Continental shift pattern (8‑hour shifts)

A continental shift pattern uses three 8-hour shifts (early, late and night) and four teams to cover 24/7. Each team works 2 earlies, 2 lates and 2 nights, then has 2 days off. The rotation moves forward every two days and repeats every 8 days.

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Continental shifts

16 November – 13 December 2026 · repeats every 8 days

  • EEarly6am–2pm
  • LLate2pm–10pm
  • NNight10pm–6am

16–29 November

TeamMo16Tu17We18Th19Fr20Sa21Su22Mo23Tu24We25Th26Fr27Sa28Su29
Team AEarly, 6am–2pmEarly, 6am–2pmLate, 2pm–10pmLate, 2pm–10pmNight, 10pm–6amNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEarly, 6am–2pmEarly, 6am–2pmLate, 2pm–10pmLate, 2pm–10pmNight, 10pm–6amNight, 10pm–6am
Team BOffOffEarly, 6am–2pmEarly, 6am–2pmLate, 2pm–10pmLate, 2pm–10pmNight, 10pm–6amNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEarly, 6am–2pmEarly, 6am–2pmLate, 2pm–10pmLate, 2pm–10pm
Team CNight, 10pm–6amNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEarly, 6am–2pmEarly, 6am–2pmLate, 2pm–10pmLate, 2pm–10pmNight, 10pm–6amNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEarly, 6am–2pmEarly, 6am–2pm
Team DLate, 2pm–10pmLate, 2pm–10pmNight, 10pm–6amNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEarly, 6am–2pmEarly, 6am–2pmLate, 2pm–10pmLate, 2pm–10pmNight, 10pm–6amNight, 10pm–6amOffOff

30 November – 13 December

TeamMo30Tu1We2Th3Fr4Sa5Su6Mo7Tu8We9Th10Fr11Sa12Su13
Team AOffOffEarly, 6am–2pmEarly, 6am–2pmLate, 2pm–10pmLate, 2pm–10pmNight, 10pm–6amNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEarly, 6am–2pmEarly, 6am–2pmLate, 2pm–10pmLate, 2pm–10pm
Team BNight, 10pm–6amNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEarly, 6am–2pmEarly, 6am–2pmLate, 2pm–10pmLate, 2pm–10pmNight, 10pm–6amNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEarly, 6am–2pmEarly, 6am–2pm
Team CLate, 2pm–10pmLate, 2pm–10pmNight, 10pm–6amNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEarly, 6am–2pmEarly, 6am–2pmLate, 2pm–10pmLate, 2pm–10pmNight, 10pm–6amNight, 10pm–6amOffOff
Team DEarly, 6am–2pmEarly, 6am–2pmLate, 2pm–10pmLate, 2pm–10pmNight, 10pm–6amNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEarly, 6am–2pmEarly, 6am–2pmLate, 2pm–10pmLate, 2pm–10pmNight, 10pm–6amNight, 10pm–6am

Pick a dayDetails below

Monday16

  • Team A6am–2pmEarly
  • Team C10pm–6amNight
  • Team D2pm–10pmLate

Off: Team B

Tuesday17

  • Team A6am–2pmEarly
  • Team C10pm–6amNight
  • Team D2pm–10pmLate

Off: Team B

Wednesday18

  • Team A2pm–10pmLate
  • Team B6am–2pmEarly
  • Team D10pm–6amNight

Off: Team C

Thursday19

  • Team A2pm–10pmLate
  • Team B6am–2pmEarly
  • Team D10pm–6amNight

Off: Team C

Friday20

  • Team A10pm–6amNight
  • Team B2pm–10pmLate
  • Team C6am–2pmEarly

Off: Team D

Saturday21

  • Team A10pm–6amNight
  • Team B2pm–10pmLate
  • Team C6am–2pmEarly

Off: Team D

Sunday22

  • Team B10pm–6amNight
  • Team C2pm–10pmLate
  • Team D6am–2pmEarly

Off: Team A

The four weeks

16 NovMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Team AEEarly, 6am–2pmEEarly, 6am–2pmLLate, 2pm–10pmLLate, 2pm–10pmNNight, 10pm–6amNNight, 10pm–6amOff
Team BOffOffEEarly, 6am–2pmEEarly, 6am–2pmLLate, 2pm–10pmLLate, 2pm–10pmNNight, 10pm–6am
Team CNNight, 10pm–6amNNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEEarly, 6am–2pmEEarly, 6am–2pmLLate, 2pm–10pm
Team DLLate, 2pm–10pmLLate, 2pm–10pmNNight, 10pm–6amNNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEEarly, 6am–2pm
23 NovMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Team AOffEEarly, 6am–2pmEEarly, 6am–2pmLLate, 2pm–10pmLLate, 2pm–10pmNNight, 10pm–6amNNight, 10pm–6am
Team BNNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEEarly, 6am–2pmEEarly, 6am–2pmLLate, 2pm–10pmLLate, 2pm–10pm
Team CLLate, 2pm–10pmNNight, 10pm–6amNNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEEarly, 6am–2pmEEarly, 6am–2pm
Team DEEarly, 6am–2pmLLate, 2pm–10pmLLate, 2pm–10pmNNight, 10pm–6amNNight, 10pm–6amOffOff
30 NovMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Team AOffOffEEarly, 6am–2pmEEarly, 6am–2pmLLate, 2pm–10pmLLate, 2pm–10pmNNight, 10pm–6am
Team BNNight, 10pm–6amNNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEEarly, 6am–2pmEEarly, 6am–2pmLLate, 2pm–10pm
Team CLLate, 2pm–10pmLLate, 2pm–10pmNNight, 10pm–6amNNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEEarly, 6am–2pm
Team DEEarly, 6am–2pmEEarly, 6am–2pmLLate, 2pm–10pmLLate, 2pm–10pmNNight, 10pm–6amNNight, 10pm–6amOff
7 DecMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Team ANNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEEarly, 6am–2pmEEarly, 6am–2pmLLate, 2pm–10pmLLate, 2pm–10pm
Team BLLate, 2pm–10pmNNight, 10pm–6amNNight, 10pm–6amOffOffEEarly, 6am–2pmEEarly, 6am–2pm
Team CEEarly, 6am–2pmLLate, 2pm–10pmLLate, 2pm–10pmNNight, 10pm–6amNNight, 10pm–6amOffOff
Team DOffEEarly, 6am–2pmEEarly, 6am–2pmLLate, 2pm–10pmLLate, 2pm–10pmNNight, 10pm–6amNNight, 10pm–6am
4 teamsMade with Schedule Gizmo

At a glance

Cycle
8 days, then it repeats
Teams
4
Shift length
8 hours
Days worked
6 of every 8
Average week
42 hours
Days off
2 after every 6 shifts

The 8-day pattern

E is an early shift, L a late shift and N a night shift, each 8 hours; a dash is a day off. Every day, one team covers each shift and one team is off.

Continental shift pattern: 4 teams over a 8-day cycle
TeamDay 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7Day 8
Team AEELLNN––
Team B––EELLNN
Team CNN––EELL
Team DLLNN––EE

Why teams choose it, and what to watch

Why teams choose it

  • 8-hour shifts are less tiring than 12-hour ones.
  • The rotation moves forward (early, late, night), which most people find easier on sleep.
  • Short stretches: never more than 2 of the same shift in a row.

What to watch

  • Only 2 days off at a time, and the first follows a night shift.
  • People work 6 days out of every 8, so weekends off are rare.
  • More handovers a day than a 12-hour pattern (three instead of two).

Make it yours

  • Set the first day of your cycle.
  • Rename the teams, or list people instead.
  • Change the shift times on the shifts line.
  • Share one link: everyone sees the next four weeks.

Or paste these lines into the maker, or ask ChatGPT or Claude to write them for you.

start: 2026-11-16
shifts: E=Early 6am-2pm, L=Late 2pm-10pm, N=Night 10pm-6am
Team A: E E L L N N - -
Team B: - - E E L L N N
Team C: N N - - E E L L
Team D: L L N N - - E E

Questions

What is a continental shift pattern?

A fast-rotating 24/7 pattern with three 8-hour shifts and four teams: 2 earlies, 2 lates, 2 nights, then 2 days off, repeating every 8 days.

Why do shifts rotate forward?

Going from early to late to night follows the body clock's natural drift later, so most people adjust more easily than when the rotation runs backward.

How many hours a week is a continental pattern?

42 hours on average: 6 eight-hour shifts every 8 days.

Continental or 2-2-3?

A 2-2-3 (Pitman) uses 12-hour shifts and gives longer breaks; a continental uses 8-hour shifts with shorter, more frequent breaks.

Related

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