To ask if anyone here is part-time as a lifestyle choice?

[bodgersmash]

I recently reduced my hours at work and went temporarily part time due some difficult personal issues.

Those are largely resolved for now, but I simply don't want to go back to working full time! I'm less stressed, evidenced by my heart rate tracker, have much more free time and I think I could cope with the drop in income, although things will undoubtably be tight now and then.

I don't expect my DP to support me - I'll continue paying 50% of the bills as it's my choice.

But it just feels a bit like people will judge me for being lazy! Perhaps I'm judging myself. Is there anyone who works full time despite not really needing to from a childcare perspective? Do you regret it?

Before I had kids I dropped my hours so that I finished at 12 one day a week. It wasn't a big drop in hours but it made a massive difference to how I felt. If you can afford it why not?

I'm currently freelancing as a lifestyle choice. I worked FT for most of last year after working PT for about 6 years and I am not going back to FT again. I would rather have more time and less money. As long as I can still contribute equally to the household finances, I don't feel guilty. I wouldn't do it if I had to live off my husband, but currently I don't.

I took voluntary redundancy from a stressful management role at 45 and now work part time from home. I have primary and secondary age children. I earn less but no childcare costs and have the time to meal plan and shop around more, also zero commuting costs. Previously I would never look for cheaper home/car insurance quotes as I never had time. I definitely feel more relaxed.

There are some people who (probably through jealousy) will judge you but it sounds like it's the right move for you. I work part time because it works better for our family. If the kids were older and didn't need me here I'd probably continue part time because we don't need the money and it improves my quality of life. I'd encourage DH to do the same. Don't be a martyr.

I teach part time instead of full time. I'm calmer with the DC, I have more time for them, their needs and their activities, my stress levels are massively reduced and I'm a better person all round than I was when I taught full time.

The work/life balance is perfect and I won't ever go back to full-time teaching despite loving my work.

I do some extra work in finance on the side which means my income has increased rather than decreasing, but it's stuff I can do in my sleep and around the DC.

And yes, people will judge you. MIL (who hasn't ever worked a single day in her life) tells me that it's unfair to DH to only work part time when both DC are at school, that he'll end up resenting me, that our marriage isn't equal, that I don't have as many rights as he does because I don't earn what he does, blah, blah, blah. MIL is a) madder than a box of frogs and b) going to find fault no matter what I do (she ranted when I went back to work full time after the DC saying they'd grow up not knowing who I am).

The long and short of it is that you need to do what works for you and say "off you fuck then" to anyone who sticks their oar in. It's nobody's business but yours how you choose to live your life.

I work 30 hours a week by choice. My work would have me go full-time in a heartbeat, but I don't want to. Last time I worked full-time I almost got to the point of breakdown. I can't do it. I need the time off to keep me sane. I spend it doing a weekly art class and a distance learning degree, as well as housework, seeing friends and family, and sleeping. I don't need the extra money nearly as much as I need the extra rest.

In the UK you need 35 years contributions to get a full state pension which is not much to live on. So if you are working part time are you paying into a private pension too ? If you are only working part time how do you pay bills, holidays, emergencies ?

If you can afford it go for it. I went part-time after I went back from Maternity Leave and I love it.

I’m looking for more hours now for financial reasons but if I could afford it I’d never go back full-time. I suppose if somebody is career-driven or loves their job they may feel differently, but low band NHS being asked to do more work with less people, the pressure, the blame, being looked down on? nah. The freedom and lower stress levels is wonderful.

My work is flexible.

I run a business and in the beginning I was working 50 hour weeks and occasionally have to now.
But the rest of the time I work about two hours a day

My mental health means I can't work full time as I burn out so quickly and my job has high burn out too.

I could technically work more and make more money but I have made the decision not to.
I take around 20k a year and pay heavily into a pension.

I sometimes feel very guilty about being off during the day but I know it's just me being silly.

Like right now I'm still in bed because we went out for Sunday dinner yesterday and I had a bit too much wine.
But actually I work on a Saturday and Sunday morning so my Monday is kind of like my Sunday.
I also work in the evenings and have never really got into the habit of feeling ok about having leisure time during the day. It still feels wrong.

I will be doing. Work 0.5ish now with a preschooler, going to increase hours once they're school age but not to FT. No plans to do that for a good long while. DH is fine with it, hes been part time himself. Greatly improves family life and we can afford it as small mortgage. Pension is crap but it still wouldn't be enough to make a significant difference to my retirenent income even working full time.

You're a human being, not an economic unit. Do what is right for you.

Working FT for medium and long term financial security doesn’t stop people being a human being!

It also isn’t necessarily bad for health.

Considerations of affordability need to take into account the medium and long term, and the high likelihood of state pension benefits being further reduced and care needs/costs being an issue for one in four people.

I went part time when I had my first (30 years ago!) Then I had twins so part time evenings was the way to go then, as childcare costs and choices were different then. I've worked part time round the kids since then (quite a few years as a single parent).
Now, kids have left home and I could work more but I don't want to. I work very part time but I'm at home to do housework, admin and be available for grandchildren and elderly parents. My in laws are not in the best of health so there's a lot of running about after them. Plus TD days, snow days, illness etc for the grandkids.
My husband works full time, he's happy, I'm happy, pensions are sorted, kids are happy (good old mum to call on for stuff!) It works for us. We're not rolling in money but we're comfortable, bills are paid, everyone's happy.

Loopytiles where did I say working ft stopped you being a human being? I did not. I think you should make decisions based on the fact you are a human being and not an economic unit. That takes into account affordability and PERSONAL health not a general statement of what's good for you or not.

I went to four days pre kids as it suited me and work. It was ok then. I think if finances are tight and health and mental health are ok, and no children, it can be hard to lose the guilt about not being economically active in that time. But I don't think that should be the case!

Yes, I work part time and I love it.

My youngest is 18 and at University.

I haven't worked full time for 22 years.

I have plenty time for the gym, pottering, gardening, walking, taking photographs.

Works for me.

2 day weekends makes most people feel like robots a lot of the time. Its not enough and is over in a flash. I went part time when i had no children, no responsibilities, i just wanted to actually enjoy my life instead of waiting for two days and feeling run down constantly. Best thing i ever did. I hsve less money, but i am very happy. Even deropping one day makes a world of difference!

You might face judgement, but its always people who are arseholes or uptight folks that want to lecture you on savings, pensions and things that really are none of their business and how youre going to be doomed. I have had snotty mums at work say 'but you havent got children... So what do you DO on your day off? Don't you get bored?' One office witch i worked with could just not get over it, she really judged me. I would laugh at them, 'i never get bored, im not a boring person, i have a great time not being here!'

They are people that just have no life, get bored easy and are perfect for the world of workplace enslavement! Take your extra days and enjoy! You won't regret it.

If you are only working part time how do you pay bills, holidays, emergencies ?

Presumably by earning enough to cover those things?! What a strange question.

Yes go for it but just think about the future. Will you have enough state pension contributions and private pension contributions?

3 days a week here. It's 100% the best decision I've ever made for my health and sanity. If you don't need extra money or are happy to cut costs then I would definitely recommend it. I spend much less than I did when working full time, as I have time to do meal prep in advance, 2 days not working means I can do the garden myself and I don't need new work clothes so often etc.

Kind of. I set up a consultancy type business from home. I work whilst DDs are in school (kind of) but most of my work is actually done between 8pm and 11pm due to the type of work it is.

I could take on more work. My mum and neighbours keep suggesting clients for me "so and sos son has a business" "why don't you contact that place we went blah blah"... But I am currently earning the same as I did in my full time office job, once you deduce the fuel, toll, parking, wrap around childcare, eating out at lunchtimes, paying for a cleaner etc. none of which is happening now.

We're ok financially, own our own house with a medium mortgage, DH earns ok money. More money would definitely be a good thing for us. But being home for my girls from 4pm-8pm every day, plus not having to spend all weekend doing backed up chores and washing loads, holiday childcare etc, makes it by far the better choice for me!

not sure what "lifestyle choice" means - if you can afford it, then why not?!

I am part time now. I could work full time but I would lose what's left of my sanity if I did. I'm single, no DC, no one else loses out by me being PT and elderly mum would struggle if I could only pop by there once a week or whatever - she's a long way from me.

I hope no one is bugging you about your choice OP?

I would love to be able to drop a day. I was thinking about starting a thread on here actually but I didn't know how to word it properly.

We aren't well off at all. We bring in about £45k between us and live in Lancashire so I don't by any means think we are poor, but we don't have much disposable income at all - we do live month to month and have no savings. Yet, I feel burnt out! I feel like I never see my daughter, I never see my family, I have been having these miserable thoughts about how I am just one easily replaceable office grunt and if I was flattened by a bus tomorrow there would be someone new in my chair by next week so WHY am I doing this! (The answer of course is because we need money!). Is there a right answer when you aren't well off enough to really justify it

Gosh, sorry OP, that is a real self pitying rant there isn't it! I certainly don't think you are lazy and I would think people who say that to you can just get to feck!

I'm mid 40s, no kids, and my husband and I both work 30 hours over three days, so have four day weekends every weekend. It's bloody brilliant. We've paid off our mortgage and have good savings and pensions, so feel absolutely no need to work more than we need to. Couldn't give a monkeys what anyone else thinks about it.