How the 5 on 2 off schedule works
The fixed version is the standard work week: 5 days on, 2 off, the same days every week.
The rotating version, which this page's calendar starts on, moves you through the three 8-hour shifts one week at a time: 5 days, 2 off, 5 evenings, 2 off, 5 nights, 2 off. That's a 21-day cycle. Three crews, one week apart, staff all three shifts on the five working days.
This pattern runs five days a week, not seven. Operations that run every day need extra crews, or a different rotation such as the continental schedule.
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | M | T | W | T | F | S | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
| Crew A | D | D | D | D | D | · | · | E | E | E | E | E | · | · | N | N | N | N | N | · | · |
| Crew B | N | N | N | N | N | · | · | D | D | D | D | D | · | · | E | E | E | E | E | · | · |
| Crew C | E | E | E | E | E | · | · | N | N | N | N | N | · | · | D | D | D | D | D | · | · |
With 3 crews this staffs all three shifts on the 5 working days. The other 2 days are not staffed.
| Crew | M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew A | D | D | D | D | D | · | · |
5 on 2 off schedule at a glance
- Cycle length
- 21 days
- Shifts per year
- about 261
- Average hours per week
- 40
- Hours in a single week
- 40
- Weekends fully off per year
- about 35 of 52
- Longest break
- 2 days in a row
- Day shift (typical)
- 7:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Evening shift (typical)
- 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm
- Night shift (typical)
- 11:00 pm – 7:00 am (next day)
Calculated from the rotation itself, assuming the cycle starts on a Monday. Your weekends and holidays depend on how your employer lines up the cycle, so set your own date in the calendar above.
Pros and cons
What people like
- Shorter 8-hour shifts.
- Two days off every week.
- A full week on each shift, so less frequent switching than continental rotations.
- Simple to understand.
What's hard
- Rotating weeks mean regularly changing your sleep schedule.
- Only two days off at a time.
- Doesn't cover weekends on its own.
Who uses the 5 on 2 off schedule
Variations
- Rotating 3 shifts
- A week each of days, evenings and nights. This page's calendar starts here.
- Fixed
- The same five days every week. Choose "5 on 2 off (fixed)" in the calendar.
- Rotating days off
- For 7-day operations, days off move each week. Build yours with the custom builder.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 5 on 2 off schedule?
It's a schedule of five work shifts followed by two days off. It can be a fixed Monday-to-Friday week, or a rotating schedule where you change between day, evening and night shifts each week.
How many hours is a 5 on 2 off schedule?
With 8-hour shifts, 40 hours a week, about 2,080 hours a year.
What is a 5-2 rotating schedule?
A rotating 5-2 schedule has you work a week of day shifts, then a week of evenings, then a week of nights, with two days off after each week. The cycle repeats every three weeks.
This page is general information, not legal or payroll advice. Calendars are for personal planning: confirm your official schedule, pay and overtime with your employer.