Working evening (3-11) shift - what do you do with your day?

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I'll be starting a 13-week contract on 2nd shift in about a week's time and it's been a while since I've worked 3-11. I know I could sleep in all day, but what do YOU do with your day-time while working evenings?

Specializes in ICU.

I love working 3-11, but I don't have anyone at home but myself to worry about. I can sleep late and not have to get up to an alarm clock, which I like. I have all morning for appointments, shopping, etc., whatever. When I get home, I usually get online to check out the day's news, email, etc. Then whenever I feel like it, I go to bed, which is sometimes as "late" as 5 a.m. I am not a morning person, and I absolutely hate over-night shifts, so 3-11 is perfect for me. I have all morning for dentists/doctors, so don't have to take off work, or work around a schedule. If there is something going on around town, I can still attend, and get to work by 3. If I still had kids at home, this would not work. After I have finished online, I watch a little TV until I fall asleep. Yes, I guess you could call me lazy! I usually reserve my housekeeping stuff for days I am off.

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I would look at my watch anticipating going to work all day.

Before running errands, I would wonder "do I have enough time to get this done before getting ready to go to work?" I never liked the feeling of having to ration my energy so I would have enough left in the afternoon to get through a 3-11 shift.

Now I work 7-7 days and it is simpler, I get up and go to work.

Having to anticipate going to work was like a dark cloud hovering over what was my free time.

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I would look at my watch anticipating going to work all day.

Before running errands, I would wonder "do I have enough time to get this done before getting ready to go to work?" I never liked the feeling of having to ration my energy so I would have enough left in the afternoon to get through a 3-11 shift.

Now I work 7-7 days and it is simpler, I get up and go to work.

Having to anticipate going to work was like a dark cloud hovering over what was my free time.

I have found that "anticipatory dread" with both PM and night shifts. That is the one thing about day shift that I like. I wake up and get ready for work. There is no time to get sick over the thought of going to work like with PM or night shift.

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Specializes in critical care.

My husband has been on second shift for about 6 months now. It's been hard on him. At first, he slept a lot. He hated not seeing the kids at all so he would wake up to take them to school and the sleep the majority of the day. Now that summer is here, he gets to sleep in without interruption so he'll be up around 10, have a few hours with us, then leave for work at 2:00. He's much more pleasant to be around than he was sleeping all day. He actually gets things done now and wants to do them. Wasn't an easy transition, though!

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Specializes in Labor & Delivery.
I have found that "anticipatory dread" with both PM and night shifts. That is the one thing about day shift that I like. I wake up and get ready for work. There is no time to get sick over the thought of going to work like with PM or night shift.

I have only worked a 3-11 shift a few times, to get a few extra hours in and cover someone else's shift... but when I did I hated it. I would constantly look at the clock all day and I felt like I couldn't get anything done. I would wake up, shower, check e-mails, watch tv, work out, eat lunch, and before you know it it's time to go to work.

I like working 7am - 3pm because I feel like I still have the whole day/night to look forward to.

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Get up 7:30 or 8. Eat breakfast, read whatever I want, make bed and clean, do laundry, watch some tv if I have time, grocery shop, have lunch and get ready for work. Can do appointments if needed. Time flies. Soon its time to go to work.

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Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.

Try a 1300 - 2130 I would either go crazy cleaning and work out laundry etc. Or drag myself out of bed at 11 am.

And I work a rotating roster. A mix of lates, earlys (0700 - 1530) and then flip to nights for 2 weeks out of 6

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I worked 3-11 as a CNA for awhile. I'd be in bed by 11:45 p.m., up at 5:30 a.m., run, study, walk the dog, pick up the house, run errands, head to class...I could get a lot done before 3:00!

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I guess since I don't normally go to bed until between 11:30 p.m. midnight and I get up at 0530 or 0600 on a routine basis, I'm not understanding sleeping in until 11 a.m. or after when you work a 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift. Unless you stay awake all night.

If I worked that shift, I'd go to bed pretty soon after I got home (after a shower). Then I would get done all the normal things I get done during the day. Make coffee, read the paper (and allnurses) online. Work out. Shower. Housework. Meet a friend for lunch. Pay bills. Work in the garden.

The only thing I wouldn't like about this shift is not being here for my family. They would be gone at work/school when I was home and then I'd be at work when they were all home.

If I lived alone, this would be a good shift.

But an 11:30-ish bedtime seems like a normal bedtime.

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Specializes in ICU, OR.

Before I had kids, working 3-11:

Sleep in till 11 am, then exercise or run, sit online, or go shopping for a few hours by myself. Shower, work. Maybe stay up watching TV till 1.

After I had kids, working 3-11:

Wake up at 7am, get kids dressed and feed them breakfast, take 1 to school, go grocery shopping with other one, prepare lunches, play with them/keep entertained, or take them out to play. Squeeze in a shower, brief sitter, go to work, sometimes grocery shop after work to avoid taking kids in AM, shower again, sleep 1-2 am.

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Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

i was single then.

get home about midnight

shower

watch tv or listen to music until about 2:30 am

get up about noonish

errands, appts, groceries, etc.

play with cats

shower

go to back to work again

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I worked 3-midnight for a while. I also had a 2 year old who loved to be up at 7am, so I'd force myself to go to bed right after work, be up at 7, and spend the day doing stay at home mom things - cleaning, cooking, playing, errands, whatever, leave for work at 2:30.

When I didn't have to be up in the morning, I'd stay up until 3an and be up around 9 or 10, do the same stuff, just less of it. I found I wasted most of my after work time if I stayed up, but was productive in the morning, so I always tried to go to sleep ASAP.

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