The Nightshift is made possible by the many businesses that require non stop 24-hour staffing and close attention to constant detail.
Some are attracted to it for various reasons. I worked that shift and called it the graveyard shift. If you're in a union, the pay is higher and it is called an overnight differential. But I jumped when I was offered another job because I never grow fond of it.
During the nine years, I devoted to the peacock network, I worked every schedule imaginably possible. The overnight shift as others referred to it was a rite of passage for some and a full-time career for others who chose to work it exclusively as a regular schedule, the independence to call your own shots without having bosses breathing down your back or for many other reasons.
When I started on the graveyard shift, I was attending graduate school, and worked from Midnight till 9a, with some overtime, while attending classes during the day and then made time to enjoy quality time with my kids after school. However, I don't think I could do that today.
Don't get me wrong, many nights were blissfully quiet. I read and reviewed my assignments and completed academic files. But when the proverbial crap hit the fan, there were nights you could barely find time for a bathroom break.
There were fires, murders, shootings, coups, hurricanes, tornadoes winter storms and, there were nights when all you did was read the wires and save the leads for the news hooks. I just had to keep doing it until I learned to do it well. This was well before the advent of the Internet or e-mail other than Telex messages sent over analog circuits.
I never liked working the overnight, and I was glad to get promoted to days and then named executive producer at another media organization. Thanks to my folks for insisting I get my advanced degree and improve my Spanish speaking skills.
After all, was said and done, It was a valuable learning experience and training opportunity for me in so many many ways.