Going back to overnight$

[PharmaSex]

Been working during day and evening shifts at my local health system for the past two years. It not a bad gig but at $55/hour (with a 10% differential for evenings) this is actually the least amount I am making compared to my last two gigs as a consultant and an overnight before that.

Luckily a type of golden goose position opened up for an overnight gig where I get a 25% differential and only work 70 hours (BUT get paid for 80). It's also super close to where I live and so my commute would be about 15 min each way. I end up making $85/hr and will get OT if I pick up shifts on my off week.

I'm not a fan of overnights but since I'm older and my social circle tend to not go out anymore, this works. I plan to use my days to day trade and my off weeks to travel more frequently.

Anyone else making moves with their gigs?

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[mentos]

Works for me. I like having the weeks off.

Daytrading was great last year but is tough right now, I feel like I should just go back to indexing.

 

[TheBlaah]

25% differential is pretty huge even for night shift, and so is going from ~$55/hr to ~$85/hr. My workplace offers a flat $9/hr increase. Just curious, do you include he fact that you're getting paid 80 for 70 hrs into our $85/hr figure?

I did something somewhat similar a few years ago. I work evenings instead of nights, but I still work 7-on-7-off for 70 hours and get paid for 80 hours. It works out great for me because I personally don't think I'd be able to work nights for longterm; I have too much trouble adjusting my sleeping hours as is.

One question: how does your PTO work? My system forces the 7-on people to find their own coverage for weekends and holidays. Unfortunately, one week ends up working all the major holidays for 7 years straight and it's nearly impossible to find coverage.

 

[BidingMyTime]

Congratulations! That is a great move! Can't imagine very many people coming close, much less topping, that move you've made. Although if anyone can, it will be Sparda.

 

[Junfan50]

I just moved from day shift to an overnight 7 on 7 off position. It amounts to a roughly $10,300 pay increase over the year, not including the double pay I’d get if a holiday falls on my week on. We have 3 kids under the age of 5, so I was worried how it would work out, but so far it’s been great. I thought I would be too tired to do anything on my week off, but honestly I’m fine after 1 day of recovery.

The first couple of hours can be a little busy, but after 2330 it starts to quiet down. The hours are long, but I love it because it’s very quiet. There’s a lot of downtime, so I have time to work on personal things if I need to. The 7 days off means I don’t have to use up my leave at all. When travel becomes less restrictive, I can take off 1 week and get 3 weeks off. No regrets so far.

 

[RxPreceptor]

Went daytime after overnights for 5+ years straight....daytime lifestyle = so much easier. It's nice to change things up occasionally; however, I've decided I've had my fair share and experience doing overnights (will not pursue in the future...benefits just don't outweigh the detriments for myself after comparing the two vastly different lifestyles for myself at least)

Overnights can be very tough in the long run mentally dealing with frustration (the world just doesn't operate 24 hours/day) and loneliness even for someone who is an introvert

 

[PharmaSex]

25% differential is pretty huge even for night shift, and so is going from ~$55/hr to ~$85/hr. My workplace offers a flat $9/hr increase. Just curious, do you include he fact that you're getting paid 80 for 70 hrs into our $85/hr figure?

I did something somewhat similar a few years ago. I work evenings instead of nights, but I still work 7-on-7-off for 70 hours and get paid for 80 hours. It works out great for me because I personally don't think I'd be able to work nights for longterm; I have too much trouble adjusting my sleeping hours as is.

One question: how does your PTO work? My system forces the 7-on people to find their own coverage for weekends and holidays. Unfortunately, one week ends up working all the major holidays for 7 years straight and it's nearly impossible to find coverage.

The $85/hr is the effective rate when you figure in the ten free hours. Not sure how PTO works as I haven't started yet.

You are spot on about those work rotations that encompass most of the major holidays. My last overnight position had me on those but I did not mind as I was still able to see my family and got 1.5x holiday pay so it was like free money doing less work since the census is always less on major holidays. I did always get NYE and day off so that was nice. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving was always mine for the period that I worked. With COVID here to stay and most of my extended family with their own families, the holidays aren't anything too special for my personally.

 

[Saiyo]

I'm personally more tired on second shift then first shift. I need like 9 hours of sleep to feel ok on second shift, and on my days off I'm always lazy and discombobulated.

On regular dayshift I can function on 3 hours of sleep if I had to and still have energy after work to pursue hobbies.

If money wasn't a concern I'd go dayshift all the way, but for now the evening differential at least covers some of my losses from being the worst stock picker ever.

 

[PharmaSex]

I just moved from day shift to an overnight 7 on 7 off position. It amounts to a roughly $10,300 pay increase over the year, not including the double pay I’d get if a holiday falls on my week on. We have 3 kids under the age of 5, so I was worried how it would work out, but so far it’s been great. I thought I would be too tired to do anything on my week off, but honestly I’m fine after 1 day of recovery.

The first couple of hours can be a little busy, but after 2330 it starts to quiet down. The hours are long, but I love it because it’s very quiet. There’s a lot of downtime, so I have time to work on personal things if I need to. The 7 days off means I don’t have to use up my leave at all. When travel becomes less restrictive, I can take off 1 week and get 3 weeks off. No regrets so far.

YUP!!! You nailed all the benefits. If you can tolerate the schedule and adjust your sleep pattern you get many benefits with this position. At my last spot, we had only one 3rd shift pharmacist on duty as it was a small hospital. This made getting coverage for holidays, etc really hard. This new spot I am moving has 3 pharmacists on each rotation. If I really need off, I can just call out knowing that the workload can get distributed.

 

[PharmaSex]

Went daytime after overnights for 5+ years straight....daytime lifestyle = so much easier. It's nice to change things up occasionally; however, I've decided I've had my fair share and experience doing overnights (will not pursue in the future...benefits just don't outweigh the detriments for myself after comparing the two vastly different lifestyles for myself at least)

Overnights can be very tough in the long run mentally dealing with frustration (the world just doesn't operate 24 hours/day) and loneliness even for someone who is an introvert

You got that straight for sure.

I love working days and would actually prefer to work days as I love the normality that comes with working the same time everyone else does. It took me a bit of time to really learn to work days as I felt like my social skills needed a little bit of polishing after 3 years of limited contact doing overnights.

Unfortunately, the biggest turn off to days was commuting. My last position had me driving an hour straight each way 5 days a week. That's 40 hours of driving per month.... Just 5 months into the new job and I had my doubts of how I could continue to tolerate this. I felt like I was developing sores on my ass from sitting in my car and at work so much lol.

My current gig is a lot closer (30 min each way door-to-door) but I work in a major city and parking is not provided for free to employees so I end up parking a mile away and walking 15 min to park for free if I work days. I don't mind the walking but doing so in the winter can be a real annoyance. Evening shifts has free parking but the shift is 2:30 PM - 11 PM and so this consumes your day as well as no one is around the the late AMs to hang out. I actually prefer overnights to evenings as you get paid a lot more and have each day available to get things done if you have to.

I had 4 conditions that would make me do overnights again that this new position met:

1) starting later in the evening (I used to start at 8:30 PM and now start at 9 or 9:30)
2) significantly less commute time (30 min round trip from the previous 105 min time) -- I'm about 15 min drive away currently
3) work 70 but get paid for 80 (I used to have to work all 80)
4) more money overall

 

[mentos]

My rotation falls on all the major holidays for the next 5 years or so. I don't really care cause as someone said, it's less busy and you get the 1.5x pay. For Thanksgiving, we just do turkey on my week off instead. For Christmas, I still see my son open presents in the morning. I don't really care about any other holidays anyway.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

One of us...one of us...

 

[grizzlesgrizzlies]

One question: how does your PTO work? My system forces the 7-on people to find their own coverage for weekends and holidays. Unfortunately, one week ends up working all the major holidays for 7 years straight and it's nearly impossible to find coverage.

That is such bs. IMO it should be on management to approve and find coverage for PTO instead of the employee. Why can't they have part-time / PRN float pool to cover weekends?

 

[TheBlaah]

That is such bs. IMO it should be on management to approve and find coverage for PTO instead of the employee. Why can't they have part-time / PRN float pool to cover weekends?

This was my sentiment exactly.

I can only assume it's because the part-time / PRN float pool don't want to cover evenings/nights/weekends.

 

[RxPreceptor]

This was my sentiment exactly.

I can only assume it's because the part-time / PRN float pool don't want to cover evenings/nights/weekends.

Yeah, this is BS. When I was overnight, myself and opposite partner would act as each others' relief for vacation, etc. Management was completely unreliable/would give us more grief/damage to clean up if they somehow found a floater to take overnight shifts

 

[Sparda29]

Congratulations! That is a great move! Can't imagine very many people coming close, much less topping, that move you've made. Although if anyone can, it will be Sparda.

I'm already doing 7 on 7 off overnights. The only negative here is that my commute is 40 minutes to the hospital and almost an hour coming back in the morning. Ideally, I'd want a similar gig 10 minutes from my place.

 

[Sparda29]

25% differential is pretty huge even for night shift, and so is going from ~$55/hr to ~$85/hr. My workplace offers a flat $9/hr increase. Just curious, do you include he fact that you're getting paid 80 for 70 hrs into our $85/hr figure?

I did something somewhat similar a few years ago. I work evenings instead of nights, but I still work 7-on-7-off for 70 hours and get paid for 80 hours. It works out great for me because I personally don't think I'd be able to work nights for longterm; I have too much trouble adjusting my sleeping hours as is.

One question: how does your PTO work? My system forces the 7-on people to find their own coverage for weekends and holidays. Unfortunately, one week ends up working all the major holidays for 7 years straight and it's nearly impossible to find coverage.

Nah, my hospital makes the day timers and evening shift cover our vacations, holidays, etc on seniority based rotation.

 

[Dred Pirate]

being forced to cover your own time off is total BS- never heard of that in a hospital. I get 320 hours and use every one every year - actually only go into the hospital 150 shifts a year and don't feel the slightest guilt using my time off

 

[Saiyo]

being forced to cover your own time off is total BS- never heard of that in a hospital. I get 320 hours and use every one every year - actually only go into the hospital 150 shifts a year and don't feel the slightest guilt using my time off

Hol up, not only is your hourly rate insane you also have 3x my pto hours a year? What am I doing with my life !

 

[Always Choose Vanco]

I plan to use my days to day trade and my off weeks to travel more frequently.

Literally what i'm doing. Took 2nd shift LTC so I have mornings to trade the open. I only trade the 1st hour anyway so it works out pefectly. Can get a nap in or w.e. before my shift starts 2-3

 

[mentos]

Literally what i'm doing. Took 2nd shift LTC so I have mornings to trade the open. I only trade the 1st hour anyway so it works out pefectly. Can get a nap in or w.e. before my shift starts 2-3

Are you making money? I haven't had much luck this year. Share your plays with us!

 

[Always Choose Vanco]

Are you making money? I haven't had much luck this year. Share your plays with us!

I am. I’m primarily shorting small caps. April has been slow premarket but otherwise doing fine.

 

[Dred Pirate]

Hol up, not only is your hourly rate insane you also have 3x my pto hours a year? What am I doing with my life !

I don't think my hourly rate is insane - it is $70 base (then work 70 get paid for 80 + dif) -
We start at 200 hours a year PDO, I have been here 15 years - do you really only get 2-3 weeks? (retail? extra holidays?)

 

[Saiyo]

I don't think my hourly rate is insane - it is $70 base (then work 70 get paid for 80 + dif) -
We start at 200 hours a year PDO, I have been here 15 years - do you really only get 2-3 weeks? (retail? extra holidays?)

I guess I was exaggerating alittle. I was at 2.5 weeks for a while which really stunk, but finally got bumped up to 4 weeks + 10 federal holidays, so I guess it's not bad now.

Your base rate +differential is something I will never achieve tho and I think does meet the definition of insane!

 

[Sparda29]

Overnight honestly doesn't feel like work to me.

Yes, you are working but you don't have anyone supervising you. You don't have anyone telling you to put your phone away or telling you how to dress. You don't have coworkers second guessing your decisions. You don't have to worry about "break times", you just eat your meal by the computer and take as long as you want to eat it.

The most stressful part of the the shift to me is the last 2-3 hours when day shift comes in.

 

[PharmaSex]

I don't think my hourly rate is insane - it is $70 base (then work 70 get paid for 80 + dif) -
We start at 200 hours a year PDO, I have been here 15 years - do you really only get 2-3 weeks? (retail? extra holidays?)

What’s your differential?

 

[mentos]

Overnight honestly doesn't feel like work to me.

Yes, you are working but you don't have anyone supervising you. You don't have anyone telling you to put your phone away or telling you how to dress. You don't have coworkers second guessing your decisions. You don't have to worry about "break times", you just eat your meal by the computer and take as long as you want to eat it.

The most stressful part of the the shift to me is the last 2-3 hours when day shift comes in.

My overnight tech follows the 2x15min and 30min lunch breaks to a tee so I feel kinda awkward if I take longer breaks, even though no one would care.

 

[Sparda29]

My overnight tech follows the 2x15min and 30min lunch breaks to a tee so I feel kinda awkward if I take longer breaks, even though no one would care.

I don't hold them to the break rules that the day and evening shift have to follow. They can sleep if there is nothing to do as long as the fill list and their pyxis refills are complete and deliver stuff occasionally.

 

[mentos]

I don't hold them to the break rules that the day and evening shift have to follow. They can sleep if there is nothing to do as long as the fill list and their pyxis refills are complete and deliver stuff occasionally.

Yeah I don't either but he does anyway.

 

[RxPreceptor]

Overnight honestly doesn't feel like work to me.

Yes, you are working but you don't have anyone supervising you. You don't have anyone telling you to put your phone away or telling you how to dress. You don't have coworkers second guessing your decisions. You don't have to worry about "break times", you just eat your meal by the computer and take as long as you want to eat it.

The most stressful part of the the shift to me is the last 2-3 hours when day shift comes in.

Yeah, I did enjoy the whole autonomy thing and not having to worry much about management/BS visits/etc. The frustrating part being constantly working my @$$ off only to be at the mercy of daytime mismanagement, call outs galore, $h!t hitting the fence as I 'd show up to start my shift. Despite being alone for the most part, overall volume/workload still depends greatly on other co-workers.

 

[Sparda29]

Yeah, I did enjoy the whole autonomy thing and not having to worry much about management/BS visits/etc. The frustrating part being constantly working my @$$ off only to be at the mercy of daytime mismanagement, call outs galore, $h!t hitting the fence as I 'd show up to start my shift. Despite being alone for the most part, overall volume/workload still depends greatly on other co-workers.

Luckily, the evening shift crew around here is solid.

 

[Dred Pirate]

What’s your differential?

The dif amounts to 15k a year + plus work 70 get paid for 80

 

[Dred Pirate]

i literally have 30 minutes of overlap with am shift, but I like my team that relieves me - except for two of them

 

[watchfulwaiting1957]

Been working during day and evening shifts at my local health system for the past two years. It not a bad gig but at $55/hour (with a 10% differential for evenings) this is actually the least amount I am making compared to my last two gigs as a consultant and an overnight before that.

Luckily a type of golden goose position opened up for an overnight gig where I get a 25% differential and only work 70 hours (BUT get paid for 80). It's also super close to where I live and so my commute would be about 15 min each way. I end up making $85/hr and will get OT if I pick up shifts on my off week.

I'm not a fan of overnights but since I'm older and my social circle tend to not go out anymore, this works. I plan to use my days to day trade and my off weeks to travel more frequently.

Anyone else making moves with their gigs?

I find overnight to be terrible for my health. I worked overnight at Target unloading trucks and i would get so sick bc of my immune system not dealing with the circadian rhythm disruptions. Do you wake up during the day on your off shifts? and it also can be harder going to doctor appointments or visiting stores as you are awake when many biz are shutdown or have limited hours.

 

[Sparda29]

I find overnight to be terrible for my health. I worked overnight at Target unloading trucks and i would get so sick bc of my immune system not dealing with the circadian rhythm disruptions. Do you wake up during the day on your off shifts? and it also can be harder going to doctor appointments or visiting stores as you are awake when many biz are shutdown or have limited hours.

You have to dedicate yourself to the night. Can't be going back and forth like that unless you're 7 on/7 off then you can make the switch by staying awake after your last night shift.

 

[watchfulwaiting1957]

You have to dedicate yourself to the night. Can't be going back and forth like that unless you're 7 on/7 off then you can make the switch by staying awake after your last night shift.

I talked to an ICU physician and he did the 7 on 7 off. I whole time I was thinking I would not ever do that. It's just not worth my health (which is already not super great to begin with). I know switching my rhythm like that, so often, could literally contribute to my death. I like your strategy though of sticking with it for a week then conversion therapy over 24 hours to convert from Zombie to Human form

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I just stay up all night during my off week these days. Do shipping in morning, see movies at noon, etc. Generally sleep from like 2pm- 10pm on my off week. Works for me.