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Original poster

Full time or Part time

33 replies

MrsPatrickDempsey · 30/03/2021 06:54

What has determined why you work the hours you do?
Have the option to increase from 28 hr to full time and I am interested to hear opinions that might help me make a decision. Haven't worked full time since before having children and now I don't need childcare so feel I 'should' be working more and feel a bit of guilt that I don't. Fortunately its not a financially driven decision.
But honestly, deep down, I enjoy my day off at present.

OP posts:

Sansaplans · 30/03/2021 06:57

Carry on working part time if you can afford it and you're happy, nought to feel guilty about. I work full time since having DS because I took a less stressful job that offers more flexibility but lower pay (a tale as old as time), I would work part time in a heartbeat if able.

Everyday21 · 30/03/2021 07:01

If you can afford to keep going on 28hrs I'd definitely do that and enjoy your free time the rest of the time. To some people on MN it seems work is the most important thing but it really isnt

Hoplop · 30/03/2021 07:04

If money isn’t an issue and you enjoy the current set up, I think you should stick to it!

I returned to work full time, despite childcare costs counteracting it, for progression reasons. I’m currently pregnant again and five years later (when I’d be returning), DH will be dropping to PT to help childcare costs.

harknesswitch · 30/03/2021 07:06

I worked full time, then went part time whilst my dc were younger, then back to full time again. A lot of reasons for going back full time

I got made redundant and couldn't find pt work for my sector - this was the biggest
Pension
There wasn't really the need any longer with dc being older
I found a really good nanny
Money

I worked 3 days a week when pt, Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday. I loved it. On the run up to retirement I'd like to go back to those days again

RachelRavenRoth · 30/03/2021 07:06

If you can afford pt and enjoy pt, stay pt.

But make sure you've considered your pension and can also still progress.

KatyN · 30/03/2021 07:19

I adore working part time. I love my day off but there have been work benefits too.
I really like that people wait for me if something needs doing on a Friday. It means I feel valued but also we don’t rush into doing daft stuff. We have a day to think about it.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 30/03/2021 07:34

Depends on other factors, if you aren’t claiming state help and can survive on part time. If your partner has the same luxury of less hours, if you are picking up half of the bills still.

BarbaraofSeville · 30/03/2021 07:40

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

Depends on other factors, if you aren’t claiming state help and can survive on part time. If your partner has the same luxury of less hours, if you are picking up half of the bills still.

But on the domestic front, also consider the effort you're putting in at home. No need to be paying half the bills if you're the one working less because you're also doing the lion's share of cooking, cleaning, laundry etc.

If you go back up to full time, and have a partner, they need to step up and do half the domestic shit, or pay for help.

Sceptre86 · 30/03/2021 07:43

Do you have a partner who works fill time? What do they think? Surely that would influence you more than randoms on the Internet? I would probably stick to part time if money wasn't an issue so I could keep on top of other things.

reluctantbrit · 30/03/2021 07:53

DD is 13 and I will continue with part time, 28 hours over 4 days. I enjoy it, it gives me time to do the boring stuff like admin, shopping, appointments or just doing nothing at all depending on my mood and what's going on. It means we have most weekends free.

Money wise it wouldn't make a huge difference and our income is pooled together anyway, no split accounts or bills here.

Joy69 · 04/04/2021 16:40

I love working part time, although sometimes I find that I'm squeezing the full time equivalent into my hours & don't often leave on time.
My kids are get to the point where I could go fulltime again, but my social life has picked up on the days that I don't work so I'm going to try to stay part time. I'm working on the theory that quality of life is more important than the extra cash ( might need to rethink in a few years)

ThePricklySheep · 04/04/2021 16:41

I’m the same hours as you and mostly keep part time to make the holidays easier. It’s a lot easier to cover a week that’s only four days.

wendz86 · 04/04/2021 16:49

For me having a day off to get everything I need to do done and have some me time while kids are at school is worth more than the extra money .

Scottishskifun · 04/04/2021 16:50

I work full time as I watch my PT colleagues doing very similar amount of work but really condensed and they get paid less. Our team is understaffed and our job never stops so they always end up working over their hours we do have a flexi time system which helps them take it back but it's difficult. It's been raised for years but never sorted out.

I enjoy working ft but admit my work is very flexible so I start early and finish at 3pm and I manage my own workload.

I think if you have flexible working then actually it's pretty easy but I couldn't go back to working a 8.30-5pm job where everyone just watches how long your bum is on a seat for!

needadvice54321 · 04/04/2021 16:53

I was a SAHM for 12 years, with the final 3 including getting quite involved with volunteering.

Last summer our youngest was off to secondary and I had itchy feet to do more so took on a very part time job in the industry I trained in when I left school, and I'm still there now. I enjoy it, but still want to be involved with my volunteering work (when it restarts) so will continue with the small hours I work - we can comfortably afford it to. If we needed me to work more for finance reasons, I would, but for now I'm happy with the balance

Squeekybummum · 04/04/2021 16:55

I love working part time. I work 3 long days and then have 2 days off. I get myself so stressed out the days I work. Trying to keep on top of housework and washing.
Then seeing the kids for the half hour before they go to bed.

onthinice · 04/04/2021 16:57

I have a day off a week but am term time only. In future (youngest is still at primary) I would be happy to work all year round but would really struggle mental health wise if I didn't have the day off in the week. I do want to progress my career though so I do forsee needing to go full time for a couple of years to establish my career, and then look for a part time position again. My youngest has ASC and won't be as independent as other children her age so childcare will always be a consideration for me.

Babyiwantabump · 04/04/2021 16:59

Stay part time!

I increased my hours up to 33 from 22 when my youngest went to school - regretted it massively and have had to fight to get my hours put back down again.

If you don’t need the money don’t do it

RandomUsernameHere · 04/04/2021 17:03

I don't think you should feel guilty at all for working part time. Four days a week is nearly full time anyway. Like you I work part time (but fewer hours than you) and haven't worked full time since I had DC. DH's job is very full on so it wouldn't work well for our family if I worked full time. It's also good to be able to get jobs done during the week, eg house admin/maintenance, car service etc. I definitely pull my weight and I'm sure you do too.

AColdDuncanGoodhew · 04/04/2021 17:06

I went back to work FT when my twins were about to turn 1, 12hr shifts (three weeks of 3, one week of 4) and within a few months cut down my 4 day week as I found it so difficult to arrange childcare and work around my shifts, plus it was exhausting.

I done that for a year, moved to another unit and was FT again. Again quickly dropped the fourth shift then after a further year went down to 2 days a week (23hrs) which has been good for childcare but is destroying me mentally as I do a lot of nights and weekends and flipping between days and nights.

I start a new post shortly which is back to FT over 4 days but no nights, no weekends, no public holidays and I cant wait! Our kids are starting school this year and my husband works from home so will do the school run, i’ll do it on my day off, and every fourth week I have two days off.

Looking forward to a bit of “normality” and routine. I’ll be out the house more but always home for bath and bed, off the weekends, off the holidays (on call only).

Even though im going FT i’ll still have one weekday off per week and two weekdays off on my shorter weeks which will be lovely.

I say do whats best for you, theres no right or wrong. If you can afford to be PT (which I think you said you can) then stick to it!

DarlingWithoutYou · 04/04/2021 17:10

Part time, without a doubt. I hate being full time and never seem to have enough time to do things and just potter. The weekends end up being full of life admin which I hate, I just want to wind down!

DelurkingAJ · 04/04/2021 17:20

Entirely depends on you and your family set up. I love being FT (we discussed DH being a SAHD but never me being a SAHM). I like that we’re a very equal partnership and I’m most certainly not the default parent, cook, cleaner or anything else.

Wilker · 04/04/2021 17:22

I would never work just four days. Colleagues who do end up working the fifth day for free. If you’re going to do part time then it needs to be 0.6 to actually make it worthwhile.

needadvice54321 · 04/04/2021 17:30

@Joy69

I love working part time, although sometimes I find that I'm squeezing the full time equivalent into my hours & don't often leave on time. My kids are get to the point where I could go fulltime again, but my social life has picked up on the days that I don't work so I'm going to try to stay part time. I'm working on the theory that quality of life is more important than the extra cash ( might need to rethink in a few years)

Definite downside to working part time for me - I do as much paperwork etc as the full time staff so regularly don't leave on time or end up working at home on my days off. Still worth it though, just a bit frustrating

Lostlittlelady · 04/04/2021 17:32

I have only went back full time in the last 6 months now my dc is an older teen.
I could afford part time but was just getting by but I am enjoying the extra income. I’m much more focused with my time off.
It doesn’t sound as though you want to work full time, just that you feel you have to so if I was you I would stay part time .

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