Working full time hours but over 4 long days, Is this a good idea?

[nevergoogle]

This is the option i have. Probably 8.30-6pm over 4 days and have a day off (probably wednesday).

Help me decide on advantages and disadvantages please.

Dh currently does all school drop offs and pick ups already. Kids are both at school full time.

If your kids were pre-school I would say yes, but if they're both at school surely it's better to be home a little earlier on a daily basis?

I think the team need me to cover the 6pm time. it's a new job and that's what my predecessor did. so i wouldn't necessarily be home any earlier.

What about the flexibility of having a day where i could attend sports days or help with the reading programme etc. And do the school drop off pick up on one day a week.

One obvious advantage would be only having to pay for 4 days childcare per week instead of 5 in the school holidays. Also having a day to catch up with stuff is good.

It depends on how long your commute is though - if you would be out of your home 7:30 to 7pm that's a long day.

And you know that sports day will never be on your day off

the commute is about 45 minutes.
no childcare costs as DH does it.

i wonder if i could do it as a trial run for a month and then review.

yes, of course. but i wondered if it might leave room for flexibility ie. switch my day off for important stuff.

The travel costs would be cheaper and only having to find four outfits a week would sell it to me.

if only. stupid uniformed job!

So with 45 min commute you'd be out of the house from 7.45 til 6.45 4 days a week, and at home one day.

I think it sounds like a good deal, especially since DH already does the school run. You'll miss a lot of the rubbishness of first thing in the morning, and 6.45 is not that late to get home.

My OH does this currently and it works really well for us. He has Friday off loves having 3 days together. As your OH does pick up, you can't go wrong imho.

I already do the hours you are talking about and although I start at 8am and finish at 5.45pm with 30/40 min commuting time. It generally works well for us I have a 5 yr old and 1 yr old. The way I think about it is I am already there so if I do the extra hours on those days I get the bonus of a day off in the week. There is no way I could go back to 5 days permanently I have been doing 5 days plus for the past 4/5 weeks due to work commitments and can not wait to go back to my normal compressed hours of 4 days :) I think it depends on how you think it will benefit and effect your family. I would give it a trial and see how you go. I must admit though that I do struggle some mornings (esp in winter) to get in for 8am however I prefer my long 4 days.

Thanks, it helps to get other opinions. Of course in my mind i've already filled up the day off with school outings, housework, going to the gym, time with DH.
There is not enough time.

Your days will be tiring, but as DH is doing the school run I think its doable, particularly as if you go f/t you will probably be in until 6 anyway.
I love having Fridays off, it really helps to get all the wee jobs done ( ang have a bit of down time)

I did it and it worked very well for me. I loved having Wednesday at home with th DCs. I did have to be very disciplined about not checking the blackberry on my day off though, as people seemed to think it fine to contact me and expect an answer on my day off, forgetting that they wouldn't expect to be contacted on their weekend.

i'm going to ask for a trial on 4 long days and see how it goes. thanks.

Depends on the job. I would find sitting in front of a computer screen for that length of time impossible; would just cease to be productive. But a busy, on-the-move job would be doable (but still tiring)

busy on the move, out and about job, with computer work after.

It's worth a trial as they're not especially long long days, iykwim once you account for a lunch hour. WOuld love a day off per week especially with kids at school

I do 4 long days and couldn't recommend it enough. 4 days travel costs and a day where you know you can plan things.. docs, dentist etc I would hate to ever work 5 days again.