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Night shift morning routine
On nights, your "morning" is the afternoon. The same idea applies: a short, repeatable routine between waking up and leaving, with the bag packed before you need it.
Sample timeline for a 7pm start
This assumes you're up around early afternoon, a 25-minute commute and arriving 15 minutes early. Use the shift routine builder with your own numbers.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 2:00 pm | Up, water, open the curtains |
| 3:00 pm | A proper meal (your 'breakfast' and lunch in one) |
| 4:00 pm | Errands, a walk or time with family |
| 5:30 pm | Shower and get dressed |
| 6:00 pm | Pack the night meal, snacks and water |
| 6:20 pm | Leave home |
| 6:45 pm | Arrive, park, walk in |
| 7:00 pm | Shift starts |
Before you leave
Things that help on a night stretch
- Keep the order the same every time: up, eat, out, shower, pack, leave. Fewer decisions when you're on a different clock to everyone else.
- Tell the people you live with your plan for the stretch, including when you'll be sleeping, so the afternoon isn't full of surprises.
- Plan the drive home before you go: the route, and a backup if you're too tired to drive (a ride, a nap in the break room, a colleague).
Want this on paper? The Shift Work Morning Planner has a night shift pre-shift page, a post-night wind-down page and a do-not-disturb note for home.
See the Shift Work Morning Planner for Nurses → $14 · undated PDF