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Original poster

Part Time and Stressed

7 replies

greenolive · 21/09/2012 21:32

Hello,

I went back to work (after a year off) around 7 weeks ago. I work in NHS in a stressful job. I went back part time 3 days/week as I wanted to spend some of the week having time with my little girl.

I just can't adjust to being part time. On my two days off, I can't relax. (No one is covering my job on these days). I feel so worked up, spend most of my time making phone calls, sending long emails even up until 11pm at night and doing other work things from home. I just can't stop worrying about things and whetehr I've missed things/done the right thing.

I basically feel as if I am doing 5 days work and just squeezed them into 3 days! This stress is really interfering with my quality time with my little girl as I am always doing work, thinking about work, checking emails and feeling on edge.

Is this normal and what working part time feels like? Do I need to give myself more time to adjust?

Help....I'm finding it impossible to switch off. Really grateful for your thoughts x

OP posts:

Goonatic · 21/09/2012 21:37

I do three days as a teacher, I often have work to do at home but try very hard not to let it bother me or dictate my days with my dd.
You have to try and think that you are not being paid on your days off, try buying The Chimp Paradox from Amazon, I have just started it!!
It is hard when you go back to work as you feel a bit like you have to prove your worth. Just go and look at your dd now and decide to put her first.
Very hard but that is what I do to guilt trip myself into putting her first...

Goonatic · 21/09/2012 21:38

I sounded a bit harsh, didn't mean to.

Original poster

greenolive · 21/09/2012 21:56

no that is good advice. I really need to try and make some changes, thank you :)

OP posts:

Wolfiefan · 21/09/2012 22:02

Another p/time teacher here! I go out when it is a day off. I have email on my phone. I check it but only reply if it is an emergency.
Can you make relevant people aware when you are out? Delegate on out days? Set email/phone to say you are unavailable?
Speak to your boss?
It did take me time to feel I could switch off.

NK2b1f2 · 21/09/2012 22:06

Op, similar position here. I have gone back to do 2 1/2 days after three years off and I may as well be working full time because I constantly think about the stuff I didn't finish. No real advice, just thought I'd let you know that I know exactly how you feel. I am hoping to be able to adjust to working part time soon, or else go full time so at least I am paid for all the effort I put in!
and

orangeberries · 21/09/2012 22:21

Ah I empathise! I have been doing 2 years as a part-timer (3 days a week) in a professional job and it can be very stressful at times. It will feel like that, but if you have a good boss and can get some people on your side, it can get a lot better. In my two years I have had many many times feeling stressed on my days off, especially around deadlines. However when I look at the 2 years as a whole, I think having worked 3 days has really allowed me a lot of freedom with my time and a better balance of life. When I was doing 30 hours a week my colleagues who were full time were doing 60 - I know which ones I would rather be doing!!!!!! Good luck, I know it is hard but you can make it work...!!

annh · 22/09/2012 09:29

Well, are you trying to fit five days work into three days as you say no-one covers your job on the two days you are not there? What arrangements did you come to with your employer before you went back on reduced hours? As it's the NHS, I presume proper process was followed so you must have come up with a plan as to how the workload would be covered?

I am always distressed when I hear about people going back part-time and trying to still do all of their original job. If a job was full-time before, it can't magically become achievable in considerably less time unless the employee was very under-utilised. It would be more worrying if you did manage to do the job properly in three days because eventually it puts you and other people in the same role under the spotlight. Employers start to wonder why this role was ever full-time?

In answer to your question, no, this is not how part-time working should feel but without knowing under what terms you went back it's difficult to offer constructive advice on how to move forward.

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