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Original poster

Non-working day on Monday or Wednesday?

98 replies

feb1982 · 26/02/2023 14:05

I'm about to return to work after my second maternity leave and will be working 4 days with the option of either Monday or Wednesday as my non-working day (although I will be looking after both children on that day so hardly a day off 🤪).

Which day would you choose and why?

OP posts:
tappitytaptap · 26/02/2023 15:25

Be careful of Bank holidays. I didn't take Monday for this reason. On an 80% contract I only got 80% of bank holidays so had to work the time back/take additional holiday. My day off (until I change working pattern and work every day when the DC are both at school) is Weds. as others have said, quite nice to break the week up. I have Monday off with my 4 year old tomorrow though so I get to try the 3 day weekend thing

pennylanestrawberries · 26/02/2023 15:28

museumum · 26/02/2023 15:11

For personal/family reasons I’d like to take Mondays off but for work reasons I hated it. I was always running to catch up, starting every week already behind in emails etc. I switched to wednesdays and it works much better for me.
(My nursery was open on bank hol Mondays though so that wasn’t an issue).

Exactly the same! Also my workplace is the kind that likes to have lots of “looking ahead at the week’s priorities” type meetings on a Monday.

Weedoormatnomore · 26/02/2023 15:29

Wednesday for me as like the day of during the week for washing etc normally after 2 or 3 days the wash bin is full. Sad I know but less to do at weekends.

lopsees · 26/02/2023 15:30

MONDAY! If you are p/t Mondays are the worst day to work due to bank holiday.

In May there are three Monday Bank hold this year.

PuppyMonkey · 26/02/2023 15:33

I always chose Monday as my day off when pt, as have only worked places that added the pro rata bank holidays onto your annual leave. Ended up getting another week or so to take when I wanted.

I always thought this was the law but whenever this type of thread comes up on MN, so many seem to come on and say their workplace “don’t do it” and it’s just “tough” if your day off is Monday, you will lose out and have to just accept it.Confused

burnoutbabe · 26/02/2023 15:41

all the people taking Wednesday off - they will get all their Wednesdays plus most Monday bank holidays so its identical to people who work Mondays and get all Mondays off (but a few extra days to use at other times).

One is slightly more flexible than the other in terms of choice. it really depends on if your work is closed on bank holidays so you HAVE to book leave anyway on that day and how flexible work is (i work 1 day a week - if it clashes with a bank holiday I generally just work another day instead)

AnotherEmma · 26/02/2023 15:56

burnoutbabe · 26/02/2023 15:41

all the people taking Wednesday off - they will get all their Wednesdays plus most Monday bank holidays so its identical to people who work Mondays and get all Mondays off (but a few extra days to use at other times).

One is slightly more flexible than the other in terms of choice. it really depends on if your work is closed on bank holidays so you HAVE to book leave anyway on that day and how flexible work is (i work 1 day a week - if it clashes with a bank holiday I generally just work another day instead)

I work part-time including Mondays; we close on Mondays so I effectively lose annual leave for every bank holiday Monday. I would prefer more flexibility to take my leave when I want (especially as I have a child in school).

familyissues12345 · 26/02/2023 15:59

Monday definitely!

I chop and change between Monday and Wednesday off depending on my current workload and I far prefer Mondays off

  • I like not having the back to work feeling on a Sunday, if we've had a busy weekend and got behind with housework/shopping etc it doesn't matter.
  • I also prefer to work a run of days, then off for a run, instead of a couple of days in, a day off, a couple of days in, weekend off etc. Just feels very disjointed!
LandlubbingKraken · 26/02/2023 16:01

Definitely Mondays off - this then means that you can get AL on a pro rata basis for bank holiday Mondays, and you can take this AL when you choose to.

EllaPaella · 26/02/2023 16:02

Mondays off for a long weekend. Means you can have more weekends away.

catherinecawoodrtd · 26/02/2023 18:04

Wednesday. Lots of things are closed Monday like hairdressers and independent businesses. The mid week break is an absolute boon and I loves having a Wednesday off when my children were little as it broke the week up and gave me that day off to look forward to

Clymene · 26/02/2023 18:08

Wednesday! Then you get bank holidays and you only ever work 2 days on the trot. Also in my job, Mondays and Fridays are crunch days - Wednesdays are days you can set other people to do things and then see how they're going on Thursday

pennylanestrawberries · 27/02/2023 07:24

PuppyMonkey · 26/02/2023 15:33

I always chose Monday as my day off when pt, as have only worked places that added the pro rata bank holidays onto your annual leave. Ended up getting another week or so to take when I wanted.

I always thought this was the law but whenever this type of thread comes up on MN, so many seem to come on and say their workplace “don’t do it” and it’s just “tough” if your day off is Monday, you will lose out and have to just accept it.Confused

Yes that has always confused me too as I also thought it was the law!

The annual leave thing has never been a major factor for me as it works out pretty similar whether I work Mondays or not.

Aozora13 · 27/02/2023 07:36

I don’t work Wednesdays. I have 3 small DC and weekends are lovely but also knackering so I prefer to break the week up. Psychologically you’re only ever 2 days from a day off which makes things feel much more manageable. Also I find the little ones are less tired (and therefore less monstrous) having a day off from nursery mid-week.

The downsides are that it’s maybe more disruptive to the flow of the week and it’s quite an active day for meetings so I miss more than I would if I didn’t work Fridays for example. My work do some magic hands thing with leave so it’s equalised for part time workers from a bank holiday perspective but I don’t really understand!

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 27/02/2023 07:40

Monday for the bank holidays.

MunsteadWood · 27/02/2023 07:40

Check the bank holiday situation as employers can differ on this. But assuming all ok I'd choose Wednesday. I've tried both and much prefer a midweek day off. Breaks up the week, means day off never too far away, has been really good for my wellbeing.

schratching · 27/02/2023 07:44

Wednesday. Monday is productive everywhere.

Rainbowqueeen · 27/02/2023 07:46

I’d probably do Wednesday. Then both Sunday and Wednesday night I’d do a dinner that I could have for 2 nights.

But I’d also consider things like weekly work meetings, when there were activities I could take the DC to, when my friends were working. Also if you have school age DC, what days does the school have assemblies etc.

Youainttheonlyone · 27/02/2023 07:47

monday

you don’t have to use already reduced pro rata annual leave to cover bank holidays (sucks) so you get more time to take when you want

when the kids are in school inset days tend to fall mainly on Mondays. That means you never have to worry about childcare or using annual leave to have a day off with them

When you’ve done the mad “getting ready for school” rush on a Sunday - you’ve then got a day to yourself on Monday (when they eventually go to school)

Glitteratitar · 27/02/2023 07:56

It massively depends on what you do. Several of my colleagues and I have a non working day on a Monday or Friday, and it’s easier to not be available and contactable for clients by wrapping up on a Thursday night / not logging on on the Monday.

Those that have a non working day really struggle, as deadlines and work doesn’t stop, so they often have to work late on a Tuesday night.

k1233 · 27/02/2023 07:59

In Australia we get public holidays - you get paid even though it's a holiday. The majority fall on a Monday, so I'd pick Wednesday as my non work day.

Plus two days then a sleep in is a nice week.

Fundays12 · 27/02/2023 07:59

Check your school holidays calendars. Our local regions schools have far more Mondays of than Fridays due to in services days, bank holidays etc. I think it’s 9 amore a year. It saves you worrying about that in a couple of years

RidingMyBike · 27/02/2023 07:59

I'm amused by all the posters saying most INSET days are on Mondays. We've had one Monday INSET day in three years of school! Which was the day Boris sent the kids back to school then closed them from the next day.

Most of ours are on random Thursdays or Fridays.

Roselilly36 · 27/02/2023 08:00

i would opt for Weds.

claireymrsd · 27/02/2023 08:01

I have Monday as my work free day and like that I get 'extra' bank holidays added to my entitlement.
It's also nice not to have that Sunday night feeling and have a longer weekend.

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