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Original poster

Going down to 4 days - which day off works best?

232 replies

Nesski · 10/04/2021 08:40

I'm about to start mat leave and want to go down to 4 days a week when I go back, however, I'm not sure which day would work best. There will be a trial period to see if it would work for my company, but I'd like some insights. Friday for example is a bad day because it's delivery day (I work for a consulting firm), Wednesday's could work well because I'd start the week off with the team and be able to leave them to get on with it on Wednesday and then pick it up again until the end of the week. Monday because bank holiday usually falls on this day (these days a pro-rated).

OP posts:
RestingPandaFace · 10/04/2021 08:54

Wednesday worked well for me too. If you are a consultant it fits really well into delivery cycles. As you say you can’t start the team off at the start of the week and catch back up at the end.

Arbadacarba · 10/04/2021 08:55

I would go for Mondays for the reason Kitkat151 said.

Also, if you want a long weekend, Monday is generally a gloomy day whereas people are in a good mood on Friday.

I would definitely choose a long weekend rather than a day off in the week to give myself a longer mental break and be more refreshed.

I would absolutely love to reduce my hours but it's not a financial option for me - make the most of it, OP.

WillYouDoTheFandango · 10/04/2021 08:56

I have Wednesday, it’s great. I move it around as a one off as and when work or I need so I’ve tried all days. My son’s school do their nativities etc on Wednesday as the Friday before end of term is usually only a half day.

I can’t have Friday as everyone has Friday but I dislike working 4 days in a row now anyway. Monday is rubbish in my job as you always start the week on the back foot playing catch up.

NatMoz · 10/04/2021 08:56

I used to have a Thursday which was 'ok' because you would only be in for 1 day before the weekend.

I now have Mondays and love it for the long weekend but my second choice would be wednesday

ToffeeAppleCaramel · 10/04/2021 08:57

I have Thursdays which I know is a really random day - chosen due to childcare availability - but it actually works well for me and I wouldn’t change it now. I also often have Friday deadlines and when that happens I can usually do the bulk of my work on each project Mon - Wed, send round for review as near final during Thursday (when I’m not there), pick up and finalise on Friday. And parks etc do tend to be quiet so that is a bonus too. Only big downside is everyone else I know who is part time has a different day off to me so I can’t do much socialising. But I’ve signed up to some Thursday activities where we’ll see the same people so hopefully that will improve, too.

panicpidgeon · 10/04/2021 08:57

Mondays here Which I really like and I get extra days annual leave to make sure I get my 4/5 entitlement to bank holidays. I like having a clear run at the week and it not feeling stop start. Also helps avoid that Sunday feeling.

KitchenWarrior · 10/04/2021 08:57

In a weekly project management type role, Weds or Thurs. The project will be well underway, I usually find disasters happen on Tuesdays!

Like a pp I also have a swap arrangement - if I'm needed at work on my day off (I require at least three weeks notice of this!) I take a different day that week. This only works if you have flexible childcare.

NecklessMumster · 10/04/2021 08:57

I asked for Monday's as I hate the Sunday night feeling, but I got Fridays. I didn't want Fri as it's a relaxed ish day anyway but it's a nice start to the weekend

LadyDangerfield · 10/04/2021 08:59

When the kids were tiny, I had Fridays off and to my detriment I found out this wasn't a good choice. My team leader started to arrange team meetings on a Friday. Decisions would be made on a Friday that I didn't know anything about. Emails would be sent that I'd be left out of and if I queried, me not working on a Friday would be stated as the issue.

Wednesday is a good day to have off as it's midweek and you can catch up with work before the weekend.

AlphabetDinosaur · 10/04/2021 08:59

If you're going to be using a nursery then you might need to check what days they have available and that might help you make a decision. I used a workplace nursery but they didn't have any availability on a Friday so that was my day off at first.

After my second I changed roles and the only way to get both kids into nursery was to have the Thursday off. I quite liked that too as it meant it was a short week followed by one day and Fridays were often quieter for me at work.

RicStar · 10/04/2021 09:00

I have Monday off - long weekends, bank holiday issue, and I like having work in a block, but my role is very much not a project management type role, all the people I know in those sort of roles have a mid week day off (and end up responding to emails on those days and not getting paid for it), so it never feels like they are 'off for too long.

Astrid01 · 10/04/2021 09:00

I have a Monday off now and I really like it, better than the Friday.
My bank holidays are pro-rata and added to my holiday allowance and I have found that I never lose out on them. Sometimes I break even depending on when Christmas falls but I have found friends that had to use their actual annual leave allowance to cover all the mondays as well.
Everyone has got over the Monday feeling so you can hit the ground running on a Tuesday. I also found that people seemed to not notice as much as having a Friday off. I have worked in my current place for 3 years and there are still people in my team who haven't noticed I'm part time.
Practically it also means I can sort washing and tidy up if I have had a busy weekend and the house isn't a mess all week.

DinosaurDiana · 10/04/2021 09:01

Wednesday, splits up the week.

Harryfrog12 · 10/04/2021 09:01

Dont take mondays off. Whenever a bank holiday comes round you will feel robbed

HelloSunshine11 · 10/04/2021 09:01

Definitely Monday due to the bank holiday thing. Makes a massive difference to your leave entitlement if you don't have eight days dictated to by bank holidays.

mads2750 · 10/04/2021 09:02

I originally wanted Fridays, but another colleague has that as her day off so I agreed to Mondays and I love it. Much prefer the long weekend that way, and (when things open up) I think places will be a lot quieter on Mondays for trips out etc.

Aurorie11 · 10/04/2021 09:03

Mondays so you get the pro-rota bank holiday as more bank holidays fall on a Monday than any other day.
But if childcare isn’t an issue... I started a new job this year and I do my hours over 4 days and can drop DC off at school and collect without needing wraparound care, so I flex the day off per week dependent on what’s going on work wise and personally. So the week good Friday fell in this week, I did my hours Monday to Thursday so didn’t need to use any holiday time to cover the bank holiday and will do the same for the early May bank holiday, so I can use the leave when I really needs it. I’m flexible for the company and it works for me, but realise it won’t work if you are using wraparound care

BurbageBrook · 10/04/2021 09:03

I think Wednesdays off works great.

Violaaa · 10/04/2021 09:03

Monday's here too. You get more annual leave!
Also I had Fridays before but I prefer Mondays and have several friends with Mondays off too.

AliMonkey · 10/04/2021 09:04

I have Mon and Fri as work 3dpw.

Mon good due to what Kitkat151 said re choosing when to use your 80% of bank holidays. Otherwise you have to use your annual leave to cover the 20% of each bank holiday Monday. Also good to not have to start work on a Monday morning - particularly once they start school as you have a day to get stuff done after the weekend. Also lots of toddler groups run on Mondays (and few on Fridays). And having a long weekend.

Fridays good for holidays - many holiday cottages start on Fridays - and for end of term early finishes at school. One guaranteed 80% bank holiday. I had same issue as you re working in consultancy and very occasionally meant I had to work as Friday but was always childcare available. And when I was more junior then by Friday it was usually with the more senior person and now I am senior I dictate that we aim to complete on the Thursday!

But have colleagues for whom Wednesday works well and they get that “Friday feeling” twice - but the also get the Monday feeling twice!

Original poster
Nesski · 10/04/2021 09:05

One of my female bosses actually suggested the Wednesday as it works well for the business and also is a generally quiet day in the week, I was actually thinking of a three day week but I don't want my husband doing all the heavy lifting! (I'd still be able to justify keeping a cleaner then Grin).

This is a bit of an add on from the original post - I'm going to go to mums for one of the week for childcare and WFH thete, so only need nursery for 3 days. I was thinking Mondays at mums and nursery Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, this is purely again cos I would loathe paying for bank holidays!

OP posts:
AdriannaP · 10/04/2021 09:06

I have done Wednesdays before and it was great. Also Fridays are usually quieter jn my industry and that was a nice day to catch up with things.

M0v1ngH0use · 10/04/2021 09:07

I like that you (OP) are already considering the benefit and potential downsides to both you and your colleagues. Taking Monday or Friday might mean colleagues are less likely to be able to book a long weekend - depends on how much holidays need to be coordinated. That was the case in my last job as we needed suitable staffing levels every day of the week. So any of Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday feels more likely to be mutually convenient, hopefully with the informal option to flip your day off to a Mon or Fri when you fancy a long weekend.

Original poster
Nesski · 10/04/2021 09:07

And yes @RicStar both my female bosses have told me that part time isn't for everyone, only take part time if I know I will truly not work at all during my day off, otherwise there's no point in taking the financial hit!

OP posts:
Kitkat151 · 10/04/2021 09:08

@Harryfrog12

Dont take mondays off. Whenever a bank holiday comes round you will feel robbed
🤔.... but you end up adding those hours to your leave and can take the leave when you want it....plus you get the Monday bank holiday off anyway.....winner winner I would say. How are you robbed?