4 day week.. will I be less stressed? And which day off?

[Sounsure777]

So im currently full time and struggling! I do 3 days in office a week (1.5 hour commute each way) and 2 days working from home. Im dropping to 4 days from july and just trying to struggle through till then! Does 4 days make a big difference? Luckily my job I wont be cramming 5 days in 4 so thats good but will I still be exhausted?! Im hoping it will be much easier.

I have one ds .. 6 years old and cany wait to have one day off to drop and collect him!

Which day is the best to not work? My commute is awful with traffic and friday is a good day to work in office. Im thinking a monday off is best as traffic is awful on a mon! But i wonder if maybe a thurs off is better? I definitely want to work fridays as its a 'nice' day to work!!

I forgot to say, I used to have both Tues and Fri off. I found this very disruptive as I would start on something and then have a day off. If I did 3 days again I might choose Tues through Thurs.

(Aargh and finally - if you don't have Mondays off - yes you get lots of lovely short weeks on BH weeks - but you only get 0.8 of that Monday as AL and you have to use up your AL hours from other days, to take the full Monday).

I would have weds off. It seems so much better to have the week broken up than a 5 day stretch

Reading with interest. I’m going to go back to work 4 days a week and I’m thinking of having Friday’s off. There’s also the option to WFH on any day so it should be pretty flexible.

I am currently on a pro rata contract, working (allegedly) 4 days, with Weds off - but end up clocking over 45-50 hours most weeks (and more others) in the evenings/ at weekends.

I just renegotiated my contract (and although I'm still being fucked over slightly), Im now contracted for 37.5 hours, but with an expectation (written into my contract) that I will only be in the office for 4 days - and will be 'off' on Fridays. The additional hours I can 'make up' at my discretion.

I'm livid because they a) still haven't reflected the job that Im doing (senior management) in my salary, and really took issue with me asking for them to at least offer something in the RANGE for the job level, the sector and my level of experience, and b) seem to think that I'm being 'difficult' asking for my extraordinary amount of overtime to be reflected in my contracted hours ... and they don't like flexible working.

I'm not really flavour of the month amongst my seniors at the mo TBH - so I suspect I won't be missed at Friday drinks

I don't work Mondays. I get all the bank holidays credited back to me so I get about 4 extra days holiday a year. No Sunday blues and can get the house straight after the weekend.

I found working Mondays when PT difficult because of the impact on AL. You just have a lot less to play with- not a concern of course if you're in a role where you might work BHs anyway.

Another vote for Wednesday here. 2 days in, then a day to recharge and then when you go back Thurs it's nearly the weekend!

Definitely check with your employer what they do about bank hols before going for Monday. At my son’s school, inset days often fall on Mondays or Fridays, so either would be good.
I know you’ve ruled out Fridays off but I don’t work Fridays and it works out well - I get the shopping and chores done before the weekend plus it’s a sociable day at school pick up and a nice day to have play dates. Also work wise colleagues are usually fine to wait until Monday for something to be done so I don’t get a hard time for being part time!

Wednesday off is lovely. I do it sometimes.

It feels like a proper break to the week.

I did have Mondays off but I felt I was so tired from the weekend, that I spent Monday pottering about cleaning like a zombie.

I used to waste it indoors.

Now I have work on a Monday, I just get up and out (still tired!) But I can look forward to a Wednesday off (when I get one)

4 day weeks are so much more civilised. You’ll never go back to full time. I bet you’ll find you get as much done in 4 days as you used to in 5- less stress, more focus.