What is a healthy work schedule?
The typical healthy work week consists of 40 hours or less (A 38-hour week is optimal according to a study by time management expert Laura Vanderkam as relayed by Atlassian), a consistent schedule, and an array of workplace systems that set employees up for success.
Workforce Institute's research demonstrates that a 4/10 work schedule reduces employee stress and boosts their happiness and well-being. Having an extra day off each week allows employees to find a better work-life balance. In this context, offering 4/10 hour shifts have also shown to increase employee attendance.
- Morning: Exercise, Running, Workout: Time 6:30 AM – 7:30 AM.
- Afternoon: Call Family during break: Time: 1:30 PM – 1:45 PM.
- Evening: Play with family/children/self: Time: 7:30 PM – 8:00 PM.
The most popular work schedule for non-exempt employees is the Monday through Friday, nine-to-five schedule. This schedule delivers a standard 40-hour workweek for employees to accomplish tasks in a predictable manner. Employees who work this schedule are typically considered full-time.
- EARLY BIRDS.
- 5:30 AM: Wake up.
- 6 AM: Eat breakfast. ...
- 6:30 AM: Exercise. ...
- 7:30 AM: Send emails. ...
- 8 AM: Commute. ...
- 8:30 AM: Prioritize your day. ...
- 9 AM: Work on the most difficult item on your to-do list.
- Decide what needs to be in your routine. Do you want to get more exercise or more alone time? ...
- Set small goals. Break each large goal into smaller goals. ...
- Layout a plan. ...
- Be consistent with time. ...
- Be prepared. ...
- Make it fun! ...
- Track your progress. ...
- Reward yourself.
The system involves four (4) shifts on, five (5) off followed by five (5) shifts on, four (4) shifts off followed by five (5) shifts on, five (5) shifts off, on a continuing basis.
The 5-4/9 CWS is comprised of one 36-hour week, consisting of four 9-hour workdays plus a day off, AND one 44-hour week, consisting of four 9-hour days and one 8-hour day (in the opposite week), PLUS the established lunch period of the Office.
Four On, Four Off (or 4 x 4)
As its name states, this schedule requires employees to work four consecutive day or night shifts followed by four consecutive days off. While it varies by company, employees typically rotate day and night shifts as frequently as every 8 days or as infrequently as every 24 days.
On a two-week cycle, one squad works 5 days on then has 5 days off, then 2 days on 2 days off. The second squad works 5 days on and has 2 days off, then 2 days on and 5 days off. This sequence is repeated with two more squads for night shifts. This method is great for getting consistent long breaks.
What is the average work schedule?
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics , the average number of hours worked per week is around 34.6. This estimate is consistent with the national standard for 40 hours per week for full-time employees.
The ideal work-to-break ratio was 52 minutes of work, followed by 17 minutes of rest. People who maintained this schedule had a unique level of focus in their work. For roughly an hour at a time, they were 100% dedicated to the task they needed to accomplish.

Four days ON (first shift) Three days OFF. Four days ON (second shift) Three days OFF.
4/10 workweeks are the most popular example of compressed schedules. Often, a 4/10 work schedule consists of Monday through Thursday as working days, with Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off. However, employees may request a day other than Friday off to take care of matters outside of work.
What is the 2-2-3 work schedule? The 2-2-3 shift pattern (also known as the Panama schedule) typically requires four teams of employees to provide adequate 24-hour coverage. Each team works two consecutive day shifts, followed by two days off, followed by three more days of work.
[5 on 2 off] [5 on 3 off]
The officer will work 5 days on, 2 days off, 5 days on, and 3 days off. We noticed this pattern was used in law enforcement departments ranging from 25-50 people.
The math is simple: working five eight-hour shifts is equivalent to working four 10-hour shifts. That's true. But the implications of these schedules are different. The danger is in disregarding the health effects that can occur as a result of fatigue and stress that accumulate over a longer-than-normal working day.
A 4/10 work schedule is when an employee works four, 10-hour days and then gets three days off each week. You might also hear this referred to as a four-day workweek or a compressed workweek.
It consists of a 25 day cycle where each team works five consecutive 10-hour first shifts, followed by 3 days off duty, works five consecutive 10-hour third shifts, followed by 4 days off duty, works five consecutive 10-hour second shifts, followed by 3 days off duty.
The best 24/7 shift patterns with 4 teams can be a traditional 4 on 4 off shift pattern or shorter runs of shifts and shorter breaks, through to variable consecutive shifts and rest days with some longer rest breaks. 4 team 24/7 shift patterns may repeat across 4, 8, 12 or 16 weeks.
Is 8 5 a normal work schedule?
What is an 8-hour shift? An 8-hour shift is a global norm that full-time employees are required to work daily, 5 days per week, for the total hours worked per week to equal 40, according to the same norm.
It consists of a 30 day cycle where each team works six consecutive 10-hour first shifts, followed by 4 days off duty, works six consecutive 10-hour third shifts, followed by 4 days off duty, works six consecutive 10-hour second shifts, followed by 4 days off duty.
The idea is that you consider the work period over a two-week schedule instead. So the normal work schedule would be 10/80. That is 10 x 80 hour days. 9/80 suggests that you work 80 hours over 9 days over a two-week period.
What is a 9/80 schedule? The 9/80 schedule is a two-week work schedule that compresses the same number of work hours (80hrs) into nine days rather than ten. With the 9/80 work schedule, employees gain an extra day off work every two weeks.
If you start the schedule on Sunday, each parent will have a weekend day every other week. For example, the first parent has four days, from Sunday afternoon through Thursday afternoon. Then, the other parent has four days, from Thursday afternoon through Monday afternoon.
Employees also like the standard schedule because it's easy to plan for — they know they will be working from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. From an employer's perspective, this type of schedule is one of the easiest to fit into a 24-hour day.
Employees working 7on/7off are considered full-time hourly employees and are scheduled to work seven consecutive days (56 hours) in a 14-day period (Wednesday through Tuesday). This allows the employee to work a Wednesday through Tuesday schedule with every other weekend off.
If traveling is their way to relax and spend their free time, working on a 2-2-3 schedule gives them plenty of opportunities for planning weekend getaways. Also, this shift pattern enables employees to work only 180 days a year, which makes their lives more relaxing.
If you don't need to work with people at the start of your workday, 7–3 is more efficient. You have to fight less traffic on commute, you have uninterrupted time to concentrate on things, and you have less traffic on commute returning home. You *may* have to stay late some days for meetings, though.
Scientists say the ideal daily working time is around 6 hours, and these should be concentrated in the morning. There are workers who boast about the long hours spent at the workplace as a mark of productivity.
What is the most common work shift?
The first shift is the most common shift among corporations. Employees perform work within standard working hours, typically starting after 7:00 a.m. and ending around 5:00 p.m. First shift employees often interact with each other and customers, as people typically share this schedule.
How often should you take breaks? Every 30 minutes is often suggested, especially for people who spend most of their day sitting or are otherwise inactive for a significant portion of the day.
Specifically, the most productive people work for 52 minutes at a time, then break for 17 minutes before getting back to it (similar to the Pomodoro Method—more on that here).
5/5/4 rotating schedule
The 5/5/4 rotating schedule uses five teams of employees and three overlapping ten-hour shifts to operate 24/7. This system uses a 25-day cycle. For example, Team A works five consecutive 10-hour first shifts, followed by three days off.
Although the longer shift is popular among nurses, 12-hour shifts are linked to long-term health risks. Research shows continual exposure to stress is taxing on the body and affects mental health, causing nurses to feel the effects of burnout. Nurses who work 12-hour shifts are more likely to report feelings of: Stress.
10 hour shifts
The most common shift times for 10 hour shifts are: First: 0600-1600. Second: 1400-0000. Third: 2200-0800.
If you're the type of person who enjoys security, a sense of community, and structured routine, the 9-to-5 job is a good fit. But if you crave novelty, want to be your own boss, and have the personality to push yourself, you may find more enjoyment working outside the office grind.
According to three out of five workers, the 9-to-5 workday is not the best way to work. They demand more flexible working hours, a better work-life balance, and more autonomy. This article offers three reasons why leaders should consider moving past the 9-to-5 in favor of more modern ways of working.
The most important consideration as you choose your work schedule is when you are more likely to get your work done. Figure out when you are most productive or when you have fewer distractions. This can be a good way to choose your schedule and stay on top of your workload at the same time.
Known as counterclockwise scheduling, the 2-2-1 schedule is two evening shifts, two day shifts and one overnight shift.
What is a 6 2 work schedule?
The 6 On 2 off rotating shift schedule is a relatively slow rotating schedule that uses 4 teams and three 8-hr shifts to provide 24/7 coverage. Each team rotates through the following sequence every 24 days: 6 day shifts, 2 days off, 6 swing shifts, 2 days off, 6 night shifts, 2 days off.
5-2, eight-hour schedule
The 5-2, eight hour pattern is the most straightforward shift cycle for businesses with 8-hour shift rotations. Here's how a 5-2, 8-hour pattern works: Every 28 days, the schedule cycles 4 teams through 8-hour day, swing and night shifts every 24 hours.
The system involves four (4) shifts on, five (5) off followed by five (5) shifts on, four (4) shifts off followed by five (5) shifts on, five (5) shifts off, on a continuing basis.
Four days ON (first shift) Three days OFF. Four days ON (second shift) Three days OFF.
[5 on 2 off] [5 on 3 off]
This is one of the bigger templates with a rotation lasting 15 weeks. The officer will work 5 days on, 2 days off, 5 days on, and 3 days off. We noticed this pattern was used in law enforcement departments ranging from 25-50 people.
Four On, Four Off (4 x 4)
Employees work four consecutive day or night shifts followed by four consecutive days off. Employees usually rotate between date and night shifts. The advantage of this schedule is that employees have plenty of time to rest and recuperate between their four days on.
Studies have found that early morning work hours (such as 7-3) may be associated with increased productivity, as individuals tend to have more energy and focus in the morning. This can be especially true for individuals who are "morning people" or who have a consistent morning routine.
The 4-2 4-3 4-3 Schedule
This is how it works: Four days of first shift and two days off. Four days of second shift and three days off. Four days of third shift and three days off.