To be finding part time work more stressful than full time?

[PenelopeVonDelius]

Anyone else had this?

I reduced my days to 3 a week instead of 5. I have a preschooler at home on my days off and both dcs at weekends. I'm shattered! Thought this would be nice for the kids, but I'm no fun at all.

I'm falling behind a bit at work as well.

Thinking I've made a mistake really and maybe should consider full time again.

You’re probably finding you’re trying to fit 5 days into 3 days. That’s what put me off going PT. The only thing you can do is be very realistic about what you can do in 22.5 hours and once your time is up, leave work behind. You’re not getting paid for it after all 🤷‍♀️

Working part time means you end up taking on almost 100% of the household tasks, plus about 3/4 of a weeks worth of work in 3 days, unless you have a job where people understand that you should be allocated 3/5 of the work.

As a lawyer working a four day week, I ended up doing more hours than FT staff because I had the biggest caseload of anyone in my department

YANBU. It’s crap!

I feel like this! I do 4 days but really, just squash 5 days of work into 4. They really get their money's worth out of me.
I feel everyone on full time get a down day on Friday and I'm still full pelt until Thursday eve. I then have dc 3 days on my own as DH is at work.
I'm just patiently waiting, as I know once the eldest starts school, the work life balance will shift a little and hopefully be less full on.
I feel you op. It is shit.

Yes. I went back to full time. I was fitting a full time job into part time hours and being paid less.

I uses to do 4 but found it much easier to do 5 in the end.
I was always expected to cover holidays and if if was busy ( which it always is!). Definitely end up squeezing 5 days into 4. Plus bosses always acted that they were doing me a huge favour by letting me do part time.

I hated part time. My hours were split over a five day week, so I was still in for a few hours every day which resulted in paying for full time nursery for a part time wage. I ditched part time after six months, changed career and went full time.

I do 4 days but only agreed that because there was a specific piece of my role that was going elsewhere that was reducing my workload to about 80% of its previous level. It still can be a bit stressful, my non working day is in the middle of the week as that works best around my commitments (formal meetings etc are always on the other days) but it can be disruptive and I sometimes feel like I have to work extra hard the day before my non working day to get enough stuff done, and then come back to a day’s worth of unanswered emails. And my non working day is not relaxing, I’m always frazzled by bedtime.

That said, my DD will go to school next year and I’m already thinking I’ll miss the day with her.

I freelance so each week is different but I hate only working 3/4 days a week sometimes. I’m so much more unproductive because I think ‘I have more time’ when in reality I don’t

If I’m on a full schedule I get on with things, and I manage to sort it all as I go. Looking for permanent jobs in the new year and I’ll be avoiding part time!

Yea I always felt this and it was almost a relief to go back fulltime.

I work 30 hours with a daily 30 minutes break, spread over 5 days. I negotiated a full time salary with yearly increase on this as my workload didn’t decrease when I reduced my hours. I could do the same hours over 4 days but I start late and finish early over 5 days which means I can do all drop offs and 2 pick ups per week which my children and I love.

The hardest time in my working life was when I was part time (3 days a week). I felt like I was letting everyone down and I didn't feel 'reliable' at work because I wasn't there for big chunks of time. I still only do 4 days now but it's much easier than doing less days x

I agree. I work 3 days Mon to Weds. I spend most of Monday morning going through all my work. Answering emails that have been left and getting back up straight. Tuesdays aren't too bad and then Wednesdays are crazy as I'm trying to get up straight again so I don't leave anything. Then Thursday and Friday I have a pre schooler who will not do anything alone and always wants to go places. Then the weekend I try to sort the house between ferrying other children to various clubs, parties etc. Plus part time means low pay so I'm thinking full time might actually be easier!

Really interesting chat. I do 3 days and have two pre school dc. Eldest will go to school next year.

I feel constantly stressed - I feel I don't give enough to work and my 2 days with the children are so full on. Plus as someone said the housework tends to fall to me.

I've often thought about going full time but keep thinking the kids will Only be little once and I want to cherish this time. When eldest goes to school the 2 days with dc will feel a little easier

I found 3 days really hard. I think it was much better for my children tbh but I always found myself working on my non working days as the gap between my days was too great to leave things. I’ve found with 4 days I protect my non working day better. I can do my work in a way that 3 days was impossible. I’d love to do 3 again but I’d only do it with a job share or if the work was genuinely 3 days.

I totally agree. I did 4 days after having my first dd who is now 5. I now do 3 days and my second dd is 1. I’m so stressed all the time, work is awful I’m department head but when I come back after 4 days off I have no idea what’s going on. And I’m skint

My youngest started school this year. I changed from 3 days a week to 5 days finishing at 3. I'm contacted 24hrs so should have plenty of scope for a relaxed lunch to walk dog. I then pick 2dc up, do some cleaning, cook a decent meal, fit in rainbows, swimming lessons, pilates... In reality I'm feeling run ragged and not sure quite what to do about it.

Are the kids happier? If so, worth hanging in there til the preschooler is at school?

I fucking love being part time now that both the DC are at school. When I had small children at home, demanding food and entertainment and whinging at me and making a mess on my days 'off', it was a bloody slog.

Thanks so much for the solidarity all

It's very early days as I've only been doing it 4 weeks. I also got moved to a slightly different part of the business where the pt hours would work, which complicates things further. I think I need to give it a good 6 months. It could just be teething issues.

You have to be very strict to make it work. I told the team in simple words that I am not working 5 days for 3 days pay, they need to sort out how to cover the two days. There should be no left over work, it's not your problem.

It took a while but it works now very well.

Housework - i do certain stuff but not necessarily more as DH always covered late afternoons and did activity drop off and collect more than me as he was home earlier. DH still does his parts of housework.

I went pt for my own sake and for DD and it was clear that we still have a cleaner, give stuff to the dry cleaner etc.

I used to work part time over 4 days, it was less money and I was doing almost the same thing the full time staff do. I’m not even relaxed on my day off because I have a preschooler with me.
Now I’m working full time over 4 days. I’m still stressed but at least I’m getting my full pay.

This is very useful for me to hear. I'm working 30 hours over 4 days and doing basically my old full time job for less money. I've been offered a full time (35 hour) job for lots more money and felt super guilty today that I won't see my kids as much... but kinda thinking maybe it'll be fine and I'll actually be less stressed than now...

Contracted 30 hours over 5 days, no break. Reality is that I either do more hours every day/ week and often more than the 37. Managers ‘forget’ my working hours, expect full time in part time hours (and can never see the extra hours worked), and look straight through me when I explain that I cannot achieve all they expect.

I also do most of the life admin and house work.

Shite all round.

Currently feel like a shit mum, shit worker and shit wife! I truly think working full time would be beneficial because at least I then get paid for my hours!

I've never worked part time but a couple of staff reduced their hours 2 years ago on a temporary basis to see if they like it. Before the 6 month trial was up they both went back to full time as it was , in their words, easier.

Same here. I do 14 hours a week and I have not even had any time to do any gardening since November 2020, just before I was called back from furlough. It really stresses me out having such little time for things like that.