compressed hours

[SoftFroggie]

Does anyone work "compressed hours"? e.g. do 5 days work in 4 days? how do the long days (9.5 working hours) work? what are your timings? do you rely on DP on those days?

many thanks.

I don't work as regular as that but in one of my jobs I sometimes do 4/ 5 days in a row of 16hr shifts then nothing for ages and then the odd 12 and 5 hr shift. Troble is because the hours are irregular I do other work in between and have no routine. I am getting to old for those shifts now

The regular 4 days instead of 5 sounds good if you can work child care around it.

Thanks for your response. Your work sounds very irregular - I don't know how I'd cope with that -I'd descend into chaos! You must have bags of energy and be very organised.

I'm thinking of doing 3 days' work (22.5hrs) in 2.5 days, so one morning (3.5 hrs) and two longer days (9.5 hrs). Childcare would be a nanny, so more flexible, and I have zero travel time to work. However, I'm concerned about managing the longer days. Not sure how much break I need to take - do I have to have 1 hr of breaks during the day, so to do 10.5 hrs including breaks, i.e. 8 till 6:30 or similar.

Anyone else any experience?

Are you wanting to know what you are legaly entitled to or what you would physically need? Are you working for a company or yourself?

If you can organise the days you are working it gives loads of time with the kids on days off so its ideal. I have to admit I am neither organised or have bags of energy I just keep trying to do the best I can.

Even when working normal length days you get in late and kids are either in bed or on the way so coming in after they are asleep or leaving early doesn't make much difference anyway. Yor not missing "quality" time, just that grumpy bedtime time .

Are you able to choose your hours?

I'm currently employed by a big co to work 3 days (7.5 hrs excl breaks) per week, but on mat leave at the mo. I'm thinking of asking to change to the pattern I described when I return for a couple of reasons (childcare and avoiding unpaid overtime), but not quite got my head round how the timings would work.