3 on 3 off schedule calendar generator

How the 3 on 3 off pattern works

The cycle is 6 days, so the pattern slides through the week: one block starts on a Monday, the next on a Thursday, the next on a Monday again. You are never more than three days from a break, and every block has a different shape in the week.

Also searched for as: 3 days on 3 days off, 3 on 3 off 12 hour shifts.

The cycle is 6 days long: 3 shifts, 3 days off, and then it starts again.

Every crew, day by day

One full cycle for each crew, so you can see who covers what.

The numbers

A year is 365.25 days on average, so the yearly figures are averages; the calendar above counts the exact days of the year you pick.

Good and bad about 3 on 3 off

In its favour

• Short blocks: a break is never far away
• Equal time on and off
• Simple for two crews

Against it

• Only half the weekends are free, and which half is hard to predict
• 12-hour days three times in a row
• No night cover without a second pattern

Who uses 3 on 3 off

Seen in seven-day operations that want 12-hour days with short blocks, such as hospitality, security and some healthcare and care teams.

Employers run these patterns in slightly different ways, and a union contract or roster can differ from the version here. The grid above is exact for the cycle shown: if your roster differs, choose “My own cycle” in the calendar and type it in.

Other shift patterns

• 4 on 4 off (days only)Four working days, then four days off, repeated.Open
• 7 on 7 offOne week working, one week off, repeated.Open
• Pitman (2-2-3)Work two, off two, work three, off two, work two, off three: 14 days of 12-hour shifts.Open

All shift patterns and the cycle builder

Frequently asked questions