Night Jobs are a storied part of American culture. No matter what the work will be, doing it on the graveyard shift has a way of turning it into a difficult task. Even seasoned veterans of the hours will say the body never quite gets used to being awake over-night and asleep during the sunshine bathed daylight hours. Still, night shift jobs can be the best option for many hard working individuals whether it is for the extra income of a second job or simply a time not filled with the obligations of everyday life. In addition, there are some folks who claim to be made for the hours.

Photo by Paul Powell

The greatest challenge of a night job is being awake. Physiologically, the body functions on rhythms; hormone production actually facilitates sleep during the sundown hours and wakefulness during the daylight hours. With that being the case, most workers on the late shift find that simple tasks such as lifting a box or walking a long hallway can feel draining and daunting. The body senses what is supposed to be happening, even trying to make itself shut down to gain rest, but the volitional part of the mind is not allowing this to the tired body. Because of this challenge, working the nightshift is not for everyone. If you decide that the nightshift is for you, remember: there are tricks to having success.

First, as a general rule, working graveyards are more lucrative. For example, working as a grocery stocker during the day often pays more than two dollars fewer for a day shift employee than it does for a night shift employee. Secondly, working the late nights and early morning frees you up to accomplish tasks without the constant need to perform customer service, that is, for the most part. Therefore, if you are partial to working with your hands and find customer or client complaints irritating working these hours can alleviate that pressure.

Finally, working the third shift can be an excellent place to pursue promotions, advancement and an edge on the competition. Many companies who run the third shift will test the ethic of their workers who seek advancement by promoting them to supervisor positions and moving them to the graveyard shift. During those trial months, you have a chance to show your employer how hard you can work and how willing you are to do what it takes to accomplish the job. Overall, while the nights can be difficult the yield if often worth the effort.