Modified Work Schedule - What do you do?

Mom32712

I am just overwhelmed working full time.  My boss is open to a modified work schedule -- pretty much what I see fit but it has to work with my life - financially.  I had proposed a 4 day work week but I don't think we could take the 20% cut in salary.  Anyone have any other ideas, any schedules they are currently working that work for them?

aglenn

I've heard of some people working 9 hours M-Th and taking every other Friday off.  That sounds pretty good to me, but I haven't tried it.  I am able to work from home sometimes and that can make a huge difference because I can cut out the commute time and work in my fuzzy slippers.    Kids still go to day care, of course, but it is kind of a mini-break for me. 

MirandaHobbes

For 4 months in the summer I took off a half day on Fridays. I'd come in early and skip lunch and that way only had to use 1 hour of vacation time.

Lots of moms in my office work 4 10's- but it's not for everyone. The days can get very long, and I hate getting home so late, especially in the summer. The best advice I heard about working 4 10's is to work Tue-Fri and take Monday off.Fridays are pretty casual anyway, so it's like having a 4 day weekend

 

jf198400

I went down to working PT after my 2nd ML.  I work 8hrs Mon-Thurs for 32hrs a week.  It is tough taking that 20% pay cut especially if you still have to pay for FT DC.  I absolutely love having that extra day at home though with the kids.  I like the pp's suggestion about taking a 10% paycut and having half-day Friday.  You could keep your kids in DC the fullday but get all of your cleaning and food shopping done before you pick them up.  Then you'd have more quality time over the weekend b/c you wouldn't have to do all your chores then.

Another suggestion if you are feeling overwhelmed- have you hired a cleaning person?  It makes a WORLD of DIFFERENCE!  Then you might not need to cut back on working.

jlaOK

Along the lines of the previous suggestions, how about working through lunch or taking a shorter lunch to get extra hours in and then working 4 days per week?

happy_un-bride

I work from home 2 days a week - I find this a big help.  I save 6 hours of commuting because of this.  Not to mention, I'm close to home and able to run errand and attend appointments.

Printergirl

I just switched to 90%. It's 4 hours off a week and we are trying to do it Wednesday afternoons (as Fridays are CRAZY in my industry). This was week 4 of it and it's been helping my sanity. The 10% pay cut isn't so bad (yet) and my company lets me keep full benefits at 90%.

azuremama

What about 4 9 hour days and half days one day a week?  The afternoon helps you get some stuff done or have extra time with LO.  10 hour days would be really long to me.  What would work for you depends on whether you want to have the kiddo home with you or not, whether you have a commute, etc.

bumpuser511563

Monday-Thursday: 7:30 am.- 5:30 pm. 9 hours, 1 hour lunch (my co-workers do 8 am. - 6 pm. with 1 hour lunch)

Friday: 8 am. - 12 pm.

I work these hours and it has been easiest this way to plan occupational therapy appointments DS needs for one hour every week or to go grocery shopping or run errands you can do without kids. Your leave will not be depleted as much.

rubber_chicken

happy_un-bride:

I work from home 2 days a week - I find this a big help.  I save 6 hours of commuting because of this.  Not to mention, I'm close to home and able to run errand and attend appointments.

 

I do the same thing, wfh on Tues/Thu.  It is a LIFESAVER.

Mom32712

Thanks everyone for your input!  I am looking to work a modified schedule to be with my LO more --- I feel like she is growing up so fast, I am missing out and just feel so guilty.  I don't know if I could handle a 10 hour work day - that would be 7:30pm-6pm for me -- by the time I got home it would be bedtime so that would make the work week even worse.   But 9hr day with every other Friday off may be doable....I'll have to think on this. 

I do not have a lot of vacation days which makes it even worse. 

KathrynMD

Printergirl:

I just switched to 90%. It's 4 hours off a week and we are trying to do it Wednesday afternoons (as Fridays are CRAZY in my industry). This was week 4 of it and it's been helping my sanity. The 10% pay cut isn't so bad (yet) and my company lets me keep full benefits at 90%.

That sounds pretty ideal

jeffsjayme

If you can't take reduced pay, but working full time is overwhelming (totally agreed on that by the way), then I don't see many options.  I mean, you could work 4 10 hour days, but I think that would be more overwhelming, not less.

caitie2002

I work 65 hours every 2 weeks and it looks like this:

Sunday- 8 hours

Wed- 12 hours

Thurs- 12 hours

Mon- 12 hours

Tues- 12 hours

Sat- 9 hours

I used to work 77 hours per 2 weeks but I cut out the Friday I would have worked. I've been doing this for about a month and half now and I love it!

KJKNAJ

I (am supposed to) work 30hrs/wk:

Mon=Thu 8am to 3pm with 1/2hr lunch, Fri 8am-noon

The best part of this schedule, when I can stick to it and get out of there, is that I have every afternoon with my kids. Even just to get a head-start on dinner it's so helpful.

July18Bride

I am working on a similar situation with my boss. We are hiring a volunteer to take some administrative duties off my shoulder and in turn I will work 36 hours per week...Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 7am-4:00pm (9 hour days) which is 90%, so i only get a 10% pay cut.

The 10% cut is less than what I would pay for both kids to be in day care for one day...so it makes sense for us.

If you can find a way to make it work financially but justifying what you would be paying in gas, day care, etc...it might be close to even. Also, make sure if you cut back some hours you lighten your load and are not getting a pay cut but working your ass off with the same amount of duties in less time for less pay.

superaunt

i was going to do the 4 long days for every other Friday off but those 4 long days would've limited my time with LO way more; it just wasn't worth it for ME. i now work 7a-3:15p, M-F. it's not easy getting up super early (i do drop off and pick ups from daycare), but the TIME i get to spend with LO every single day makes it soooo worth it.

semdkm

I work full time but negotiated two days from home.  So, it's still a lot of hours and the kids go to daycare/school while I'm working, but I save a lot of time not commuting in those two days, and am able to multitask (e.g., run an errand at lunchtime, walk to pick up my daughter from school and then get back to work, etc.)

DallasLonghorn97

I WFH FT (which is the standard where I work), but I also do a 9/80 schedule. That means 9 Hours M-Th, then one Friday it's 8 hours and the other Friday off. Keeps me at 100% pay.

There is good and bad to this and it probably depends somewhat on your job. Sometimes I still have to take calls/answer emails on my off Friday. The good is that I SO look forward to those days.

snicksnack

If you can score a work from home day it really does help.  I do it here and there and on those days I get so much work done that I generally don't have to work late other days, also I can have laundry going while I am working.  It is also nice to eat dinner at a decent hour.  I just prep everything night before and pop it in the oven. 

caramia582

MirandaHobbes:

For 4 months in the summer I took off a half day on Fridays. I'd come in early and skip lunch and that way only had to use 1 hour of vacation time.

Lots of moms in my office work 4 10's- but it's not for everyone. The days can get very long, and I hate getting home so late, especially in the summer. The best advice I heard about working 4 10's is to work Tue-Fri and take Monday off.Fridays are pretty casual anyway, so it's like having a 4 day weekend

 

After having Mondays off for some time now, I don't think I could go back to working Mondays easily.  It is by far the best day to have off! 

KL777

During the academic year I take one day off every other week.  This is accounted for by leave time and some leave without pay.  It works out great!

Jenn06L80

I work 6:30-4:30, four days a week with every Thursday off.  It is a great schedule for me and my family.  My commute is around 40 minutes, so I love being home by 5:15ish.  

Mrs_Lady

Right now I work 30 hour weeks instead of 55/60. plan on changing companies that is a little more family friendly only real benefit now is work 3 miles to home