Am I mad to leave flexible home based job?

[goteam]

I work 3 days, am home based with travel around the city for around 4 - 5 meetings a week. I'm more qualified than others so seem to get asked to do a lot more and feel a bit burned out with little desk time to catch up with emails / reports etc. I resent others having less work and had a complaint made against me by a client. I cancelled a meeting at short notice as they were running 30 mins late due to traffic. I had another meetings scheduled in which couldn't be moved. Just no time for anything to go wrong!

BUT

I have kids starting school this September and I can choose when I work and we area few team members down but recruiting in the new financial year. I also have a few unmanageable projects which will end at the end of this financial year.

I have been job hunting but can see nothing flexible using my qualifications and am feeling so burnt out but wondering whether to sit tight as once the kids start school things should be more manageable and flexible professional work is so rare...my manager isn't supportive in terms of my workload but if I need domestic leave or anything she's great (it's just that my work isn't covered in my absence)

Should I wait it out?

I should say that I initially volunteered to take on one of these projects thinking it would be manageable and that it would make me look favourable to senior managers. It's the kind of place that doesn't really recognise and promote talent though but rather if someone shows ability and initiative they just get work piled on them with no thanks. Then those people get burnt out and leave but I have a family reason to need the flexibility.

I could turn down extra projects in the future as I don't really have to go above and beyond the core parts of my job. Most colleagues don't and I look like I'm not coping because I have (and still have to do core work)

I am middle management.

I've worked home based and found it quite thankless. The workload is too much, you are stretched on both home & work front as you are expected to manage both! The flexibility is both ways & you get caught in the cross fire. I've started working from office after my second child (3 days) and I love it! It does mean longer hours & compromise from everyone but it's so much saner and pleasant than working from home! Can you look for something local that maybe pays a bit less but is more sane?

It's hard to say
Flexible work from home professional jobs are rare ( I know because I have one) and once your dc start school it's brilliant to be able to be involved with that more than parents with more regular hours. I've never missed a Nativity, Harvest Festival, open afternoon etc and never been in a panic trying to find childcare if dc are poorly.
However, there's is a payoff. I'm never completely off duty workwise and I feel like I'm juggling a lot of things.
Would never go back to 9-5 in an office though, I would hate it

I would stick it out but do it on your terms, the flexibility could be a real winner in the next few years. And think how burnt out you could feel juggling school runs and events and a new job.

Thanks for the comments. swimming it is thankless. I feel that part on parcel of offering me flexible work hours is an understanding that I get everything done however large the workload. I work 3 days a shave my kids Thursday's and Friday's and often have to log onto work emails to sort things out and leave phone on. Being home based means work interferes with family time.

BUT

Before I took on these new projects it was manageable and it was great being able to go for a walk, put a wash on, listen to the radio etc and still be on top of my work. I'm worried I've set up an expectation of taking on this extra work and I will look like I'm not pulling my weight if I don't. Which is ludicrous. There are 6 of us middle manager types and only two of us were stupid enough to offer to do the extra and are now appearing stressed and like we can't cope while the other 4 are sitting pretty and look perfectly competent.

hopping that's the thing. I am always able to cover sickness (DH has a job where taking time off short notice is impossible). When the kids are at school, I'll be able to drop off and pick up. I am looking at 3 day a week roles and if interviewed will ask if I can do 4 shorter days come September. swimming yes, this would be relatively local (no more than 20 min us ride)

seconds I know you're right. I'm just in the thick of it at work right now!

*and have my kids, not shave my kids!

Is it worth setting up a meeting first to see if workload issues can be ironed out?

zebrar that may be my next port of call. I had an evening out with friends at the weekend and everyone is dissatisfied with their job due to workload. From every sector. Colleagues leave and aren't replaced, with other staff absorbing the extra work. If I leave I may experience all of the negatives in another job without the positives (family friendly, home based, lots of annual leave). I may just wait it out until these projects are out of the way and see how I feel then.