Stop accepting hard work after taking in day shift (8)
I believe the answer is:
dislodge
'shift' is the definition.
(I know that shift can be written as dislodge)
'stop accepting hard work after taking in day' is the wordplay.
'stop' becomes 'die' (as in a machine stopping or dying).
'accepting' indicates putting letters inside (inserted letters are accepted).
'hard work' becomes 'slog' (a slog is a long or difficult task).
'after taking in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'day' becomes 'd' (abbreviation for day).
'slog' placed around 'd' is 'slodg'.
'die' placed around 'slodg' is 'DISLODGE'.
(Other definitions for dislodge that I've seen before include "Prise out of position" , "Glided so as to move from established position" , "Force from a fixed or position" , "Knock from an established position" , "Digs lode (anag.)" .)