If you have 1 day off a week...which day is it, why did you choose it, and do you like it??

[thiswaypleasethankyou]

I work compressed hours - 10 days over 9. For the last 2 years I've had every other Friday off and it's worked nicely - I'm quite introverted and I love just having a day to myself, cleaning, pottering about, reading, whatever. It's just me and DH, no children.

However about 6 months ago DH started a new job with more flexibility, and guess what...like most other people who have the option, he chooses to WFH on a Friday when he can (which is most of the time as he rarely needs to be in the office, the rest of his week is quite meeting-heavy). I worked out earlier I've not had one of my days off just by myself in over 3 months.

There isn't really anywhere he can be in the house that doesn't impact me - I can hear him working wherever I am (constant calls, loud voice), and I can't just hoover whenever/wherever I like, or have the radio up loud . Even if I try and sit and watch TV it's not relaxing as I have to turn it up loud so as not to hear him. I do occasionally ask him to go into the office instead which he does, but I then get messages asking if he can come home early, have I finished having my 'quiet time' etc. He basically wants to be here on a Friday because it's his one opportunity in the week to WFH, which tbf I can understand (I WFH full time for context). He will try and keep his voice down, and he will try and keep out of my way, but it's just not the same.

So I think my only option is to ask to change my day, maybe to a Wednesday or something. But it doesn't have the same appeal as a Friday for some reason! If you have a mid-week day, does it work well for you?

I have a Wednesday off and I absolutely love it! I only ever have to make it through two days before a day off. It makes work feel less part of my life if that makes sense?
Definitely get some time off to yourself. It makes the world of difference.

I am FT regular hours now but have worked condensed and PT in a few different formats.

Mondays off was better for me. I didn’t have the Sunday evening ‘meh’ feeling, I could put off some boring chores till then, and Monday is always the busiest day in work and Friday the quietest.

I've spoken with people who have Wednesday off abd they love it ... like two weekends.

Consider Tuesday though.... as next to bank holidays often.

thanks both @FlakyAquaQuoter and @ByQuaintAzureWasp Wednesday I think is where I might end up if they will consider a change, Tues or Thurs just feels like odd days for some reason! I would absolutely love to take Mondays @Mykittensmittens but sadly it isn't an option - I should have said. We have regular meetings on a Monday that I am critical for (I have to get someone to sub in my absence), and they are arranged around the senior team's diaries, so even if I asked I wouldn't get it I don't think.

Dp has every other Monday off (9 day fortnight) and it works brilliantly for him. He looks very happy on those Sunday nights

If I could choose I'd have Wednesday. I really like the idea of a break in the middle of the week. But my boss has Wednesdays so it's not an option until she leaves

I like being at work on Fridays - maybe partly because some people aren't so there's a slight 'us against the world' feeling.

I love my Mondays off but if you are needed on a Monday then I would choose Wednesday. I have a few friends that have Wednesdays off and love it as you're only ever at work two days in a row. It's also quieter than Fridays if you need to go out shopping etc.

Mondays as no one likes to work a Monday.

Everyone is in a different frame of mind on a Friday so it's a good day to work.

My other choice would be a Wednesday to break the week.

I am so lucky that I can just plan my day around what suits me and business demands on any given week.

I work 3 days equivalent, so I have more to play with. I generally spilt over 4 days so I can do the school runs. Or i condense my hours over 3 days.

Generally it’s Friday. But sometimes I’ll work a Friday morning but take a half day somewhere else. Or I’ll work half a day on a Monday so I can have the whole Friday off.

Sometimes I’ll take a Wednesday off and that’s quite nice too. I actually think changing it around keeps it all quite novel and gives you something to look forward to - purely psychological!

I would always go Monday (avoid Sunday feeling) or Wednesday (break up the week). I don't mind working Fridays as everyone is upbeat by then

Every other Monday for me. Works better with the bank holidays and it's nice knowing that I have a long weekend every 2 weeks.

Just noticed you said Monday is a no. Definitely Wednesday then. My workmate has Thursday off and it seems a bit pointless for some reason. Also, a lot of meetings seem to be scheduled for Thursdays as that's a day most work.

Came here to say exactly this 🙃

I’ve had various days of the week off over the years. They all worked ok, they had to as I didn’t have a choice.

The only downside to a mid-week day off is when you go back and you have a flashing thought that bloody hell it’s Monday again. Then the relief that it isn’t, and the weekend isn’t that far off.

I have every other Wednesday as my NWD.

My management team love it as it means people in my team can take long weekends without worrying about resilience. I used to have Friday and it just didn’t work for my teams dynamics and so I was more than happy to swap! Yes, long weekends are nice but a mid-week day off is bliss

I used to have Wednesdays and like it, it really broke the week up nicely and I was a lot less tired doing a week of two parts.

Oh I have Thursday and I love it - Friday is a nice day to work as everyone is in a good mood. Also I find it more relaxed so I can catch up on work from prior day and not start the next week behind like I did when I had Fridays off.

Also easy to take a Friday off (esp before a long weekend) and have a long weekend

During lock down we had to reduce our hours and I had Wednesday off. Loved it as I worked two days then one off then another two and then the weekend

I worked a FT 4-day week most of my working life (same employer) and mostly had Fridays off. This worked for us as we would get away in the moho Thursday evening and enjoy an extra day at our chosen location.
If for any reason my employer requested I don't have a Friday off (staffing levels etc) then my next choice was a Monday as it meant we could stay away on the Sunday night and enjoy a quieter evening as most of the others went home (always felt here was something decadent & naughty about being away on a Sunday night before a working week).

I used to have a Wednesday off which I loved because the longest I ever worked was 2 days . I changed it to 5 short days when my youngest started school so I could take him and pick him up .

I have Fridays off and love it because lots of my friends also have Fridays off so lots of coffees and lunches out, in my work Weds is the one day all the part timers are in so we schedule all our team meetings for that day, also it would break the week up too much, both Mon and Thurs would feel like Monday mornings catching up. I used to have Mondays off and didn't like it because I felt behind everyone else all week, missed the weekend catch up chat etc. So if it had to be one of Tues/Weds/Thurs I'd go for Thurs as marginally less disruptive to the working week.