Would you sacrifice a cushy work life to work near home

[Raymond Reddington]

And have better hours?

I've got it pretty sweet at the moment on a contract role, but I've been offered something permanent 10 mins from home and it's the only business local to me in my industry.

It has a bit of a reputation for being a bit militant and I'd be leading a team so more stressful than what I'm doing right now.

The benefit being that it's 10 mins away, easy to do overtime if necessary and finish at 4.30 with time to go to the gym before my mrs gets home from work.

Is being close to home with minimal commute worth it for you and do you value your free time more than an easy life/easy money, or would you take the easy work life option and take the hit to your personal life?

[Andeh1]

That's a tricky one! Could be quantity of time vs quality time... 30mins longer at home stressed v 30mins later in a good mood!

Does current role allow WFH?

How do you know the local company are militant? Hearsay/rumours it speaking to someone there?

[RizzoTheRat]

I live 15 minutes cycle from work and it's fantastic. I've previously had jobs where I've commuted over an hour each way, now I leave the house at about 8:30 and am home by 5:30 most days. Or i can walk to work in about 45 minutes and run home, with a range of potential routes from 3.5km up the pavement to a 10km scenic route. It is a huge difference in your life to suddenly get an extra couple of hours every day.

However the job isn't any more stressful my previous one, the pay is better and I love the area (moved house, job and country).

So is say working close to home is worth a lot, but only you know how much extra stress it can offset.

[smashing]

Depends on what you mean by militant...no point trying to take advantage of being closer to home if you're working 60/70 hrs a week and the stress that comes from it.

Having gone from a 37.5hr a week job with very little overtime to somewhere where we were expected to be contactable at all times with comments about why you were not answering questions in the team WhatsApp on a weekend I know where I would rather be...

[xx99xx]

You've not mentioned which pays more and whether money is your priority.

If money isn't a factor then I'd take the easier job with less free time, if it were me, as that appears to be the least stressful option. What use is more free time if you're just going to be stressed and not enjoying that free time.

[shirt]

for me it would depend upon the relative salaries / benefits and the prospects at each place of work [e.g. contract length at current gig, why new one is 'militant' and will that change? etc.].

i used to commute an hour each way. these days its more like 15min, but i'd gladly revert to the previous situation for a role/company i would enjoy.

[Fundoreen]

TBH I would factor in new co workers who may have a long commute. The all soon start feeling resentful and entitled to an easier day and
get in a clique with fellow sufferers.
They may all soon be loafing from home while you do all the work as you are 'local'

[audikentman]

Tough call, I used to work 15 minutes walk from home, was there 20 years ago, but offered a job 15 miles away in S.E London, £10k basic pay rise, plus some other perks.
Meant I had to change cars for a ULEZ compliant one.
Been there 2 years now, and don't regret the change

[Flooble]

It is worth remembering that by and large in a contract role you work the hours in the contract (almost by definition).

In a permie role you are under much more pressure to "put in a bit extra". While you can push back, obviously, it's a lot more effort to do so than simply adding the extra hours to your invoice with a smile.

So be careful that you don't find you are swapping 2 hours' commuting and 8 hours' work for 20 minutes' commuting and 10 hours' work.

[dontlookdown]

Flooble said:

It is worth remembering that by and large in a contract role you work the hours in the contract (almost by definition).

In a permie role you are under much more pressure to "put in a bit extra". While you can push back, obviously, it's a lot more effort to do so than simply adding the extra hours to your invoice with a smile.

So be careful that you don't find you are swapping 2 hours' commuting and 8 hours' work for 20 minutes' commuting and 10 hours' work.

This is definitely a risk. Try and take to a few people who work there 're long hours culture etc. Perms are a different breed to contractors and expected to do more than just work their hours.

[dundarach]

Yes without hesitation.

[MitchT]

I spend 40 minutes a day walking to and from work. The next nearest place where I could realistically get a job would involve two hours a day walking to the train station, commuting by train and walking to the office at the other end. I worked out that I'd need a 30% pay increase to feel like I'd broken even by the time commuting costs and the extra time I'd lose each day was accounted for. More than that to feel that I'd actually gained something.

[Craikeybaby]

I stuck in a not great job for the last few years because it was less than a mile from home - now the office has moved 50 miles away I'm leaving.

[Antony Moxey]

You haven't said how long your current commute is. If it's 15 minutes then swapping for a ten minute one doesn't make much sense but if it's a two hour one then that's a whole different story.

[BoRED S2upid]

You don’t say what your current commute is.

[hyphen]

dundarach said:

Yes without hesitation.

+1 There are people who commute and don't get home till 7pm every day. No kinda life.

[EmilA]

Having worked contracts that seen me out of the house from 5am till 7pm to others where I'm only 5 minutes from the office, I would always prefer to be closer to home.

In fact I left my first IT role to move to a contract position on less pay because it was closer to home (80 mile round trip vs 10 mile round trip), less travel costs actually meant I kept more money in my pocket.