Working shifts has definate benifits. I work 4 on, 5 off, 5 on, 4 off, 5 on, 5 off, then it swaps to nights for the same pattern. All 12 hour shifts.
The downsides are that you lose traditional weekends when most people are off but the up sides are that you get days off in the week when everyone else is at work. Meaning your shopping or DIY projects cause a lot less hassle becuase you are free to go when the shops are quiet.
I'd like a 9-5 job in some respects, but the benifits of shift work are noticable.
I also prefer doing more shifts in a row rather than doing 2 or 3 and then having a day or 2 off. Days isn't a problem obviously because you just adjust your pattern by a few hours, but when working nights its more complicated. In my current pattern, I stay in night mode for 4 or 5 days, then I finish my last shift at 7 in the morning, am in bed by 8 and then get up at around 12 or 1. I'm now set for my 4 or 5 days off in day mode to interact with the rest of the world. In addition, because I stay in the proper night pattern for longer I am far more awak at work on those shifts.
If you do just 2 nights on and then have 2 off, you have to comprimise something which is why I feel for my friends who are nurses on wards doing as others have mentioned. I get why they dont want nurses working more than x night shifts in a row but I think the benifits once people get used to it would outweigh the perpetual fear of people making mistakes. It appals me when they tell me that they are working 2 days, 1 off, 2 nights, 2 off then 2 days again.Chopping around like that CANNOT be good for the very people that the rules are trying to protect. Most people I know who do shift work tend to suffer on the first night, me included. It's difficult to either stay up the night before your shift or go back to bed during the day before your shift. Once the first one is done however you are into a normal cycle of getting up and going to work and going home to bed. Working longer runs of nights in a row means you only have to make that day/night adjustment every 4 or 5 days instead of every 2 ror 3. I've done both and it really makes a difference.
Another boost of course is taking holiday. I can take 4 day soff work and not have to go in for 13 days, if i make it 9 days off im not at work for like 23 which was very handy when i was decorating the house.