To want to work less for a while ?

[Dontstayoutsideinthiscold]

I'm not feeling too good, I'm tired and depressed. I'm self-employed and without going into too much details about my job, I can choose how much I want to work. I want to stop one contract to ease the pressure of me. However if I stop this contract, my salary combined with dh' salary, we'll just be able to pay the mortgage and the bills. No money for extras.
I'm feeling really pissed off that I need to work so much to make sure our kids lack of nothing when he has been in the same company for 25 years with his salary slowly increasing. Our outgoings have increased over the years and I have increased my work loads but he hasn't looked into ways to make more money.
If I work less, I earn much less money so the kids will have to go without. I can't work less isn't it.

[Keeptrudging]

It's time to divide tasks clearly then e.g. you batch cook food/put stuff in slow cooker (since you're at home), he does the dishes/cleans kitchen. You put on the washing/hang it out, he folds it/distributes it. You do an online shop, he picks up extras on the way home. 2 adults, both working, should be able to share the housework, but if has set tasks, you need to leave him to do them and not step in.

[GrubbyWindows]

Hmm, or what if you condensed your hours and hired an external workplace for some of your days?
E.g.- Monday and Wednesday are your "long" days- you go to your office and are out 8-8. DP puts some of his 25 years of loyalty points in, requests flexible working and deals with the kids on those days. Tuesday and Thursday are his long days to make up for his flexible days, you deal with the kids (which is no change to now, right?). Friday is your super short day, you work less to make up for your long days, DP works an ordinary day, you have a bit of down time and a deal with the kids. Weekends he suddenly discovers the merits of batch cooking, now he's actually dealing with dinners...

[expatinscotland]

You meal plan, he does the fucking online shop. He does half this batch cooking or it doesn't get done. He starts to slack and you pull him up on it.

[Keeptrudging]

Cleaner once a week to do big clean, you go and have some relaxation?

[jcne]

Why don't you just 'lose' the contract, no fault of your own. Whoopsy where's it gone ¯<span class="underline">(ツ)/¯

[Oblomov17]

¯<span class="underline">(ツ)/¯

Love that sign!!

What about looking at your outgoings aswell. Do you really need that ...... level of sky package, or whatever you have?

[yorkshapudding]

I think we'd all like to work less without losing money but it's not possible for most people.

From your updates, it sounds as though cutting your hours wouldn't actually reduce your stress anyway as your DH would probably assume he could do even less around the house. Instead of being angry with him for not earning more money I'd focus on getting him to pull his weight with the kids/around the house.

I would sit him down and tell him that you feel stressed, overwhelmed and taken for granted. Produce a list of tasks/chores that you currently complete on a weekly basis and then you can discuss which ones he'll be taking over from now on.