Page 10 | To only work 4 days a week

pleeeeeen · 08/04/2021 16:38

I still work part-time though my son is at school. I always want to be around to pick him up. My mum worked full time (out of necessity) and right up into my teenage years it made me sad she wasn't there after school.

DH is fine with it, in fact prefers it.

Homehaircuts · 08/04/2021 16:39

I've always been of the opinion you work to live not live to work. So if you can afford it I would be definitely be working less. So many people work all the time and fair enough if you love it or really need to. But earning money is just a means to and end imo. Life is for living and getting a free day a week could in the long run could be priceless for good mental health as it gives a chance to recharge and focus on other things and spending extra time with family.

hopingforabrighterfuture2021 · 08/04/2021 17:24

I do 4 days and absolutely love it. At various points I have been a SAHM, worked 5 days, worked 2 days, worked 3 days and honestly 4 days feels perfect.

I (personally) felt guilty doing less when my husband works full time, but a 4 day week I can justify as I do a lot more of the household stuff and I do manage to get time to myself on my day off. Walks, meeting a friend etc. I did also change my hours very slightly on the other 4 days so that I didn’t actually reduce my hours too much over the week. It works very well for us.

EasterChick98 · 08/04/2021 19:39

I work 4 days a week and my DH thinks it's great! It means I can do pick up/drop off for eldest DC and youngest DC can have a day off from nursery. Plus I do much more of the housework and life admin than he does, most of it on that day off.

He's admitted that he wouldn't want to go part time himself as he would find it stressful to have a day out of work every week.

Even once youngest DC is at school I'd still like to carry on doing 4 days a week if I can.

Some people on MN are completely obsessed with pensions and paying in the absolute max but I'd rather have a better work/life balance. I still pay a pretty decent amount into my pension on 80% of an FTE salary. It's not like leaving the workforce for 15 years until the DC leave primary school which a couple of my friends are doing.

1Morewineplease · 08/04/2021 19:43

I do four days. Absolutely love it! I get a day to just be with my newly retired husband and , Covid aside, it's 'our day.'
Just love it, but we can take the financial hit.

mumwalk · 08/04/2021 19:55

I guess a lot of it depends on how the household chores are split just now and whether that will change. If I was doing less paid work I would expect to do more of the unpaid work.

Oblomov21 · 09/04/2021 11:44

I guess my attempts to convince all workers in all countries that we ALL should be working a 4 day week, is wasted on this thread?

toffeebutterpopcorn · 09/04/2021 12:06

Wouldn’t that be nice? I was listening to a programme which was based on a household diary from ye olde days - and they worked on Saturdays!

LolaSmiles · 09/04/2021 13:38

I guess my attempts to convince all workers in all countries that we ALL should be working a 4 day week, is wasted on this thread?
Not here, I'm very much in favour of a 4 day working week. Whilst no expert, I can't help but doubt whether long working weeks and a weird obsession with presenteeism at the expense of physical and mental health has an overall negative effect on productivity on a national scale.

Sarjest · 09/04/2021 13:47

Can you do a nine day fortnight? Then you get full time pay and no loss in pension. You still get time for admin/ appointments / sitting on the sofa / pickup, too. How old is you DS?

user1471554720 · 09/04/2021 17:59

I would be wary of doing 4 days if you are younger, i.e.40 or less. You will never want to do 5 again. People say, 'I will do 5 when I am 50'. They don't realise that energy levels reduce in your 50s and you may NEED a day off each weej, just not to be tired all the time.

You should reduce to a 9 day fortnight, a day off every second week. Use this as a personal day. Then as you get older and need the time, you can do a 4 day.

I have been doing a 9 day fortnight fir 10 years, I am nearly 50 now. We have 2 tweens. I have no childcare at weekends so a day to get a haircut, dentist is great. I don't feel a bit guilty as I pay half all bills, have no access to DH money and I am funding this for my own mental health, so not to be stressed and tired. Dh cooks and does outside work. I do all the indoor housework in eves and weekend. I would find it pointless to do housework on my day off. I can't relax at the weekends anyway as I have to take kids to activities. The weekends are nearly busier than the working week. The day off every fortnight for an appointment/walk/watch a programme is invaluable for helping me not to feel strung out and tired.

EasterChick98 · 09/04/2021 19:04

@user1471554720 I'm 35 and do 4 days, I don't really ever plan on going back up to 5!

Harrystylesismyjam · 09/04/2021 19:19

I’m under 40 and can count on 1 hand the number of years I’ve worked ‘full time’ or more than a 4 day week. I don’t plan to do it again. No reason to if I can earn plenty part time or have an employer who is happy for compressed hours (which is a win win for everyone I think).

MyOtherProfile · 10/04/2021 06:50

Given that OP said this:
Just to be clear, we both have professional roles and make good money so we would not struggle financially with part-time working.
I'm amazed that so many people think it's a bad idea. If money isn't an issue and OP would like an extra day a week to catch up with stuff what's the problem?

Amongst all my mum friends (and a few non mum friends) who are married I hardly know anyone who works full time. In fact I'm just trying to think of anyone at all. One friend who has been working FT is dropping to PT next month.

In our house it means that neither of us have to do certain jobs on the weekend because I do them on my two days off, in between having coffee with friends and having some time to myself. It works for the work life balance of the whole family.

devastating · 10/04/2021 07:19

It sounds great - I would definitely go for four days.

Earlgrey666 · 10/04/2021 08:06

Choose 4 days! It will make the weekends easier and less rushed so more family time.

There are school holidays to consider too, covering 4 days is easier than 5.

I work 2 days a week term time only and my dh is supportive of this arrangement, both dcs are now in school.
We share finances.

He can't do school drop offs and pick ups so if I worked full time we would be reliant on full time wrap around care which neither of us want.

I love my days off, I do all of the cleaning, childcare, admin and school stuff.
I also get time to myself and to meet up with friends and go for walks etc.

I

Earlgrey666 · 10/04/2021 08:08

Also, I don't have any friends who work full time, they are SAHMs or work 2/3 days per week

OverByYer · 10/04/2021 08:15

I worked 3 days a week until youngest was in comp.
I loved being able to do my share of school runs and get involved on some school activities.
It’s time you won’t get back and if you can afford to drop a day I would.
My career did take a back seat but I’m building it back up now and I’m 48 now.

Pea1985 · 10/04/2021 08:34

I would take the 4 days if I were you, good part time roles dont come up that often. Assuming you work 9-5 and not school hours it means you'll have 1 day a week to do the pick up which would be nice. I've been part time since my first son was born and currently work 2.5 days. My youngest is only 3 and I dont plan to go full time any time soon, even when he starts school. I dont have family help so have to use breakfast/after school clubs and its a long week for a reception aged child to be at school/wraparound 8-5 Monday to Friday. However i am considering going up to 3 or 3.5 days when my youngest starts school.

Barbie222 · 10/04/2021 08:45

Unless you're both able to do it and compromise on earnings, pension I don't think it's fair. I think the opposite of most here - the more part time you are, the more unpaid grunt work you will have to do, and you can't argue that he should do 50% if you have more free time than him. It is just a way of passing over more and more of the mental load. You need to look for a way both of you can work flexibly or part time, or accept you have to pick up more of the stuff no one enjoys doing.

Barbie222 · 10/04/2021 08:47

@Harrystylesismyjam

I’m under 40 and can count on 1 hand the number of years I’ve worked ‘full time’ or more than a 4 day week. I don’t plan to do it again. No reason to if I can earn plenty part time or have an employer who is happy for compressed hours (which is a win win for everyone I think).

Do you have enough of a pension contribution though? I regret my part time years, they don't add up to enough and the future looks uncertain.

nanbread · 10/04/2021 08:52

Isn't pension based on earnings rather than days worked though?

So if you're reasonably well paid for 3 days a week that's not a problem?

(Work pension is often shit anyway)

MyOtherProfile · 10/04/2021 09:07

I don't really understand this idea that there has to be equity between both spouses and the number of days worked. Surely it needs to be equity in work including all the house stuff, children responsibilities, mental load for home responsibilities? Based on that, and even with a husband who cooks and shares other household jobs, I still think my 3 days work and 2 days at home equal his 5 days work.

Lassy1945 · 10/04/2021 10:10

@MyOtherProfile

I don't really understand this idea that there has to be equity between both spouses and the number of days worked. Surely it needs to be equity in work including all the house stuff, children responsibilities, mental load for home responsibilities? Based on that, and even with a husband who cooks and shares other household jobs, I still think my 3 days work and 2 days at home equal his 5 days work.

I asll work 3 days and 2 days off I am a single parent of primary children

And whilst I agree that blindly pursuing absolute equity in work in marriages is not healthy
I disagree that my 3 days in the office correlates to 5. And as I say - I’m a single parent!
On my two days I do housework, admin, batch cooking, run errands BUT it’s by my time and I can put aside, for example a task that needs to be done but it’s critical to instead go for a long coffee and chat with a friends. Or perhaps watch an hour of TV. Couldn’t do that at work!!

Lassy1945 · 10/04/2021 10:11

But it’s not critical