28 hours over 3 or 4 days

[XJerseyGirlX]

Posting here for traffic.

I have been offered two positions at 27/28 hours and I need help choosing between them...

Would you rather work 4 days at 7 hours per day 09.30 - 4.30 ( paid 30 min lunch included )

OR

3 days at 9 hours per day 8am - 6pm paid hour lunch )

One means I get 3 days a week off and the other means I get 4 ( to state the obvious).

To add , husband works from home and kids are older so childcare isn't an issue.

Thanks

What's the commute like? Can you wfh? The hour long lunch break would annoy me, it's unapid time you have to spend at work, could you ask whether you could take half an hour and start later/ finish earlier?

SO much depends on why you want to work and how much you enjoy it. It you really enjoy the job and are glad to be out the house I'd go for the 4 days, it sounds more pleasant day to day. However if you like being at home, and ave things to do on those days off then 3 long days is worth it.

Personally I’d do 3 days as longer days don’t bother me and if office based you’re only paying for petrol to do the journey three times per week.

I used to do 4 on 4 off, 8-6 with a half hour lunch. Was AMAZING! I’d definitely do 3 over 4 despite the longer hours!

3 days for me too. That's what I work (although 24 hours so a bit less) and it feels pretty perfect.

3 days.

One job is 2.6 miles away and the other is 3.2 miles away so not much difference. Could come home for the hour lunch too.

I'm in uni so would use the extra day for studying but feel a bit guilty being out of the house before the kids on the 3 days.

I'd opt for 3 days, I have often worked 12-13 hour shifts for the NHS and much prefer them to shorter working days but more of them.

@bloodywhitecat the 28 hours over 3 days is for the NHS

3 days at 9 hours.

However, the salary and commute might be deciding factors.

3 days for me, I’d do 4 to minimise childcare if I needed that. But also depends on the job in question - my work is easier to manage over shorter, more frequent days, I’d struggle to catch up on tasks with 2 days off a week.

Salary's are very similar , one is £10 an hour and one is £10.26 per hour

Don't feel guilty at being out of the house before the children, if you do 3 days/longer hours. It's not true quality time and you'd gain extra time with the days you're not working, so it'll balance out.

@Poppins2016 that's very true, I can still be there for them 2 days per week before and after school

I’d do the 3 days a week one especially as it’s nhs. Job security and a good pension.

3 days as you say you'd use the extra day for further studies & the DC are older so no need to feel guilty for wanting to better your future Op.

8-6 is a long day if you're out of the house for all of that time plus commute. If you don't need to worry about childcare I'd go for the 4 shorter days and get home earlier.

I am FT and do 4x9hr days (not inc. lunch).
Have the option to work the same number of hours over 5-days but would never choose it. Much rather get the work done and then have the extra day off.

3 longer days definitely. Especially if childcare not an issue.

I’d prefer 4 shorter days personally

Is it the kind of job that will actually finish at the specified time?

Sometimes the downside of slightly shorter days is not actually finishing at the specified time, especially if others don't.

I'd probably go for three as mentally it's a much greater break.

A 9.30 start isn't really late enough to do anything with and the kids will presumably start school earlier anyway

4 short days for sure.

I would do the 3 days a week. With uni that will still give you one good day off to get stuff done / do whatever you’d like. NHS is good secure employment as well. Once in the NHS there are lots of jobs so you may be able to move if you decide you don’t like the longer days.

3 longer days sounds good. Then in holidays you can have days out without using annual leave.

Depends on the type of work, if it will build up on your days off and then become really urgent, I'd do 4 shorter days in work to keep everything moving and reduce stress or worry about what might be waiting there on your days off. If its not that type of work then 3 days.

3 day week is better by far its more or less what I do and my kids are young but it works well for us.