Your tips retuning to FT work after 25 years

[DixiePeach]

In the new year I’ll be returning to FT work. I’ve been lucky to work PT whilst my family have been growing up. They’re finished school now and I’ve found I need more money now than ever. I’m dreading it to be honest but hey ho. I’d be grateful to hear from anyone who has done similar and what helped and your routine. I’ll still be doing the majority of cleaning and shopping. dh is at home ft due to ill health he’ll do the cooking.

When I worked F/T I had the rule that I only shopped once a week. If people hadn’t put things on the list in the kitchen they didn’t get them. Can you do an online shop? that will save time and energy.
Don’t expect your house to be spotless - just good enough. Don’t spend all weekend cleaning.
Batch cooking is good
Get other members of the family to help if they are still living at home, Can they get p/t jobs to help out the family finances?
Remember - you are not Wonder Woman!

Get your dh doing more jobs at home. He can do laundry and a bit of cleaning. If your home is suitable get a Eufy, ours does hoovering and mopping and you can put it upstairs away from the base to hoover as well. It means the house feels clean and tidy even when it probably isn't thst clean.
I keep bathroom cleaning products in each bathroom and clean as I go.

If they’re at least 25 and still living at home, absolutely they should be giving money towards board! Why has your income changed so much if you’ve been able to only have to work pt so long?

I did this and it was a lifestyle shift.
Do you have a partner? If so, list all household tasks and split equally between you, allocating some to your DC, too.
Weekly shop, preferably online.
Will you be commuting and working in an office? If so, go shopping for contemporary style work clothes and a suitable jacket and coat.
When you start, book a monthly day of annual leave to do things for you e.g. seeing a friend, shopping, long weekend away.
Good luck!

I returned to FT term time work 15 months ago, and am going FT 52 weeks very soon. I hadn’t worked for 19 years! I got a cleaner to do the loos/essentials and anything else I hated doing. I let her go after 6 months (she wasn’t great) and I was more into the swing of things myself. I got a dog walker for the 2 days DH goes into his office. Ordered meal delivery for 2 dinners per week for DC 16 to cook (good practice for them). Had a frank conversation with DH and DC to put their stuff away, help in general and made a hoovering, bins rota. Put the slow cooker on one day per week and made double for another day. Organised my clothes for the week on Sunday. Nipped in to a supermarket on the way in on Monday & Thursday to buy fresh fruit, snacks etc for during the days. Had pain killers, etc, deodorant and a small squash in my drawer. I do a job that requires a lot of rushing about so started to take collagen for my joints.
Generally I found the first several months exhausting, so get plenty of rest and sleep. Some days were tough so I put a photo of the DC on my desk to remind me why I was doing it.

Good luck.

Keep on top of laundry and cleaning - ensure your DH does a little each day if they can.
Online food order weekly, helps planning and ensures you have what you need.

If DC at home still, give them allocated jobs eg mowing the lawn, bins etc. make it very clear it’s a team effort.

Ensure you have time for exercise or to do something you enjoy, that weekends aren’t just for housework. Plan things to look forward to.