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How shall I arrange my work schedule

6 replies

ButterflyCakes · 14/09/2011 22:39

I intend to go back to work part time, working 30 hours per week. I thought it sounded like a good idea to work 3 10 hour days so I would have 4 days off. My family think this is insane. I live an hour away from work so if I worked a 10 hour day I would be out of the house for 12 hours.

The alternative would be working 4 7.5 hour days. I can see the cons of working for so many hours, but think a massive pro would be an extra day with DS and also saving on the cost of petrol one day a week.

Has anyone worked such a long day? How did it go??

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Mummawummadooda · 15/09/2011 14:11

I think you are fixating on the time off rather than thinking about how it might actually work in boring reality. Afraid I agree that you probably couldn't keep it up for very long. Doenst look like potential overtime/working late is included.

4 7.5 hr days is fairly normal hours meaning a combined work/life balance not one massively swinging in one direction.

Put it this way, You are out of the house 12hrs. Factor in here also cooking tea, cleaning up, shopping, bad commute, sudden necessities and frankly I think you might wish you hadn't picked it. Its not 12hrs and then playtime with the kiddies. Or even sleep. You probably wouldn't even see them those days.

Good luck but please give it another think before you sign up.

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Bramshott · 15/09/2011 14:15

I think you could make it work either way, it just depends what works best for you. But as the PP says, you wouldn't see your kids on the days you worked so it would be as if you were working away 3 days a week. The upside is that you then get 4 days off.

Working a more normal length day 4 days a week would probably give you a better work/life balance in the long term, and would also give you more access to different childcare options - nurseries are usually only open 10 hours a day for example, so if you're going for the longer days you'll probably need a nanny.

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Bramshott · 15/09/2011 14:18

Also - you'll have to take a lunchbreak won't you? So to get 10 hours work done, you'll have to be in say 8.00 - 7.00.

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FloweryBoots · 16/09/2011 20:32

I work 30 hours over 4 days and have an hour commute, and have Wednesdays off. I decided not to do compressed hours and do three days because of not seeing the little one at all the days I would work if I did that, plus it wouldn't really have worked for us since DH doesn't finish work in time to pick up from the childminder, adn I wouldn't have either doing 3 long days.

For what it's worth, I'm finding my pattern working well for us (though I've not tried anything else to compare it to!). I do 8am - 5pm and take half hours lunch breaks (instead of the usual hour, so I can get finished at 5 and be able to pick up from childminder at 6). I really like splitting the week with Wednesdays off, largely as it seems to help prevent stuff back-logging at home! My boss likes that the day I have off doesn't feel like a three day gap as he says it would if I had Friday or Monday off.

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Grevling · 22/09/2011 23:33

Have you asked your employer to see what they want/think. Remember they will have a preference as well.

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ButterflyCakes · 29/09/2011 22:12

I have decided that the UN is right, too much time working, not enough time with kids, so am going to bite the bullet, and do 3 8 hour days.

We spent so long trying to have him, that now we've got him it seems daft to spend all my time at stupid work and miss his best bits.