WFH

[starryeyed19]

Hey

Currently doing a 60/40 pattern where I am in three days a week and wfh 2 days a week and have just been told we will have to switch to five days a week on site (it's an education job so I was expecting this) but also up until December, shift to an 80/20 working week

It doesn't sound like a big change but it has been at least three years since I was going into a workplace full time and I now have an extra long commute (for me).

I don't know how I'm going to function. I'm already knackered going in three days a week. My house is an utter tip, I can barely get shopping done and meals cooked as it is. I don't have any money to hire a cleaner or meal boxes or anything.

I know some of this is just panic but I would really appreciate some tips on how to get through this

You'll get back into the swing of it full time again.
Cleaning - one room a day.
Shopping - get it delivered
Meals - batch cook.

I should add I have a 15 year old at home but no other adult in the house

I'd seriously look for another job. Travelling in 5 days has seriously lost its appeal for me, I don't think I could ever do it again.

I only started this job in December and I'm hoping to do a qualification with them in Jan next year. I can't earn anywhere near the money I am earning there back here where I live.

I was in the same position in education and found a mainly WFH position rather than go into work but I have health issues and I could not physically cope with commuting. Batch cook and meal plan. You are going to have to do most of your cleaning at the weekend I would get the 15 year involved - if you have a 2/3 bed properly it should take more than a couple of hours between both of you. Try and do 15mins of the essentials each day either in morning or before going to bed - wipe kitchen/bathroom.

until December you are working one day at home- - use your lunch break or take regular 5min breaks and declutter one room at a time.

Good luck. There are loads of vacancies in education support staff as it’s so badly paid - you need to eat up poor pay versus commute.

can you move maybe once your DD is going into sixth form?

Thanks for all the replies. I'm just giving this a bump

Lots of people have no choice.

OP - I'd start with a 15 year old pulling their weight. You are a mother, not a maid.

Online shopping - the delivery cost is no more than the petrol back and forwards, you can do it with a glass of wine in the evening, it's delivered at your convenience, and you can train yourself not to impulse buy...

How long is the commute? What time do you leave and what time do you get home?

Do you need to be home to taxi your 15 year old around or is it just cleaning cooking and shopping that are your commitments?

Definitely lower your expectations. If they're are just 2 of you home, the house can't be getting that messed up in a week. We have 4 of us home and me and my husband can dust hoover and clean bathrooms within an hour on a Saturday. Is your commute driving or public transport? If public transport, do all your admin and ship online while traveling. Your 15 year old should be able to cook twice a week. A Pasta meal plus something else that goes in the oven. Take away on a Friday. Two other days keep it simple or cool on the weekend and make sure there are left overs.

I sympathise because I know how awful it is to have no slack built in to your day but things will get easier every year older your teen gets.

It's about an hour and a half. I don't have to be on site until 10am and usually leave at 4pm but don't get home till gone 6.30pm and am often leaving the house at 8am/8.30am.

It sounds so pathetic but I am genuinely so tired all the time.

I'm not being polite when I say our house is a tip, it really is disgusting at the minute. There's piles of washing up to be done, the floors need cleaning, there is dust everywhere. I've never been especially house proud but even I am recognising that people do not live like this usually.

I don't need to be home for my child, they get the bus to and from school but it's Year 11 this year so I really need to be on top of their schoolwork and revision. They are also incredibly needy when it comes to attention so at least an hour or so is just hanging out with them, trying to make sure I am paying them enough attention. I have a second child with SN who lives full time at a residential school and I have to factor in time to see him which I am only doing once a month at the minute anyway and feeling horribly guilty about.

It all just feels too much. I do get it's just a feeling and I will cope because I've done it before but...

It all just feels like a joyless rush tbh

Once a week, write a meal plan and do an online shop at the same time. Give the 15 year old a few easy meals to cook. They can even take the shopping in assuming there are no age restricted items.

Is there any possibility there are any health issues contributing to your tiredness/energy levels? Might be worth checking out if you are feeling knackered and joyless with a level of activity that you have previously managed.

It does sound you have a lot on.I think in your situation I would be looking for closer employment too. Is there any possibility of your asking for flexible working on the basis of your family situation, or is there no way for your job to be done as it currently is?

Yeah, I have an alpha thalassemia trait plus am very overweight with all those attendant problems. Taking iron helps a bit.

I currently work for a university so it may just come down to looking for somewhere with a quicker commuting time but I've changed jobs a lot within the past few years and don't really want to again for a couple of years, if at all possible