Would you take on a long commute for part time hours?

[FastingFaster]

It's all a bit hypothetical because I haven't applied for the job yet, but I've seen the perfect role for me. I tick every box on the person spec and it's also quite a step up. The FTE is significantly more than my current role, but it's PT, 60%. I'd be doing 3 days PW and there'd be very little difference in my take home pay, although I'd be worse off because of the cost of the commute.

It's not a pleasant commute. About an hour on a good day, but involves 3 trains, so plenty of potential for delays etc. In fact I used to do the exact same commute pre DC and was glad to see the back of it. No way I could have done it with young DC.

DC are now adult so I don't have the same ties and work is less about money and more about fulfilment/work life balance for me these days. I'll still be very comfortable financially despite the reduced income and the reduced hours are very appealing, plus the job sounds interesting.

So whilst there's no way I'd consider this commute full time, I'm wondering if it might be OK to do 3 days pw as a pay off for PT hours. There's also a possibility that wfh might be on offer, but I doubt more than one of the three days. I wouldn't want to wfh all the time anyway.

WWYD?

Can’t see the problem, I’ve done 3 days a week with 2 days in the office and a 2 hrs each way commute. Yes it’s tiring but you get used to it and the 3 days a week sound good.

If your DCs are adult I'm guessing you're wanting more time for yourself/maybe thinking about winding down in the next decade or so? If so, a 3 day a week job that pays the same as your current FT role is the dream. Two totally clear days off without your pension taking a hit? That's gold dust.

A train and two tubes is nippy but not something worth giving up an opportunity for. Lots of people do that in London. I'd also be checking the route carefully in case you could walk one leg particularly in summer.

Essentially you are swapping a convenient commute 5 x a week for a tricky commute 2 - 3 x a week. That seems fairly balanced, when you then take the other things into account.

*NB am biased, going to 3 days has been life-changing for me.

It does!

As someone who does a 2 hour commute twice a week (previously 3 days a week pre pandemic) the things I have learned are:

It is much easier the fewer changes you do. Less chance for additional time to be stacked onto your commute through delays.

Working from is worth negotiating but 100% wfh means you lose connection and spontaneity so mixing it up with commuting really does help.

You get into a groove. I have a grab bag approach to commuting including everything from a small cutlery pack, makeup bag, additional cables, ear buds etc. Means I own double of somethings but it means I just leave the house without thinking about it. Back packs are king. As lovely as an over the shoulder bag looks lovey but you will be crippled by month 5.

You are shattered when you get home. But sleep like a baby.

Weekends at home feel precious.

Although my commute is long I quite like it. I get to do interesting work and have proper wind up/wind down time in work.

Yeah I agree. If your tubing it then much more reasonable

A one hour commute two days a week isn’t really a big deal imo. Few have shorter esp in London. Especially when your kids are grown up it sounds fine. Don’t understand all the replies here.

Not quite the OP's question but I took my current job largely because of the flexible working. I work 4 days and do 2 in office (occasionally more it clients/business) require it and 2 at home. My youngest will start school this year and I don't want to increase to 5 days because on the 5th day I do all the laundry, food shopping and other domestic admin jobs that I'd otherwise spend a whole weekend day doing. So I feel that as a family, it's less stressful and we have more balance. I could earn more doing 5 days, or at another firm (I'm a lawyer), but I do value the flexibility.

With one train and two tubes, I would do this.

Sounds fine to me, 2 tubes totally different than trains as you can always reroute/ get a bus/walk you’re very unlikely to be stuck. Plus a small pay cut to work 3 days a week sounds amazing.

That doesn’t sound so bad, door to door, and a lot more doable.

3 trains? It's a no from me, no matter how well the role stacks up in other ways. That's a really unrelaxing faff of a commute.
I do an hour each way, twice a week, but on one train. I always get a seat, and can stare out of the window listening to a podcast.

For an extra 2 days off a week, for similar pay I'd bite their hand off. An hours commute is not unusual at all IMO.
Time wise if you commute 20 minutes now it would be an extra 40 minutes each way, that's 1 hr 20 a day x 3 = 4hrs extra total. That's a hell of a lot less time than 2 full days of work.

The commute doesn’t sound that bad and you will get the hang of it quickly, especially tubes are easy - just get headphones and listen to a podcast! Think of it this way, you’re getting the same money but two whole DAYS off, so in this context is a commute really an issue? Additionally are you sure some of that won’t be WFH? You might have one WFH day as well! Depending on the role they might have flexible working so it won’t be a huge stress to get there for 9am on the dot, just as some point before 10am etc

Three trains, absolutely not.

Totally agree with many other posters here, ‘a train and two tubes’ is very different journey to ‘three trains’.

The opportunity seems to appeal to you and it is a big step up in pay.

you could still take another little job locally on your two free days if you felt you needed to top up your wages.

Definitely apply!!!! What do you have to lose? New chapter of life when the kids don’t need you to be there after school!!!

You don’t have to accept the job if you did a few run throughs of the commute and didn’t like it etc…

Go for it - and good luck!

An hour commute in London is good! The fact that it's part time doesn't really make a difference.

For me it would depend on how much the commute costs. 1h isn’t that bad and the tube trains will run every 5-10 min. The prospect of 2 days off a week for almost the same money would be very appealing to me. You could even take a second pt job?

What's the commute? Which tube lines and which train?

What’s the actual Tube route? I don’t think it sounds too bad. Commutes into central London always sound bad on paper. For example, mine is a 20 min walk to the station, 25 mins on the train, 15 mins on the Tube - but in reality it’s pretty easy. Can you see what the alternative route is if one of the Tube lines is playing up? If there is one, even if it’s 10 mins longer, it sounds fine.

I’d apply. It’s only a 3 day commute, you can get reading or listening to podcasts.

If the job looked really interesting and I'd have two days off a week but not massively lose out on money, then I'd say the commute was worth it. You could apply, see if you get an interview and then assess all the factors on the day. The job might really enthuse and inspire you and that alone could make it worthwhile.

I have a long commute and don't really mind it anymore. I listen to podcasts and audio books so it's quite nice sometimes. And 4 days a week off would be fantastic! Hope you get it x