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Original poster

If you were working 3 days per week, which days would you do?

38 replies

freshmint · 23/01/2011 11:09

Assume 2 hour commute by car train and tube Sad

Option 1. Tues Wed Thurs on the basis that it is good to have three days in a row, don't want to travel on Friday and traffic generally busier on a monday?

or Option 2. Mon Wed Thurs or Mon Tues Thurs on the basis that it is useful to have your days off split up?

Have never worked fixed days part time before so any thoughts gratefully appreciated.

OP posts:
3littlefrogs · 23/01/2011 11:15

I work FT now, but used to work tues, wed, thurs. I found the long weekend the best option.

No friday rush hour, no gloomy monday morning.

grendel · 23/01/2011 11:15

I have always worked Mon Wed and Fri since having DD. This is because it is easier to keep on top of your work - you're only out of the office for one day at a time. If you work Tue, Wed, Thurs, anything urgent that crops up late on Thursday isn't going to get dealt with until Tuesday. Obviously how much this matters depends on the kind of job that you do.

Also working Mon, Wed, Fri works out better with sick children. If they are ill on Monday there is a chance that they will be better by Wednesday so you only have to take one day off to look after them.

Finally, I find that having Tues and Thurs at home in between gives you a chance to catch up with sleep, housework, etc.

Can't comment on traffic issue as fortunately I've never had to deal with a nightmare commute.

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 23/01/2011 11:21

I work Tues, Thurs, Fri, and agree that it's easier to manage work this way. Clients find it easier that I'm around both ends of the week, and I quite like having no more than 2 days in at once. I have also worked a 3-day block in a different job, and the split week suits me better.

I quite like working on Fridays - the traffic is normally lighter, and everyone's in a good mood.

3littlefrogs · 23/01/2011 11:22

Yes - I agree it does depend on your job and whether there is someone else to continue/takeover when you are not there.

If you are doing sessions - either teaching or surgeries or something, that is different from running an on-going project single handedly.

ChippingInSmellyCheeseFreak · 23/01/2011 11:25

Personallt I'd prefer T-W-T - keep it all lumped together - long weekends Grin

roundthehouses · 23/01/2011 11:25

I do mon wed fri and agree i find it easier not too have too many days in a row out of the office/ out of contact, I also like that whether work is crazy busy or so quiet its boring there is only ever one day to get through before you have a day off! no commute issues for me though so they may be a factor.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 23/01/2011 11:26

I work Mon, Tues, Weds but given the choice now I would do Tues, Weds, Thurs. Long weekend would be nice and you don't get so stitched up on the bank hols if you don't work Mondays.

Mssoul · 23/01/2011 11:27

I did Tues, Wed Thurs. Loved it Grin

Shivs1974 · 23/01/2011 11:27

I'd also check the bank holiday situation
I work 4 days-Mon to Thurs-and I get 6.5 days for bank holiday allowance, which I have to use if a bank hol falls on a day which I normally work. If I did Tues-Fri, I'd have more holidays. Does that make sense?? But something else for you to consider....

Mum72 · 23/01/2011 11:27

Tues, Weds, Thurs

Long weekends! Yay!

Carrotsandcelery · 23/01/2011 11:28

Always work a Monday as you get all the Monday holidays. Grin
I used to do the start of the week and get it over with. Then I was Mum for the rest of the week. If you break it up you will feel you have never been away from work. If you do it in one chunk you relax the rest of the week and can focus on other stuff. It is also less disruptive a routine to your family rather than chopping and changing all the time.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 23/01/2011 11:32

But you only get a certain percentage of the bank hols covered. If more hols fall on a Monday than your allowance then you have to use annual leave. If you work midweek you still get a pro rata allowance but you only have to use it if Christmas falls in that time.

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 23/01/2011 11:33

agree that you need to check re bank hols.
I get a pro-rata'd bank holiday allowance added to my annual leave. if a holiday falls on my working day, i have to take leave. but otherwise, i get to choose. Working tue, thurs, fri means I effectively get to choose when I take my "bank holidays".

Carrotsandcelery · 23/01/2011 11:35

I suppose it depends on the job. I worked in a school so if it wasn't open I couldn't work Grin

IThinkNot · 23/01/2011 11:41

I work weds thurs and fridays. i don't work mondays precisely because of the bank holidays. If i worked mondays i would then have to work another day that week to make up for the bank holiday. which i couldn't as ds would not be at nursury so then i would have to take a days holiday. oh and pay the nursery for the bank hol even though he wasn't there!

IThinkNot · 23/01/2011 11:42

*nursery Blush

slartybartfast · 23/01/2011 11:45

i would avoid monday due to having to take annual leave, unles you can swap your days then.
i like a day off mid week.
i quite like workign fridays as it is quiet.

falsemessageoflethargy · 23/01/2011 11:48

Agree with others - dont work mondays as the way most companies now do bank hols mean that you lose out - though nurseries often very much busier midweek so check that out if it is an issue.

Bumperlicious · 23/01/2011 11:49

Having 3 days off is better when you are at home but going back into work is crap. I used to do mon-weds & by the next Monday I'd been out of the office 5 days. You know that feeling you get when you come back from a long weekend? It's like that every week!

Binfullofmaggotsonthe45 · 23/01/2011 11:49

I agree depends on your bank holiday entitlement.

I always lost out at Easter etc as I worked Tuesday to Thursday.

I quite like the sound of monday, tuesday and Thursday.

A midweek break to get on top of things at home means you can enjoy a long weekend from Thursday nights.

Original poster
freshmint · 23/01/2011 19:49

Thank you thank you everyone, that is fab.

I have no clients I have to answer to, and don't really over - I just turn up, do my thing and go, no preparation, no homework (a bit like eg a locum GP although that isn't my job).

Bank holidays is a major consideration as you've all pointed out which I hadn't considered. My contract is for a specific number of days per year - so in fact if one of my working days was Monday I'd have to work 4 day weeks at some point to make up for the bank holidays if you see what I mean.

So I guess that means no mondays.

As I really don't want to battle on tubes trains etc on Friday evenings that answers my question - Tue, Wed, Thurs it is.

Many thanks.x

OP posts:
Original poster
freshmint · 23/01/2011 19:51

don't really over? what was that all about? I think I meant don't really handover to anyone Blush

OP posts:
Binfullofmaggotsonthe45 · 23/01/2011 20:59

Enjoy! Am Envy now I am back at work full full full time.

Original poster
freshmint · 23/01/2011 21:05

thank you!

OP posts:
nymphadora · 23/01/2011 21:08

I'm going back on 2 1/2.I want tu, wed am, thurs but still have to wait & see who my boss is etc!!!