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.

I’m hoping to do the same, OP.

I earn ‘ok’ money now, and I work 5 days a week. My plan is to get a bit more experience, move into a role paying a bit more, then either negotiate down to 4 days a week or find a company willing to consider part time.

I despise working 5 days, I feel like I would be 100000% happier working a 4 day week, and if I can do it without taking a huge financial hit it’ll be so worth it.

I have kids and have worked four days a week for about 6 yes and carried on even though they are now older. It's a much better balance, I get 'stuff' done on my week day off meaning I have weekends to actually do things.
I've seen quite a bit about 4 day weeks in the news recently as I think Iceland have trialled it successfully. There's a suggestion of trialling it here - maybe you could suggest you want to trial it now OP

I'm hoping to do the same OP. I'm currently looking at my options!

I don't work Fridays.
Used to work 3 days, then went to 4. Love Fridays off.

I work 4 Hours Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays. I love it!

I condensed my hours into 4 days with Friday off, best thing I ever did, I will never go back to 5 days a week!

YABU - clearly Monday is the day to avoid, not Friday!

4day working week in New Zealand, Google, many big firms. Employees paid full time, ie 5 days, but only work 4. Highly efficient.

Is being presented at the ideal.

Wish it was! Hasn't caught on yet.

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!!

Absolutely OP. I am finding this thread so full of wise people who I identify with far more than any career building, money orientated, high achievers. Nothing wrong with that. Just not for me.

Freedom, fun, life! Plus you get taxed less.

No harm in asking! I'd say I want a better work/life balance and have other interests I wish to pursue...see what they say?! And good for you!

I don’t work Mondays - originally because of the kids but they’re teenagers now and I have made it very clear I’m never going back to full time. I use my day off for a mix of chores/errands and stuff I enjoy which I could never do when the kids were small as DH works stupid hours. I would say go for it if you can comfortably afford it. Life’s too short frankly

Definitely drop a day if you can afford to but personally I would recommend dropping Mondays- works out better for bank holiday entitlement which are pro rota'd when you are part time, if you don't work Monday you have extra BH entitlement to add to your annual leave, but if you work Mondays and are p/t you may have to use some of your annual leave to take a bank holiday off ( assuming your workplace closes BHs)

I'm literally never going back to 5 days a week before I retire .

However- boring bit - I have a decent enough pension to retire at 60 even with working 4 days a week. Working less hours does mean you'll be putting less in and may have to work longer - just something to consider.

Do it! Best decision I ever made!

If you do 4.5 days worth of hours stretched over Monday to Thursday, there’s less of a pay cut and it’s just 30 mins-ish added to each end of the working day, just FYI

Definitely do it if you can afford it. I'd not work Monday over Friday though, I think, as Friday always seems a quieter day anyway because of all the other people who don't work Fridaysand no Sunday night feeling.

In my old full time job I dropped to 3 days, it was amazing. I felt like I wasn't living for work. The balance was great. That was with 2 small children. However without children a 4 day week would have been perfect.

Yes to Fridays off!
I've worked both patterns (mon to thur and tue to fri) and whilst you do win on the bank hols with Mondays off, I find Fridays off better psychologically as I look forward to it all week.

Definitely do it! . My boss has every second Friday off by doing longer hours the rest of the time. I am seriously thinking of doing similar or just cutting my days to 4 per week just to give me a day where I can do the housework and shopping (or whatever) so we’ve got the weekend to do nice things as a family instead.

Good for you. It is my ambition to not work on more days than I do. Not sure when I will be able to afford it, but aiming there!

@Runnerduck34

Definitely drop a day if you can afford to but personally I would recommend dropping Mondays- works out better for bank holiday entitlement which are pro rota'd when you are part time, if you don't work Monday you have extra BH entitlement to add to your annual leave, but if you work Mondays and are p/t you may have to use some of your annual leave to take a bank holiday off ( assuming your workplace closes BHs)

I was going to say this also. I always found Mondays really busy, and commute hectic, but as the week went on, less and less people came into the office and the commute was bearable.

Any reason you want Fridays off and not a monday? Would your work allow you to drop hours?

Another thought- could you work 4.5 days worth of hours over 4 days? So an extra hour each day, but still have a day off during the week, and not drop too much money? I did this my taking only 30min lunch breaks, not 1hr breaks and adding an extra hour each day.

I don't work Fridays. But mu kids are young

I dont think I'll start even when they are older

Do it!

I only work 2 days a week and don’t want to do any more. I sometimes do an extra day every now and again at my own leisure on a self employed project but not often.

I’m a teacher and have to work a few hours on one of my days off to sort my planning and marking as I don’t stay in school late on my work days due to needing to pick the kids up.

Do it.
I dropped down to three days a couple of years ago, and less senior because I couldn't find my level of work part time.
Just started another role, more senior and only two days a week - net is about the same

Great thing about a week day off is that it's easier to meet up with friends for coffee etc, especially if their kids are at school. Also, after tax the drop in income can seem less than it does on paper.

It's totally worth it IMHO, hope you manage to find an understanding employer. Perhaps even wfh 1-2 days a week would be an option also.

You sound very similar to me OP, except I have three dc and earn £10k less than you. I love my four day week and it would have to be a bloody brilliant opportunity to convince me to go back to working 5 days again.