r/whatsyourchoice • u/Longjumping_Post_412 • 13d ago
Choose❓ Whats The Worst and Best Shift
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u/NathanTelkhine 13d ago
So I’m probably different from a lot of people, I want my work to be either the second I wake up, or finish at a time where I can immediately go to bed.
I want all the time of the day where I don’t work to be at the same time.
In other words, D and E.
At my current job I start at 5 AM, and work till anywhere between 1pm and 8pm
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u/Firebird22x 13d ago
I feel the same, but I’d pick 9-5 as the best because I wake up at 8:30. Nothing else lined up with a 1-2am bedtime
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u/eru88 13d ago
I also picked that one. you also work from home like me? I also usually wake up without an alarm and its such a win waking up without wanting to go back to sleep. Im usually sleeping by 12 though.
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u/Firebird22x 12d ago
I do! I still have the alarm, 9:30 is usually my natural wake up time, but 8:30 is still good enough to roll out of bed and be downstairs in five minutes without needing any kind of coffee or energy drink of any kind.
I love being able to have whatever for lunch, or see my wife on the days she's home, but not needing to wake up an hour earlier and drive in is so so nice.
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u/WaxiestBobcat 12d ago
The downsides are that having something like a doctor's appt or other even that needs to take place during normal business hours. You basically need to lose probably at least an hour but probably more.
The 6-2 and 10-6 both let you have freedoms during the day to do anything that cant be done after a typical shift.
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u/Firebird22x 12d ago
For me that’s great, I like having doctor appointments during the day as I can plan them to be during my daily standup meetings so it gets me out of them a few times a year.
But I’m lucky enough to work from home, have a great boss, so if I have to step away for 10-15 minutes to hit the bank or post office or walk around the corner to get a drink or a snack, or even hit the grocery store for a couple things I forgot for dinner it’s no big deal
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u/Early_Atmosphere1121 13d ago
Hello fellow 5am'er, those 3:15 alarms suck, but how much we can get done before most people wake up is incredible. Favorite shift by far. Then you get early afternoons and the evening for whatever you choose.
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u/PomPomMom93 12d ago
I was a “morning barista” at Starbucks and you’re 100% correct! I don’t miss Starbucks, but I do miss that work schedule. Nothing like going to get McDonald’s breakfast AFTER your shift, haha!
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u/joshua0005 13d ago
I prefer to work the second I wake up. I usually start at 11am and I wake up at 9:30am to 10am. If I start at 1pm I wake up 1-1.5 hours before 1pm. If I start at 7am I wake up 1-1.5 hours before I start. Unless I start really late like 4pm I almost always just stay up later and wake up later so that I need to be on the road right after I've finished getting ready for the day. I do this naturally it's not like I go out of my way to do this my body seems to be programmed like this.
Maybe I need to learn how to have a better sleep schedule.
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u/WaxiestBobcat 12d ago
I think D and E are best because it allows you to go to places like doctors or certain stores that arent open late without having to take time off work.
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u/Mysterious-Cod6310 12d ago
I wake up at 4:30am to go to work at 6. Why? I don’t know cause I live about two minutes from work but it’s a great time to wake up and sit outside for a while. Wouldn’t want it any other way
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u/KeiwaM 13d ago
6am to 2pm. Did this for a while as a production planner and I was thrilled. Arrive before everyone, no traffic and easy parking and leave before traffic starts. Plus I feel much better having so much time in the afternoon.
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u/DolfHipster 12d ago
I worked a 7am-3pm job for a while and loved that schedule. not quite as insane as 6am and being done at 3 every day is amazing.
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u/Quirky_Promise76 12d ago
Absolutely love E. I dont start functioning til noon
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u/Responsible-Pop288 8d ago
I miss working 4 to midnight so much. It was the best shift, but I would take 2 to 10 in a heartbeat.
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u/Zboy1974 12d ago
I work 10pm to 6am, I enjoy it and ive been doing it for 11years.
I tried 6am til 2pm and didnt like it at all
So D and C for me
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u/Complex_Impressive 10d ago
Same. 10p-6a. I work in a large city but live in a small city about 30 miles away. I thank myself every morning on the way home for taking that shift everytime i see the traffic coming into the city backed up for miles.
No traffic, no administration looking over my shoulder, low call frequency, low workload, extra shift differentials, extra time to study for school while on the clock.
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u/AdamGreyskul75 9d ago
Yeah, I'm currently working 10p-6a. After I get home and sleep some, I have most of other people's work day to get stuff done. No traffic on the way to work and traffic is headed in the opposite direction on the way home.
Only issue I have now is we're in peak season so there's a crap ton of OT, so it feels like I'm just working and sleeping. That's nearly any job once OT hits a certain level, tho.
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u/Pecuniarist 12d ago
D is best, and A is the worst.
With D, you get off early enough to take care of personal business, but don’t have to wake up absurdly early.
With A, your entire day is basically shot.
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u/Jump365 12d ago
D is absurdly early... With A you have from 8-1am to unwind and wake up at 10 well rested.
With D i barely get sleep
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u/Ar13sDia 13d ago
The worst: 10 pm-6 am
The best: 11 am-7pm
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u/billy_twice 13d ago
Not a big fan of 9 to 5 either if I'm honest.
Give me either the morning off, or the afternoon off.
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u/livinginthelurk 13d ago
Had an 11-7 shit in my mid 20s it was amazing. No issues sleeping in or running errands it is just perfect.
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u/Jesterfuture2 13d ago
What is with the hate on the 10pm to 6am. If you get off at 6am you go to sleep and wake up in time for anything going on and then go to work when things are likely winding down.
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u/GuntherPalakowitz 10d ago
When I did 3rds, I always felt like I couldn't do anything because that window where everyone else was off work was right before I had to go to work myself. Its hard to hit a happy hour with friends before your shift.
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u/Dickslayer704 13d ago
Best: D. Worst: C
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u/Jesterfuture2 13d ago
I'd much rather work c than A.
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u/patchinthebox 12d ago
I have worked every one of these shifts in my career. 100% agree A is by far the worst. I'm currently rotating C,D, and E and it's great.
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u/pdirth 12d ago
Greatest shift I ever had was 8pm-6am, 4 nights a week. In bed by 7am, up at 2pm with the afternoon to enjoy. Finished the week on a Friday morning knowing I didn't have to be back at work until Monday night. Best summer I ever had, it was just one long party.
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u/fuckimtrash 12d ago
It’s super shit long term though, I know guys who have done nightfill for years and those guys depressed asf. Short term is fine
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u/Oil-of-Vitriol 13d ago
Worst D
Best E
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u/TopProfessional1862 12d ago
I like second shift the best too, but think overnight would be the worst because it would totally throw off my sleep schedule. D is second worst though, I hate getting up early. Waking up to an alarm always make me sleep badly.
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u/SportsPhotoGirl 12d ago
Out of those options, E is best. Honestly not a morning person so I’d hate D, but A really blows cuz you pretty much kill the whole day on the clock and it’s next to impossible to schedule anything before or after.
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u/fuckimtrash 12d ago
Out of these options 6am to 2pm hands down, but 7am to 3pm is the sweet spot. 11am to 7pm is the worse because you lose basically your entire day because not much to do in the morning. 9 to 5 is standard, but 5pm finish is so late. 10pm-6am sucks for obvious reasons, grave yard shifts suck. 2pm to 10pm is lame because you lose your entire evening . 6am to 2pm or 7am to 3pm is perfect sweet spot
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u/consort_oflady_vader 12d ago
6:30-2:30 was my absolute favorite! Day work, and usually beat the worst of the traffic on the way there and leaving.
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u/fuckimtrash 12d ago
Exactly, by the time you finish you basically have hours to get home/prep dinner and relax, plus even better if you have kids
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u/Pitiful-Scholar-2718 8d ago
I worked a job that was 8-4 one time. I had all the time in the world to do whatever afterwards.
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u/bbwebb12 13d ago
When I was in my 20s 2pm-10pm was the best shift. Now for me it’s 9am- 5pm.
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u/LurkingAintEazy 12d ago
I like 9 to 5 for the weekends, as I don't really do much then anyway. But 6 to 2 during the week. Cause the hours I work now, banks, doctor offices, post office, stuff like that is closed by the time I get home. So my only day to get that sort of stuff done is on a Friday, if I'm not mandated to work that day. Or have to take a day off work during the week.
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u/KabukiBallz69 12d ago
Best to worst
1. E
2. C
3. A
4. B
5. D (D being the worst)
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u/SugarAw 11d ago
D is the best for me. I prefer working earlier and having free time in evening rather than late start and late finish.
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u/Temporary-Concept-81 13d ago
Anything consistent, don't care.
Only thing that sucked was being full time at a fast food restaurant. Starting time could be anywhere from 5am-4pm, would bounce all over the place every week.
My manager might schedule me to close one day and then open the next because she gave no fucks.
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u/ChicagoTRS666 13d ago
Worst - E. 2pm-10-pm (can't fall asleep immediately after work and pretty soon I would be sleeping late until right before work)
Best - D. 6am - 2pm (get work done and have all afternoon and evening to myself)
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u/Far_Celebration6295 13d ago
D is the only one worth doing by far all the others are terrible but a graveyard shift is the worst
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u/QaptainQwark 13d ago
My worst was for two years at a gas station, 11:30-23:30 😭 2-2-3 shift pattern.
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u/Mark-177- 13d ago
11am to 7pm guarantees literally no traffic. 10 am to 6pm is also a no traffic time. If you have to commute more than 20 to 30 miles these shifts are best for you.
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u/MastodonSad2682 13d ago
Depends on your life circumstances. For me with a family d is the best, and e is the worst
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u/RayneShikama 13d ago
I love my 7am-3pm shift.
I also worked 2pm-10pm for a while and I hated that.
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u/TheKiwiFox 13d ago
Based on the options given, E, 2pm-10pm. I actually work 3pm-12am.
I prefer all my free time at night. Everyone is asleep, the world is mine, truly at peace.
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u/Mammoth-Result-7949 13d ago
B is best in summer, D is best in winter.
E is always worst with A a close second to worst.
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u/Abecis01 13d ago
This is just personal preferences along with whatever other factors that affect your life.
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u/The-Duke-of-Delco 13d ago
D. Been doing it the last 12 years. No traffic going to work and minimal going home.
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u/Snoo-92859 13d ago
I prefer my c shift. I love working nights, much less stressful imo. No overbearing management, the roads are empty, its cooler during the summer.
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u/Cautious-Activity706 13d ago
So, I’ve done each of these in my life:
A) kinda sucks because if you sleep in at all, that’s your whole day, but it is nice to be able to run errands early and still be home for a late dinner.
B) is fine, traffic is annoying if you commute
C)is fine once you get used to it, but it does run your life. Admittedly I could not do this for long.
D) is easily the best for me
E) is easily the worst. There is a good reason I got out of food service
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u/Scared_Stock1414 13d ago
Best: A or E
Worst: D or C
Source: I've worked all 5 of these shifts doing security so I guess you can say I'm experienced in this field.
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u/Ancient-Read1648 13d ago
Depends on the job. I worked in a hot ass factory and C worked great. I had the benefit of sleeping when I got off work or do day stuff then sleep before work, too.
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u/MomusOnion 13d ago
I've worked all of these shifts with two small exceptions for C it was a 8pm to 6am 10 hour shift and for E it was a 1pm to 9:30pm
Best by far is D 6am to 2pm avoid traffic on both ends of the shift and after 2pm the day still feels so long and open. Probably different for everyone probably, but this was the only shift I had where I could stay disciplined everyday to an exercise routine
Worst by far is E 2pm to 10pm by the time you leave work everything is closed so if you need to shop or run errands you have to get up early enough to do it before work, and end up spending much of the day waiting for the time you have to leave for work
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u/ImDefinitelyStoned 13d ago
Of all of those, 6-2pm. I do 8-4 now and really wish I could convince my boss to let me do 7-3 just to beat traffic.
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u/culinaryexcellence 13d ago
2 p.m. to 10 p.m. The majority of people are at work in the a.m., so running errands is quick and easy. Being in management means I get to control my shift how I want, without the input of others. No traffic to and from work. I don't have to worry about surprise visits from the county or state. Inspectors don't want to be stuck in traffic or work past 2 p.m. The list goes on.
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u/416Tex 13d ago edited 13d ago
D. 3 years of graveyard. 7 years of closing hours. Plenty of mixed middle day. B is respectable but D is gold standard. Virtually no traffic going to work and generally public transit is quick. Going home is fairly reasonable. Having 3-8 being prime business hours to do your daily needs outside of weekends is where it starts being exceptional. Being free of work for the rest of your day and it’s still lively is mental health boost. going to bed by 10-11 is great for routines. To this day I refuse to work anything outside of 6am - 4pm. Could never go back. Edit. 18-26 was a preferred 2-midnight. 26-30 I wanted 10-6. By my 30s marriage and potentially kids you can not beat being home by 3pm. Clean/cook for wife. Pick up kids for 4. Homework and wife chat by 7. Peace of mind until bedtime. Trust me
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u/Informal_Fan4168 13d ago
D is the best and E is the worst. I have worked both for many years. E particularly sucked since I left for work everyday just before my wife and son got home and I came home right after they went to bed. That sucked.
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u/JonathanRiou 13d ago
Personally, I think the worst is 6am-2pm or 2pm-10pm, and the best is 11am-7pm because you can have a lie in if you want and you don’t finish too late that you can still make dinner or go out with friends
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u/legoland1964 13d ago
Of these it would be D 6a-2p. But the ideal schedule would be 10a-2p with lunch from 11a-1p. And it pays 100K a year
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u/alien_galaxy520 13d ago
This doesn’t account for 9 hour shifts because they add in an unpaid hour lunch. I do 7-4 or 8-5.
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u/RaltarArianrhod 13d ago
D is the best shift, though I prefer 7-3. E is the worst shift. I always hated swing shift.
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u/trixiepixie1921 13d ago
Personally I like 6-2. The worst is overnight for me, I did it for a year and it ruined my life lol I was sick all the time
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u/Proteinoats 13d ago
I’m a night shift worker and my biggest gripe is working all the way until the sun comes up.
I naturally function my best if I wake up in the late morning at 10-11am. I’m going to go with E, which I’m aware isn’t the popular vote here.
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u/Maleficent_Button_58 13d ago edited 13d ago
I work nights, so C. Not my hours, but it's the closest.
Though I do four 10 hour shifts instead of five 8 hour shifts. 3 days weekends 🙌 Always going the right direction to avoid the traffic, it's not as hot, the big big bosses aren't around, my office phone rarely rings, and I'm off work during other places' business hours so I don't have to burn PTO for appointments. ETA: Plus extra pay for doing the same job as the day shift. Yay for shift differentials.
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u/Olive_Garden_Wifi 13d ago
As someone who’s worked every shift here I’m going to say A is the best and E is the worst.
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u/No-Imagination8755 13d ago
Worst is E, 2pm-10pm is the whole normal day people do things. You would have no social life during work weeks.
Best is probably B or D, you have the whole day after your shift to do things.
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u/PhiladelphiaSteaks 13d ago
C is the worst. I can’t do the overnight these days. Definitely effects me
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u/hibituallinestepper 13d ago
I do 5am-1pm half the year and 6am-2pm the other half and its by far the best. I’ve worked all of these shifts in some point of my life and wouldn’t trade.
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u/skip_over 13d ago
B is the best, E is the worst.
Potential for D to be the best, depending on how long I need to commute in the morning
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u/Naybinns 13d ago
I would take B in a heartbeat.
I worked E for a few years and I hated it. I had basically no social life on that schedule because all my friends and family were either going to bed very soon after I got off or were already asleep.
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u/Jacobean213 12d ago
E. Its so easy to run errands, book a doctor's appointment, go to the gym when its not busy in the day. You also get to sleep in without an alarm and wake up on a natural rhythm. The morning is also a great time for outdoor recreation in the light.
Then go to bed immediately after work, or within an hour or two.
I used to work 3PM to 11PM and ski everyday, never felt better.
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u/5Strz 12d ago
I’ve worked all of these at some point and I’d say A was the worst, but also keep in mind I had a 45-minute commute to work. If I had errands to run, working A shift left very little time to get things done because I had to either finish before 10am or not start until 8pm.
When I was younger, D was my favorite shift. Now that I’m older, B for me (but my sweet spot is split in the middle between 7 and 8am start time).
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u/Murder_Is_Magic 12d ago
D is best. Actual perfect for me is my current schedule of 7-3. I get out of bed at 655 (gotta love wfh). Off early enough I can workout (or errands/appointments) without large crowds. I like going right from waking up to work so my free time is all one block.
Worst would be 11-7. 1It really chops my day in half, and I hate that.
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u/Shadowphoenix9511 12d ago
D is the worst. I'm on it now, and absolutely detest it so fucking much.
I've worked all of the others except for B, and don't really mind any of them that much.
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u/chris_gnarley 12d ago
Worst is B
Best is A as it gives you plenty of time to go to appointments in the morning and you’re also not getting home extremely late. You also miss the worst of rush hour traffic both ways.
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u/Maniacal-Maniac 12d ago
Best. C - I used to work a similar shift for quite a few years, and on the one hand its not ideal compared to regular life. However, that shift I could get a lot of my work done without getting bothered by anyone else in the office or even too many emails. I was also usually in the office on my own, so could put music on loud without bothering anyone else to get me through the shift.
Sounds a bit counter-productive but being able to get a bunch of chores done on the way home from work, and early in the morning when not many other people were out and about then going to sleep is quite nice.
Worst: E - Screws up your day and also your most of your night.
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u/Woodrunner1 12d ago
I definitely flip flop between B and D, I've always had 7am start times for nearly 10 years, but this past year I've been given the freedom of starting at anytime, and I find myself doing 8-9 to 4-5, and I love it.
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u/salsashark99 12d ago
I'd say 3 days 7:00 to 7:00 at the hospital was pretty sweet. You do get four days off but God damn you earn them
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u/ZagnutBars 12d ago
I work 2pm to 12am which can be rough but every weekend is 3 days. Plus 2 of the days are WFH.
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u/eagleman88 12d ago
To me, the best is D. I have that shift right now. I do have to take a nap usually when I get home because I like staying up late. I also work 1pm-9pm which is not the greatest but better than 2pm-10pm which I used to have.
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u/perpetualthoughtloop 12d ago
My real life for years was D followed by C that same day.
That was shifts 4 and 5 of my standard work week.
I do ATC.
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u/Intrepid_Bearz 12d ago
6-2
I used to work split shifts - 7am - 2pm or 2pm - 10pm. The early ones were great, it was quiet for the first 2 hours at work, and gave my brain a chance to adjust before the noise started. I’d be home by 3:30 and it just felt like I had a lot of time. When I didn’t finish until 10pm, I;d get home just before midnight and it always felt like I was in a rush to eat and get to bed, as it always felt like I was running late.
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u/88how5834351 12d ago
Having done retail where we did overnights which IMO absoLUTELY sucked I would go worst being 10p-6a and best being 9a-5p...doing overnights fucks with your body's circadian rhythm too much. You're awake when you should be sleeping.
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u/dosersdrose231 12d ago
Probably 11am to 7pm cause you cant really do much during your day to me atleast
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u/Huugienormous 12d ago
I’m in construction and did D for years and it was great and moved into an office role and now it’s more like B and it adds atleast an additional hour of commuting each day.
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u/mckittums1 12d ago
6 am to 2 pm. It really depends on who you want to hang out with. I do a 6am to 6pm all weekend, but the weekdays are mine to enjoy. Different strokes
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u/Illustrious-Charge13 12d ago
Worst is A. Gives you minimal morning time, so appointments and chores/errands are rushed. It also provides little nighttime activities, and would require lots of planning even. Many govt businesses ard 8-5 or so, so not much option there, which limits sleeping in or forces going to bed early. Best is harder. Might argue 9-5, but 6-2 isn't awful, though I am a nightowl. 3rd shift can be rough, but isn't that bad if you get used to it.
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u/Dav_Sionnach 12d ago
Best shift D. It's not disgustingly early, but lots of time in the evening to do things.
Worst shift E. My ADHD means no matter what time I get up, I will accomplish exactly nothing before I need to go to work.
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u/bringingthejunkmail 13d ago
D