I've worked nights for 7 yrs. Just finally got a day shift job. Work a 3-1-3. Luckily all nights but I still find myself drained. It would take me a full day to recover from it. Night shift especially swing shifts are horrible for your health. It throws off circadian rhythm along with hormone levels. Be sure if you're gonna stick to it to eat incredibly clean and supplement where ya can. It's the only thing that helped me for yrs.