Which part time days are best (for you)?!

[ClearlyMoo]

Hi all

I'll be going back to work next year. Work are pretty flexible and so is the nursery (at the mo) have one DD now 5months.

I just wondered which days people work and which days they wished they worked.

I'm thinking about doing 60 or 70% of full time

So either three full days Mon/Tue/Thu

Or two full days (Mo/Th) a short day (Tu) and a half day (Fr)... (Short day and half day would be mainly aiming to WFH).

My job is such that it's project-based work so continuity throughout the week is important hence having a presence over four days.

Interested in your thoughts.

[Kelly1814]

To echo others, my hours are 9-3, 4 days a week.

Around 30% less and my salary has been slashed to reflect that. In actuality I work 100% of the hours.

It is hideous.

[ClearlyMoo]

Yes Mandy you're right. I've worked out it'll cost me to work Mondays. It's annoying but I still want to work Monday mainly cos I need to be in work that day due to the way we work... ! I'm going to need an extra 2 days leave in the worst case year of 6 Monday BHs (Xmas day & NY day on Sat/Sun or Mon) plan purchase 3.5 extra days a year (salary sacrifice) which'll cover those.

Thanks tho!

[mandy214]

Just one point about the bank holidays - did you check how they work at your firm? I can see that you've agreed a plan but if you have pro-rata bank holidays added on to your annual leave, you will have much less leave working a Monday than you would by not working a Monday.

I did a 3 day week, therefore got 3/5 of the 8 bank holidays (which worked out as 5 days) added to my leave. If a bank holiday fell on one of my normal working days, I had to take it as annual leave.

There are ALWAYS at least 4 bank holidays that fall on a Monday - so you will only have 1 of your "additional" days left to cover the remaining 4 bank holidays. If those other 4 bank holidays fall on your work days, it could "cost" you (ie. eat into) your own normal annual leave. So in fact, you get less annual leave by working a Monday. Does that make sense?

If you don't work Mondays, even if all the other 4 bank holidays fall on your normal work days, you will only ever use 4 of the 5 additional days you get on bank holidays. So you kind of "profit" from an extra days annual leave. For me therefore, with school age children and 12 or 13 weeks of school holidays to cover, it makes a massive difference.

[ClearlyMoo]

Just picking up the extra replies now. Thanks all. Bosses have approved in principal 70% split M/T/Th full day and then Fri am.
They were worried about continuity so are pleased with my 4 day presence. I'm only going to work 2 days in office. They are very supportive on ensuring I don't exceed my hours. So we'll see!

[Bowchickawowow]

I haven't worked on a Monday since I went back after Ds1, 8 years ago!
In my current job, Friday's are quiet in the office, I probably get more done that day than the other 3!
I normally work from home on a Thursday to reduce travelling but as I am working, I do sometimes have to go in for meetings etc. I also work shorter hours that day.

[Starlightbright1]

My friend was going to go back to work 3 days a week but she was about £200 a month better off doing 2 days due to nursery fees. so she does Tuesday and Wednesday

[CommanderShepard]

I do Monday, Wednesday, Thursday in the office, and two hours in the morning on Tuesday and Friday before DH leaves for work. I'm in the office at 7am and I leave at 5pm, with DH doing nursery drop-off, so I get pretty close to my FTE. My employers are incredibly understanding and happy to ensure I get paid for the hours I actually work.

[Middleoftheroad]

sorry, meant I work every day apart from Weds (it didn't seem to read that way).

[Middleoftheroad]

Hello,

I've tried all combination of p/t days in a couple of different jobs. I currently work M T break for Wed T and F (but I can work from home often) with a couple of core days in the office. I work a Monday because there is always a big meeting on that day - so as one other poster said, fit the days around when you know the workload will be more prominent.

I like this set up as I find we are quite organised on a Monday after the weekend house blitz, but come Weds, the house is upside down again. Hubby works long hours, so I am grateful for the break on a Weds, but make sure I meet my parents for lunch and do not spend the whole day tidying!

Previously, I worked a Mon, Wed and Fri, which worked well. Any more than one day's gap, resulted in a build-up of emails etc. (which I ended up checking on my days off - bad idea).

One resourceful friend decided to work on a Monday and Tuesday - on the basis that if she washed and straightened her hair on a Monday, it would still be good for Tuesday!

I've always tried to compress my work into longer days rather than short days, because of commuting and the inevitability, that even if you vow to just work a couple of hours, it never works out that way - the email black hole will suck you in!

Good luck :-)

[ClearlyMoo]

Wow. No one likes Mondays!! Our nursery doesn't charge for bank holidays.

The other issue is we seldom go away full stop and rarely at weekends as DH is a farmer!

[lecherrs]

I've done a variety of different options when my DC were small.

My preference was to work mornings. I did 9 - 12 and had to collect DD from nursery at 1pm so always left on time. I liked that because if I collected her at 1, I had at least 6 hours every day to spend with my DD. It also allowed us to continue with all the activities / socialising in the afternoons and as DD got older, she had a morning nap but not afternoon so I always felt as though I wasn't missing much with her. However, this only works if you live close to work, as otherwise you'd be wasting too much time on commuting.

Next fave option was tues - thurs as this still allows for weekends away. However, if something goes wrong fri am it is a long time until you're back in again.

Third option was Mon, Tues, Thurs. I used to like having Fridays off to get the housework done so I could really enjoy the weekends. Then when I went back on Mon I never got that Monday feeling as I always thought it was just for two days... Wed is a great day off being mid week, and then you're only back in for one day.

But I'd start with looking at other commitments and build work around your other interests.

[RaisingSteam]

I do Monday, Tuesday full days and Thurs/fri short days, it adds up to 70%. Now the Dc are at school it means I can pick up from after school club at 4.30 on Thurs/Fri and still have a fighting chance of getting to homework/football etc. When they were small and didn't do activities, longer days were easier. Now I can work my short days around school runs. So what suits now, you might change later.

It's also a project based job, nobody covers my time off so it helps to have the continuity. I couldn't be away from Thursday night to Tuesday morning.

People know that when I have to go, I really do have to go to collect the children, when it gets to the last half hour I'm careful of time or bring stuff home to finish. It's not great walking out whilst everyone else is beavering away but I just have to tough it out - being late for after school club is not an option! If it was a client I'd just say I have an appointment now but will ring back later if necessary.

[Applejack2]

I do full days Tues/Thurs and Fri. I used to do Tues/Weds/Thurs and found that the best but someone whinged and whinged at work as they wanted the Friday off so I ended up changing my days...gggrrrr
I would definitely not do Monday's due to the bank hols. I am NHS so would lose a week of holidays just to cover the bank hols. Some people work 4 full days and take the Wednesday off.

[MrsMargoLeadbetter]

Sorry managed to not read your OP (and all the replies) properly - sorry! I would aim for full days not spead across the other days.

I think 3 full days is neater and easier for both you and your colleagues to get your head around.

If you have 4 'irregular' finish times you might spend all your time defending them from meetings of people that need a chat just as you are leaving etc.

[MrsMargoLeadbetter]

I'd personally either do 3 or 4 days. Half days can be stressful where you are always clockwatching.

Even if you plan to WFH on the half day I guess you might have to go in for meetings etc? Then you will have your commute back to collect DD. It is worth checking the nursery policy on half days etc.

There is also the issue of leaving whilst everyone else is still there. I know we shouldn't buy into the 'presenteeism' game, but I prefered not to highlight my pt status where possible.

I would go for consecutive days.

Good luck.

[BackforGood]

I've worked 3 days for 16 year now.
I certainly wouldn't work it over 4 days - you spend 2 hours (if nothing goes wrong) commuting on top of your hours. You still have to get your dd all sorted and ready for Nursery. You won't ever be able to use that day to go out anywhere - it will just feel like a working day and you'll lose the benefit of not working FT.

Check how BHs work with your contract - for me, it's better to avoid working on a Monday as more BHs fall on a Monday than other days. You only get 3/5 of the hours as holiday, for each BH, but obviously you are off for the day, so end up eating into other holiday allowance. Whereas if you don't work Mondays, it feels like "extra" holiday.

Depends on your work as to which are best days to be there - also if you prefer to be there on a day that might be more relaxed, or a day that might be more 'manic'. Equally - do you need to meet with colleagues or clients? If so, are there set meeting days ? What about training - is that on certain days ?

Personally I love not having the "back to work" feeling on a Sunday night. I find I get so much more done (housework, or paperwork or shopping or whatever is needed) on a Monday, than I do on a Friday, when I seem to relax more and go into 'weekend mode'. I also think it's nice to have a Monday off as everywhere (hair appts, dentist, shops, etc) is less busy on a Monday - but you might find places shut on certain days at beginning of the week. I had a colleague who worked 4 days and took Wed off as she said it meant she 'kept going' and treated it as a working day and got lots done as it was in the middle of the week rather than tagged onto a weekend. Others say they like to compartmentalise more and have a '4 day weekend' and a '3 day working week' as 2 sep groups of days.

Sorry - can't decide for you, it's very personal.

[ClearlyMoo]

DH supportive of 70% based on DD being in nursery an extra half day... Really interested to hear others stories.

[JustAShopGirl]

Tue,Wed,Thur get a 4 day weekend, don't have the faffing about bank holiday Monday taking up more than it's share of leave days.

[ClearlyMoo]

PhineyJ/OddFodd thanks for your feedback. That's effectively why I wouldn't do 4 days. Arghhh it's such a tricky balance to strike!!

[ClearlyMoo]

Very interesting thank you. Don't mean to drip feed but a bit more info about us...

Inlaws live semi detached and DH WFH (self-emp) so have good back up for illness etc.

My work is an hours commute away so need to avoid Friday (sadly as agree most fun day to work). Would WFH 1-2days a week but DD would be at nursery when I WFH as it's to avoid commute rather than be responsible for her... Nursery is close to home.

[ScottishDiblet]

Ooh I work three days a week and work wed-fri. It's perfect!! I have official cover for anythibg urgent Monday and Tuesday but I usually come in to a big backlog on Wednesday but it works itself out and I have finished my work by the end of Friday. I never have to work extra hours (although sometimes choose to if I'm going out for dinner one night) and never get called on my days off. Friday is a lovely day to work because everyone is happy and relaxed. There's a nice continuity to being at home with my daughter saturday-Tuesday. And then she has a day with my mum on wednesday and two days at nursery Thursday and Friday. It really works and we are all very happy. Good luck!

[celestialsquirrels]

Tues wed thurs. Def take Fridays off because so many others do or work from home thAt you won't be missed, oddly. And take Mondays off because the middle of the week is the core work week and I think it is hopeless to have one day on one day off when it comes to work. You need a run of three days IMO.

[PuppyMonkey]

Rata not rats.