To drop working Fridays just... because

[AWiseWomanOnceSaidFuckThisShit]

I'm nearly 37. I care about my job and doing things properly but I'm very much the "work to live" type. I don't have a degree or a glittering career, I'm not massively ambitious and whilst I'm on a decent salary (admin role) I don't see the working world as a ladder I need to climb. I need to work both for money and a purpose / routine (work is good for the soul) but I'm always counting down the days to the weekend. Over the past few months I've decided if I leave my current job I would like to drop down to Mon - Thus. I've been able to use really good flexible hours over the last couple of years but that's about to be restricted and it's making me feel really trapped. I have a fair amount in savings for emergencies, I have a small mortgage and no children or plans to ever have them. I guess I've just realised I want more of a work life balance and although we all need money, I would rather have a bit less and be happier. But most people I know only work 4 days per week because they are approaching retirement or they have childcare issues... I am just basically saying I want Fridays off because I can afford it and I can't be arsed! Will this make me look lazy etc?! Would a company even say yes to this? I doubt my current employers would.

We're moving this over to our AIBU topic for the OP (and giving it a bump)

I don’t work Monday or Friday because I can afford it and I can’t be arsed. I have one school age child and a cleaner.
Why not?
I love my life!

I would do it in your shoes, YANBU! Great position to be in.

I could have written this myself OP. I aim for mediocrity 😂 I'm 37, no kids, live on my own and work 4 days just because. Average salary. I love it.

Do it! I'm 40, no kids and planning to do the same once I've bought a new house (need current salary to maximise the mortgage offer).

Another vote to drop the Friday. I’m sick of working and it doesn’t look like we can have children. So l think l should have a more fun and relaxed life. So should you!

Go for it op!

Absolutely. Do it. You don't need a reason beyond you want to!

Does anybody do any office type work on a Friday? I wouldn’t stop working Fridays, maybe Weds.

I dropped my fridays... best decision ever!
Much more family/relaxing time and you gain an extra Friday!

I think that’s fantastic - if that’s what you want to do and you can afford it then go for it. There’s no reason why part-time work should just be the preserve of people with kids or people approaching retirement.

I used to work with someone who worked four days in order to pursue a hobby (art) on the fifth day. I thought good for them!

I dropped fridays around 7 years ago and now I have dropped Mondays as well - life is too short to spend it working.

Depending on how holiday is calculAted you could be better off not working mondays. My bank holiday allowance is rolled in with normal holiday hours but I don't have to use it for bank holiday mondays (usually 4) so get an extra week to use when I want

Oh wow if I could afford to I would do the same. Go for it! If you can afford to why not?

Part time is the best ever.
Today I went for lunch and had a nap. I did nothing else.

I will never ever give up my Fridays off. My kids are school age. 4 day weeks are the one.

I work 3 days now (gearing down for retirement) and take Tuesday and Wednesday off as my non working days. That way I get any bank holidays rolled into my non work days, and 2 weekends each week. Bloody brilliant, 😎

I know a few people who work 90% of full time ie alternate Fridays off. They say that they hardly notice the 10% drop in salary, probably do full time work in 90% of the time, and really benefit from alternate fridays off. If you apply for roles which are advertised as full time, I suspect you would struggle to negotiate 4 days per week, but 90% might go down better

I have a ‘professional’ job and haven’t worked on Friday for years.
It has been a blessing

I have no kids and dropped to 25 hours a week when I paid my mortgage off. I used to take Mondays and Fridays off, but since the pandemic have switched to doing five mornings a week instead. Now that the gym/pool has reopened, I go for a swim/gym in the morning, work 10-3 then knock off, do shopping/errands.whatever (today I went to an exhibition of modernist Italian furniture) , maybe a stroll if the weather is nice, make a nice dinner and chill. It's bloody brilliant.

People at work keep trying to promote me or ask me to do more hours to work on particular projects, and once in a while I go full time for a couple of months, top up my pension with the extra money and go back to what is as near to a life of leisure as someone not born to wealth can have.

Bloody hell yeah!!

I went part time 12 years ago after mat leave. No way sir am I ever doing full time again although I technically could now kids are older. I look around at the full timers and just think they are machines / heroes. How the heck do they fit life in??

All that achieving... Not for me.

At the same time as I went down to four days a week for childcare reasons another member of the team did it just because he wanted to have more time off to spend on his hobbies. I thought it was great - good for him (and from a selfish point of view it shut up my colleagues who were convinced that I was getting special treatment as a parent by being allowed to go part-time!).

I’m just doing that, why not, if you can. Enjoy it.

I dropped to three full days when I was 35 (I am in a similar position to you, no kids, savings). Best move I ever made.
I have recently dropped a couple of hours off each day due to health reasons. I did think about doing 4 half days but I love my days off too much and life is too short.
I use to worry about people thinking I am lazy, but it's thanks to saving and been careful with money I am in this position, so I don't care what people think it has nothing to do with anyone.

Wow... wasn't expecting that!! Everyone seems so passionate about their career paths on here I thought I'd be called a lazy twat! To confirm I'm not minted or anything, I earn £31k per year. I've calculated that if I took a pay cut to say £24/£25k I would still be left with 50% disposable income... but that's after mortgage, bills AND a decent mortgage overpayment every month. I have between £10k and £15k in savings and would still be able to build this up though not as much. I guess if it didn't work out or if I needed more money for a bigger mortgage I could go back up to full time or even rent out my spare room if there was a cash flow issue of some sort. I just feel so tied to work all the time, the weekends go in a flash. I've had a few Fridays off this year and I've absolutely loved it! Who the fuck wants to sit in an office on a Friday afternoon when you can be kayaking, walking in a forest or getting pissed in the garden!!