Well, I couldn't take the long hours at work

[Night Elf]

Over 2018, I increased my hours at work from 6 per week when I was volunteering to 40 hours as an employee by the end of the year. I've just not been doing well being there so much. Those are long days. I became part of the management team which makes me happy so I was working what the rest of the team was working, except my manager who is usually there 6 days a week. We try to encourage her to take a day off as we can handle the store and call her in case of emergency. She's taken off a few days but I wish she'd pick a regular day off like the rest of us have. 

Anyway I talked to her and explained I have no desire to lose my management status but I wanted to reduce my hours. She said she understood and to just tell here when I want to work. So I'm only going to work 30 hours a week. I'll be on stand by the rest of the time since I live only 15 minutes away and can hop over there anytime I'm needed. I will work afternoons to closing and all day on Saturday. Martin worries my mornings will be boring which is why I increased my hours twice and ended up full time. I just sit around in the mornings just waiting to go to work so I figured why not be at work anyway. Well, by not working in the mornings, I can get my housework back on track. I can run errands and make appointments for any day of the week instead of trying to cram it all into my one day off during the week. I have Thursdays off but they're never restful days because I always have a few things to do that take me out of the house. Then I try to do some cleaning but I'm so tired of being busy that I only get a couple of things done. I want to be back in control and touch all areas of my house on a weekly basis again. And I want to do laundry and take that responsibility out of my DH's hands. I used to do laundry every other day but he's doing it all on Saturdays so we have lots of laundry to do. And I'm at work on Saturdays so I can't help him. I don't know why he just doesn't wait until Sunday when I can help him, unless he knows I need a full day of resting before going back to work Monday morning.

So I'm starting my new schedule next week. I'm so glad I asked and that the change was approved.

[lmrich]

Sounds like a perfect solution. I think part-time work is such a good idea to help us find life-work balance. 

[Selkie]

I think that sounds like a very smart plan!

[maize]

Sounds like you are doing an excellent job advocating for yourself!

[Night Elf]

I'm so lucky to have a great manager. She had no problem with me reducing my hours and said she'd get someone to cover the register in the mornings. I was worried she'd take away my keyholder status and I've enjoyed that so I'm glad reducing my hours didn't affect that aspect of my job.

[marbel]

That's great, Beth!  

When I went back to work I was given 32 hours.  Because I work a mix of evenings/nights and days, it works out that I have some time at home to take care of things here, shop, have appointments, etc.  Sometimes I end up working 40 hours when someone needs time off and is looking for a sub to take a shift, but I can say yes or no as I please.  It's nice to have flexibility.

[fairfarmhand]

You know, most women that I know would prefer, if they could afford it to work between 20-30 hours a week. 

Two people working 40 hours a week means that evenings and weekends are often a race to finish the “must dos” with less time and energy to get to the fun stuff.