Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

3 day weekend - to think this what is needed to have a decent quality of life?

241 replies

Whatifthegrassisblue · 04/03/2023 02:43

Where does the time go? AIBU to think there is not enough time? By the time you catch up on chores, spend time with family, catch up with friends and try and have some time as a family as well ....it just doesn't happen. I was thinking about it ...1 day for chores and "life admin", leaves the other 52 days to split between time as a family, your extended family and friends. Let alone just wanting to have a day and chill and do nothing, or go on a holiday. I feel I am doing life wrong 😕 Does anyone else feel this way or AIBU?

OP posts:
IchWill · 04/03/2023 10:05

Whatifthegrassisblue · 04/03/2023 03:06

Was that reduced hours, or the same hours over four days (which I still like but then I also found that made the four days so long, I was exhausted by the end of that too). I want to live in some utopia where a 3 day weekend is the norm

Show quote history

A 4 day week, 28 hours. Not including days where I finished a bit later if I had a deadline.

It was honestly amazing. I didn't feel exhausted as I do doing 5 days.

nutbrownhare15 · 04/03/2023 10:09

I agree that a four day week is ideal. However I do wonder how many of the tasks women do on one of their 3 day weeks are tasks that should be shared between members of their household which mean many men get paid more and the career and pension benefits of a 5 day week while their wives do the jobs at home

Original poster
Whatifthegrassisblue · 04/03/2023 10:13

CrapBucket · 04/03/2023 08:36

All I can say is think yourself lucky if you have a 2 day weekend!

I work full time plus a Saturday job plus a third cash in hand job. Needs must - single parent of teens.

I have been doing this for a while and just adapted to getting everything else done at night time.

This is true. I hope you manage to get a break sometime, that sounds very tiring Flowers

OP posts:
Beachhutnut · 04/03/2023 10:20

Exactly why I work part time. I use the time for life admin and my own mental health. I started it when nursery fees came to an end so we didn't miss the money. I wouldn't go back.

Original poster
Whatifthegrassisblue · 04/03/2023 10:23

Nosandwichfilling · 04/03/2023 08:56

Chores yes I get that but what is this obsession with life admin on MN generally. Is it making appointments, insurances, buying gifts, kids dentist appointment and stuff like that? These days so much can be done online. I remember as a 21 year old having to have an appointment in an insurance broker to get contents insurance for the flat I was buying. I know some stuff is a pita. I needed to make a Doctor's appointment that’s a 30 minute queue at least, I was number 5 in the queue. I just dial and stick it on speakerphone and do chores.

My MIL gets overwhelmed by life admin, she always has. She was very looked after as a child, they had an array of servants and then she had a housekeeper for years. I have some admin this weekend, I see a tick list in my head and do the shit stuff first then it is done. The worry over admin takes up space in your head the key is not to worry. She does this and it just bogs her down.

Funnily enough I feel that now with pretty much everything being online, yes some things are much quicker, but I also find now it's made things so much harder. It's like companies have fobbed off the admin part to the consumer. And if something goes wrong, it's a mission to actually find a person to talk to. Or if you want to do something, you need to register first, download an app etc etc That is probably another thread! 🙃 I'm a huge believer in lists, I feel at least if it's on my list it is out of my head. Unfortunately I have a long list though!

OP posts:
Motheranddaughter · 04/03/2023 10:27

I do have a very short commute,which I can walk ,which I enjoy
Also enjoy my lunch hour,walk around the shops,I suppose I do some life Admin them eg buying birthday cards and gifts ,going the post office,getting my eyebrows done
I can paid by an hourly rate by clients so a 5 day week would mean 80% less pay

Motheranddaughter · 04/03/2023 10:45

Sorry a 4 day week

Fifteenpackets · 04/03/2023 12:07

Life admin and appointments was what forced me to drop to 2 days. It takes up so much time and energy. Travel to and from appts and time there (often waiting for ages but can’t do other stuff online as wifi was rubbish).
form filling in and meetings etc just relentless and always with deadlines

lieselotte · 04/03/2023 12:15

No, I don't want Fridays off when everyone else has.

I do 3 days over 5, and that suits me much better than squashing my hours into two days would. I also think a lot of people with school age kids would prefer to work school hours every day.

Beezknees · 04/03/2023 12:19

Nosandwichfilling · 04/03/2023 08:56

Chores yes I get that but what is this obsession with life admin on MN generally. Is it making appointments, insurances, buying gifts, kids dentist appointment and stuff like that? These days so much can be done online. I remember as a 21 year old having to have an appointment in an insurance broker to get contents insurance for the flat I was buying. I know some stuff is a pita. I needed to make a Doctor's appointment that’s a 30 minute queue at least, I was number 5 in the queue. I just dial and stick it on speakerphone and do chores.

My MIL gets overwhelmed by life admin, she always has. She was very looked after as a child, they had an array of servants and then she had a housekeeper for years. I have some admin this weekend, I see a tick list in my head and do the shit stuff first then it is done. The worry over admin takes up space in your head the key is not to worry. She does this and it just bogs her down.

Yeah I don't think "life admin" has ever taken more than 10 minutes out of my day to be honest. I'm a lone parent working full time and manage life admin/chores fine.

Tiddler39 · 04/03/2023 12:49

Setyoufree · 04/03/2023 07:14

Because people can't afford to cut their pay 20% perhaps! Compressed hours don't work if you're on a longer standard week either.

Show quote history

The point is that you work a four-day week on the same pay.

Oblomov23 · 04/03/2023 13:37

@Setyoufree

You've missed the point completely re the new 4 day week's that Microsoft and Google have trialed in Japan, New Zealand and also Sweden.

The whole point is that you are paid the same money. For 4 days. No reduction in money.

See below.

In the summer of 2019, Microsoft Japan tested a four-day work week as part of a pilot program called “Work-Life Choice Challenge 2019 Summer,” and they saw a 40% increase in productivity. Employees worked 32 hours per week for the same pay and they received a three-day weekend.

Oblomov23 · 04/03/2023 13:40

And yes, I'm not saying a 4 day week would work in every industry, every job, but it could in quite a few.

bussteward · 04/03/2023 13:43

Oh, I agree with @Nosandwichfilling about life admin being the thinking about life admin, not the admin itself, which isn’t itself hard work – but that’s part of the work/life balance too: I have a billable-by-the-hour job that doesn’t leave any wiggle room for the odd minutes between tasks I used to have, where I’d renew insurance or book an MOT or schedule a DC’s dentist appointment. And even though I put those tasks on a list I find they nag at me, mentally, until they’re done. It doesn’t help that DP has ADHD and needs to say everything out loud several hundred times to me instead of just doing it: “Right, so this week we’ve got the MOT on Tuesday then we’re having pasta tonight but we need cheese so I’m going to the shop after nursery drop-off then…” It’s the noise of it all. Plus when things go wrong: last week the nhs contacted me by text, email and letter to tell me to get DC jabbed when they have been for years, so then it’s finding the red book to prove it, calling the GP, hanging on the line for 20 mins, making a note in the diary to follow up because the receptionist says it’s not a GP issue but a central one, etc. I think a 5-day week plus running a house and all those little odds and sods brings with it a lack of mental space to simply daydream or exist, because it’s all filled with World Book Day costumes and homework and meal planning and fucking Ovo mithering me to do a smart meter when I know we can’t have one, and as a pp said, all the online automation constantly nagging out you too. Instead of writing in a planner “insurance due” you get emailed daily. A shorter week is just breathing space to empty your brain of all that clutter. It’s KonMari on your brain.

MichaelFabricantWig · 04/03/2023 13:43

YANBU, I don’t find it too bad now I wfh so don’t have a commute mind you. I worked 0.8 for years. Well I got paid for that, worked more. I loved having the long weekend especially when my kids were small. However I felt vulnerable during the pandemic when my H was furloughed so when I got another job I just went full time.

maybe in another few years when my kids aren’t as financially dependent anymore I’ll try and get a Monday off.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 04/03/2023 13:52

Are we talking consecutive days ? What about people working weekends? Or teachers. Wont make any difference to their family time if their extra day is when the DC and partner is at work.

HappyBirthdayLydia · 04/03/2023 13:55

I work for myself and take either a Friday or Monday off and have zero intention of going back to a 2 day weekend. If anything, my work aim is to have at least one other day off in the week too in the future.
Life is so stressful raising a family, committing to things, helping others out, seeing family, travelling about for various reasons- the life work of house keeping/ cooking/ cleaning- bonkers we try and fit it in over 48 hours

gingercat02 · 04/03/2023 14:19

I haven't worked full time for 15 years.

I did 3 full days when ds was at nursery, did 5 short days when he was at primary and now do 3 full days and 2 half days which is nice.

However I am contemplating dropping a day and going back to just the 3 days.

I'm never working full time again!

AutumnIsHere21 · 04/03/2023 14:30

What are people’s thoughts on a 4 day week for schools?

LaurieFairyCake · 04/03/2023 14:36

No one needs to work full time now for societies good - it's bad for us, there's enough AI and tech for us to use to make up work output

Unfortunately in our hideous extreme capitalist society two adults now need to do so to live in a small property and afford gas/electricity Hmm FFS

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 04/03/2023 14:38

LaurieFairyCake · 04/03/2023 14:36

No one needs to work full time now for societies good - it's bad for us, there's enough AI and tech for us to use to make up work output

Unfortunately in our hideous extreme capitalist society two adults now need to do so to live in a small property and afford gas/electricity Hmm FFS

That depends entirely on your industry, surely?

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 04/03/2023 14:39

I also wonder how many of the people on this thread working 2/3/4 day weeks are partially supported by someone working full-time, or benefits of some kind.

I suspect there are very few people who could support themselves and their families on a 28 hour working week.

LaurieFairyCake · 04/03/2023 14:58

coffee

That's the point, it shouldn't depend on what you do

If you want full employment and a skilled workforce then all of that could be done in 4 days

All I see are a completely burnt out workforce who work the longest hours in Europe

BashirWithTheGoodBeard · 04/03/2023 15:01

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 04/03/2023 14:39

I also wonder how many of the people on this thread working 2/3/4 day weeks are partially supported by someone working full-time, or benefits of some kind.

I suspect there are very few people who could support themselves and their families on a 28 hour working week.

I'm supported by someone working full time now, but we've both been simultaneously part time in the past. When the DC are young enough that two full time working parents would involve some degree of childcare costs, it's surprising how often the 5th and sometimes even the 4th day offer no or not much money even when you aren't eligible for tax credits/UC. Especially for those who have commuting costs too.

gingercat02 · 04/03/2023 15:36

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 04/03/2023 14:39

I also wonder how many of the people on this thread working 2/3/4 day weeks are partially supported by someone working full-time, or benefits of some kind.

I suspect there are very few people who could support themselves and their families on a 28 hour working week.

We are both PT at the moment as DH hasn't been well. It has made us appreciate our down time more. We have gone for walks, had lunch out, watched box sets. It's been fun.

Yes he has supported us as a family but I have always contributed on a pro rata basis (he earns more than twice what I do) but it saved us 2 days of nursery fees and we didn't need after school club. Also DS had a parent around more.

All really important imo!