Longer but fewer days or more shorter days?

[Andyouwithyourautumnsweater]

Have been working 12 hour shifts which I initially didn't mind, as I love having more days off. I've also been doing a 14 hour day (8am-10pm) sometimes which is brutal.
However not so sure anymore, I always dread the long days initially. Find myself thinking of doing 7/8 hour days only. Means I'd have to work 5 days rather than 3 though to make up the hours.
What would you rather do? Does anyone do these shift patterns?
Also I can pick my own hours but I tend to never work consecutive 12 hour days as it's exhausting. No idea how some colleagues manage to do 4 on 4 off.

I’d rather do three very long days but my job doesn’t allow for that. I’ve compromised at 3.5 days and it works well :)

I'd rather do the long days.

There is no right or wrong choice but the three determining factors for me would be:

• the intensity of the work in terms of brain drain - a long day of gardening for example is likely to be less mentally draining than a long day reading reports or teaching


• the relative cost benefits of travelling etc only three days instead of five


• what I could do with the time not at work after work vs not at work on two days

Add to that your personal feelings - it sounds like you find the long days daunting before you start - how do you feel AFTER work on day 1, day 2 and day 3? Are you able to enjoy your days off?

It's in care homes, we usually get an hour's break split over the day. Just want to evade that feeling of dread before every shift.

Standard length days for me. I think 12 hours shifts especially in some environments are not only bad for the people who do them but for the service they provide.

For me it would depend on the commute, if its really close by not so much of an issue, if its a fair way I'd rather do fewer days. You might also dread going in before shorter shift, and then far more of your week is taken up by worrying! Could you maybe ask to be rota'd onto shorter shifts for a week or something and see how you go? Personally I'd rather the 3 days.

I did 12.5 hour shifts until recently, 3 a week plus a short day every other week.

I was struggling with the long days and with a promotion have moved to 9-5. I am not overjoyed about working 5 days but I do feel less tired overall.

I would say three are benefits to doing longer days but they are exhausting and it gets harder to sustain.

I preferred longer shifts and more days off when I was a shift worker. There are fewer commutes, less uniform washing, earlier finishing time on a day shift vs a late shift, the day seemed less rushed without time taken out for handover in the middle of the day and it helps with extending holiday without using up extra annual leave days.

I could do a maximum of three days in a row and a maximum of four nights. There are plenty of benefits but it is absolutely exhausting.

I used to love doing long days and having days off in the week however the shifts got harder (less staff, more patients) and I'd end up feeling exhausted and almost unwell on my first day off. Especially after night's.

I personally wouldn't go back to long days due to the exhaustion but you may find them OK. I hate the mon- fri same hours every day though. I like working shifts, you don't get the Monday morning blues and it's not the same every week. So I miss that a lot.

I loved doing three long days when I worked on a ward. It made it more likely I would have time off when friends did at the weekend. I've worked 9-5 hours five days a week for years now and, even though the job I had when I first started them was so much quieter, I really struggled on five days to begin with - it was exhausting! I was more tired doing five quiet days than I was doing three long days on the busiest and most hectic ward where I often wouldn't get my breaks. I'd chose the three long days, you're already at work so might as well stay a few extra hours and enjoy an extra two days off per week.

Is it the shift pattern or the job you dread?

Depends on the job. I found 5 short days worked better for my role as I didn't have to get to know the caseload from scratch every week, but my days were shorter than your short days. It got cumulatively harder to fit in nonclinical stuff like training as well, but that is doable if you prioritise it.