Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what your (realistic) ideal working hours would be?

65 replies

NotAnotherHeffalump · 26/07/2018 07:02

I'm currently working 3 days a week 8-4. Have 3 DCs aged 9,3 and 2. Sometimes feel I have the balance right, other times feel like I'd rather be at home and looking after my family. Not just looking after the kids, but taking the pressure off DH by shouldering more of the housework, school runs, it being less hectic the evenings I do work etc. I also do a fair bit of volunteering and have plenty of interests outside of work.

Company is restructuring soon and I'm wondering if it would be nicer to work 3 mornings a week. I think about leaving work quite a lot. DH is supportive either way. We would have to be more organised around finances, but we wouldn't starve if I worked less.

If you could pick your working hours what would they be?

OP posts:
SugarIsAmazing · 26/07/2018 07:43

I work 8am-4pm two days a week. I could really do with doubling my days as I don't earn much but I feel my son is too young yet for me to go full time (he's 9, almost ten).

WaitrosePigeon · 26/07/2018 07:44

I do 3x 12hr shifts per week. Means I always have 4 days off a week.

Chrisinthemorning · 26/07/2018 07:45

I do 9-5 Wed, Thurs and 9-1 Fri which is quite nice, but would prefer term time only which will not happen in my job.
I would like to stop altogether ideally!

dingledangledongle · 26/07/2018 07:46

I like what I’ve got - 3 days a wk but one short day. 20 hours pw but crucially term time only (not a school setting)
9-5, 9-5, 9-2. Means I can pick up 3 days a week but they do do bfast club 3 days because I have a 40 min commute.

Personally I’d rather be in the office less days so favour a couple of ‘long’ days rather than more shorter ones.

Namechange128 · 26/07/2018 07:46

Your working hours would be pretty perfect for me! The thing I'd like most would be 3 days a week, currently I work 9-6 full time plus travel and take work home - the hours are a bit long but with young dcs at home the thing I miss most is having full days together to go on adventures (and occasionally to get the house and some batch cooking sorted).

Ansumpasty · 26/07/2018 07:47

I work 11:30-3:30, term time only Smile

Groovee · 26/07/2018 07:48

I was working 3 mornings this year until May when I was successful in getting the job fully. I was working M/W/TH but my preferred days would have been M/T/Th. I used to work 2 days, Tues/Thursday which I really enjoyed x

underneaththeash · 26/07/2018 07:50

I once worked school hours only one day a week, term time only and that was ideal. It was very local, so I also popped in on other days if a patient needed re-checking. Oh and I was self-employed too.

Metoodear · 26/07/2018 07:51

I work
8:30-3:30 on Tuesday
8:30-300 on Wednesday and Thursday it means their only reallly in breakfast club in the morning and it’s £2

And after school club for abut 15minutes on a Tuesday and that’s £1 and I can pick them up at 3:30 on time the other two days and then I have Monday and Friday to myself

It also is better working mid week as inset days are usually Monday or Fridays and if I want to go away for a long weekend I don’t have to book time off we can leave Thursday evening and come back Monday

Also most childcare shut of bank holiday Monday but still charge

strawberrisc · 26/07/2018 07:55

None.

Chinnyreckoning · 26/07/2018 07:57

I do 3 days 9-330. All school holidays off. Love it.

LadyPlasters · 26/07/2018 07:57

At the moment I work Mon, Tues, weds 9.30 til 4.30. In laws do school pick up of dd9 and ds4 is at nursery. In Sept ds4 starts school so my work has allowed me to change to 4 days a week 9.30 til 2.30 so I can do both drop off and pick up. They are also allowing me to pick which day off I have during the week (providing I do work a few Fridays every now and then 🤣) which is very handy for inset days etc
My work have been so flexible and helpful that I do enjoy going in so find the work/non work balance great and never want to work full time again!

Ionlylookatthepictures · 26/07/2018 08:00

My dream hours would be:

11 - 4, mon-thurs (time to walk the dog and do a few chores before work and home around the same time as the dcs) and the Fridays off! Oh and the option to wfh on one or two of those days.

I’m not far off that schedule - but that would be ideal!

Chasingsquirrels · 26/07/2018 08:01

I've done a variety.

When dc were tiny I did 22.5hrs 8am-4.30pm Mon, Wed, Thu.
Shifted to a long day Mon and 3 shorter days Tue, Wed, Thu.
Dropped to 20 hours, increased to 25, dropped to 20 again.
Currently 20hrs 9.30am-2.30pm Mon-Thu.
But often do extra and flex round the school holidays - I've got 3 weeks of Aug off and only using 4 days holiday.
Their dad and I are no longer together and share the holidays, so I work more when he has them.
The most recent drop to 20 was on my return post bereaverment and I'm considering going back up to 25 after the summer, I mostly fit that in by working a long day when they are wkth their dad.

Ionlylookatthepictures · 26/07/2018 08:01

^^oh yes and holidays off!

Lellikelly26 · 26/07/2018 08:03

I’m full time now so I can finish qualifying in my profession. I used to work 3 days and found that ideal. When I qualify next year I will not work unless it is part time, 3 days or term time only

Openup41 · 26/07/2018 08:04

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at poster's request.

bonitabonita · 26/07/2018 08:14

I am self employed so I pick my hours and my holidays.

I chose to work 12-9pm Mon-Fri and 8am-5pm Sat but take all the school holidays.

DH works 6-2 so we have never needed childcare (we have no family support). I is the only way we can work full time to earn enough and both be equally active parents.

Livinglavidal0ca · 26/07/2018 08:17

I’m contracted 9-5.30 Tuesday Wednesday Thursday. Optional overtime for Monday’s and Fridays so often work full time.
I woke a minute walk from my house, so sometimes on a Monday and Friday I’ll go in for a few hours which is good as my son is up at 7 and back down for a nap at 9 so by the time I’m home he’s woken, had lunch and ready to go for the day.

My partner is full time but HATES his job and I love mine, he’s flexi so he’ll often take a Monday or Friday off to take care of our son and I’ll go in instead. Doesn’t always mean extra money but he gets extra time with our son and I actually don’t mind going in. It’s amazing having the choice of a 4 day weekend Grin

UndergroundSun · 26/07/2018 08:23

I do 3 days 7-3. It's ideal for me although I can't deny having an extra hour in bed sounds tempting.

WilyMinx · 26/07/2018 08:25

8-3 Mon-Thu during term times, off during holidays

Currently working 9-6 Mon-Fri and hate it (the hours, not the job)

frenchknitting · 26/07/2018 08:28

I do 8-4, 4 days, which is perfect for me as DH does the same. I have my day off mid-week which means I only work 2 days in a row.

DH having similar hours means that I don't hold the pressure of having more than 50% the household stuff on my shoulders.

At work, my hours are long enough to mean that my part-time-ness doesn't exclude me from any opportunities.

I wish it was term time only though! DC1 is starting school in a year and there is very little holiday childcare provision locally. I'll be lucky to get a fortnight off work at the same time as DH from next year.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 26/07/2018 08:32

I’d like your current hours. 3 days a week, maybe 9 - 5.

9amTrain · 26/07/2018 08:36

12pm-1pm

Toughtips · 26/07/2018 08:40

I'm going to be starting a new job and that's mon-Fri 10am til 2:20. Gonna be a bit hard during the 6 week holidays but when the kids are at school it's pretty perfect

Swipe left for the next trending thread