Reduced work hours schedule

ladipale · July 2011

I was approved to reduce to a 30 hour work week! So excited.

Now I need to figure out how to get those 30 hours in. I can already work from home whenever I want but am much more productive at work. Would you rather work 3 full days a week and then fill in hours at home. Or work 6 hours/day at the office?

tiki_t · July 2011

Depends on the environment that you work in. When I reduced my hours (back when I was working), I opted for more days a week with less hours for visibility and also to reduce the chance of the extra work creep. It was hard for me to say, "Oh, I hit my 30 hours, sorry, I can't help you," which is what in my position would have had to happen if I crammed everything into a few days rather than spread it out.

Mrs.BoomBoom · July 2011

What's your feeding/breastfeeding schedule like? what about daycare? Would you save by working less days? I think I'd be more inclined to work fewer days for longer hours but I'd work less hours more days to save from pumping.

SweetieP · July 2011

Awesome. If it were me, I'd go for 3 full days and fill in the rest at home.... Or honestly, I'd work 9 hour days so that I only had to fit in 3 hours somewhere else.

ladipale · July 2011

Mrs.BoomBoom:
What's your feeding/breastfeeding schedule like? what about daycare? Would you save by working less days? I think I'd be more inclined to work fewer days for longer hours but I'd work less hours more days to save from pumping.

Daycare is fulltime only for infants, so that is not an issue. (at least until she transitions to the next room, but that won't be until January at the earliest)

tiki - my own visibility is not really an issue b/c i have 2 supervisors, one works 80% of the time from home and the other is technically on sabbatical until next April, although he is still around sometimes.

I've always worked in a 'get stuff done when it needs to be done' environment. i still plan to do the same, just not feel guilty if i don't get something done after my 30 hours are done.

secretkeeper321 · July 2011

SweetieP:

Awesome. If it were me, I'd go for 3 full days and fill in the rest at home.... Or honestly, I'd work 9 hour days so that I only had to fit in 3 hours somewhere else.

Agree...I wish I could do this schedule...that would be so great.

I would keep H in school 4 days per week so that I'd have one day with him and one day to myself to get stuff done!

Good for you!!!!

StefandTodd · July 2011

Just wanted to say yay on getting that approved!! GL with figuring out the schedule that works best for all of you

ladipale · July 2011

secretkeeper321:
SweetieP:

Awesome. If it were me, I'd go for 3 full days and fill in the rest at home.... Or honestly, I'd work 9 hour days so that I only had to fit in 3 hours somewhere else.

Agree...I wish I could do this schedule...that would be so great.

I would keep H in school 4 days per week so that I'd have one day with him and one day to myself to get stuff done!

Good for you!!!!

Yeah, I think I'll send E to school at least part of my time at home to get errands and such done.

I may not be able to swing 9 hours/day just because John's schedule is insane and so I have to leave by 5 to pick up E on time, and attempting to get to work before 8 is nearly impossible these days!

kfishie · July 2011

Good luck L!

NorcalLinds · July 2011

when i went back, i did 3 long days. my schedule increased over time and i added in one half day to my already 3 day schedule. But my job was all about visibility.

i would do the 3 full days, and plan on dropping E off at day care 3-4 days per week. give yourself time to run errands, drop into work, or work from home sometimes.

futrkingsley · July 2011

If it were me, I'd want to drive less so fewer days in the office would be my goal. To balance that I'd be happy to work off-site (home wouldn't work well in my case since DS is at home 50% of the time). I wouldn't want to work longer days on the days I drove to the office due to daycare and just being away from DS for ALL his waking hours, so I'd work my normal hours 3 days, then work shorter hours than normal on my days at home.

But that's what I'd want and what my considerations would be.

green*eyes · July 2011

I find I'm not as productive at home (end up doing other things that need doing like laundry, etc), but it's often worth it to avoid the commute and everything else that comes with working (using more time to get ready, make/buy lunch, etc). I think I'd try 3-8 hour days in-office, and fit in the other 6 either one or two other days from home. Maybe try a few weeks that way, then a few with more time from home, and see how it goes?

My.ABC.Life · July 2011

AWESOME!! Congrats!!

For me it depends on my commute. Since I commute 2 hours round trip... shortening my, only to come into work MORE days - does not help add to my time at home. So I'd opt for longer/full days in the office, so that I'm working less days over all. (That make sense??).

maryh01 · July 2011

So great! I think I'd choose to work at the office 3 days a week and then make up the rest of the hours at home.

SarahCee · July 2011

Fantastic! I think the 3 days in the office regular hours, and make up the rest from home sounds great.

fricksgirl · July 2011

Yay!

I've done both, and for me, having 3 long days is better. I can mind set myself more for the day rather than feeling like I'm hopping all over the place in my head with my priorities, etc. Today- I'm home, tomorrow, I'm working, etc. Was easier for me to draw those boundary lines.

Good luck!

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