Going to a four day week, which day to drop?
Discussion
Hi all,
Well I was 66 last September, and now thinking of going down to 4 days a week.
I currently do Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 4:00 with a 30 minute unpaid lunch, and 2 paid 15 minute breaks.
So I don't know which day to drop ?
It could be Monday, or Wednesday, or Friday, as prime days.
My bank holiday hours are all in with my holiday entitlement of 264 hours a year.
35 days a year, including BH.
I have to give up 7,5 hours for a days holiday, so 37,5 hours a week.
So not sure if having the Mondays off, would really make any difference, same goes with a friday.
But much more BH Mondays than BH Fridays.
, I see there are 9 BH days in 2023.
What screws it up, is I do an alternative Saturday and Sunday weekend cover.
I get called in about 50% of the Saturday and Sundays for a few hours to fix machines.
I don't know what to decide.
Well I was 66 last September, and now thinking of going down to 4 days a week.
I currently do Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 4:00 with a 30 minute unpaid lunch, and 2 paid 15 minute breaks.
So I don't know which day to drop ?
It could be Monday, or Wednesday, or Friday, as prime days.
My bank holiday hours are all in with my holiday entitlement of 264 hours a year.
35 days a year, including BH.
I have to give up 7,5 hours for a days holiday, so 37,5 hours a week.
So not sure if having the Mondays off, would really make any difference, same goes with a friday.
But much more BH Mondays than BH Fridays.
, I see there are 9 BH days in 2023.What screws it up, is I do an alternative Saturday and Sunday weekend cover.
I get called in about 50% of the Saturday and Sundays for a few hours to fix machines.
I don't know what to decide.
)I'd be thinking what I want to use the days for?
i.e.
Is it for long weekends away, at which point it needs to be fri or mon.
or do you want to play midweek golf. I know some folks that have a weds off each week - this way, you never get the bank holiday effect and you are only ever in work for 2 days at a time.
both good options tbh
i.e.
Is it for long weekends away, at which point it needs to be fri or mon.
or do you want to play midweek golf. I know some folks that have a weds off each week - this way, you never get the bank holiday effect and you are only ever in work for 2 days at a time.
both good options tbh
I dropped Fridays (for childcare reasons) - having a 3 day weekend every week is a beauty, kicking back on a thursday evening...
But I do get a feeling that not much work goes on on a friday and therefore i'm not getting value-for-money!
Part of your choice could be:
- what are you going to do with that time?
If its to generally relax, get stuff done then perhaps a midweek break could be good (Wednesdays)?
If its long weekends away (which with your on-calls seem unlikely) then Fridays or Mondays seem like the obvious choice.
- Are you planning to do any courses/u3a/further education? When are these on?
I've just started a course which runs on a friday and means i use my day off for something worthwhile and not just doing domestics/ PH surfing!
The other thing i would consider is how easily do you change hats - from work to not-work?
I like to finish the week knowing I can wear my weekend hat for 3 days before its time for my work hat again, i find the swapping irritating and therefore a mid-week break would make me more unproductive.
My 2p anyway
But I do get a feeling that not much work goes on on a friday and therefore i'm not getting value-for-money!
Part of your choice could be:
- what are you going to do with that time?
If its to generally relax, get stuff done then perhaps a midweek break could be good (Wednesdays)?
If its long weekends away (which with your on-calls seem unlikely) then Fridays or Mondays seem like the obvious choice.
- Are you planning to do any courses/u3a/further education? When are these on?
I've just started a course which runs on a friday and means i use my day off for something worthwhile and not just doing domestics/ PH surfing!
The other thing i would consider is how easily do you change hats - from work to not-work?
I like to finish the week knowing I can wear my weekend hat for 3 days before its time for my work hat again, i find the swapping irritating and therefore a mid-week break would make me more unproductive.
My 2p anyway
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Why does it have to be the same day each week? As your work days alter can't you shuffle your off days to maximise weekends etc?
This, take the Friday one week, and the Monday of the following week if you can? We used to do this until it got in the too difficult to manage category for one of the management. Every other week you get 4 days off, admittedly you then only get a two day weekend the other one though, but it wasn't really an issue.Edible Roadkill said:
I don’t like Mondays.
Boomtown Rats was the first thing that went through my head reading the thread title.My wife does shift work. So most weeks are 3-4 days on the others off. She can't pick and choose but the best weeks are those where she can overlap her time off with me being available so we can get things done.
As much as I hate a Monday morning I agree with those suggesting if you can be flexible and float which day you take off do that.
Wednesday off I did. And when I went down to 3 day weeks I worked Monday Wednesday Friday. Everyone thought I was mad not having Thursday/Friday or Monday/Tuesday off but I found not having to work 2 days in a row made the week go so much quicker and actually enjoyed the 3 days of work more.
Me and my wife haven’t worked Wednesdays for several years now. We had a choice of days and we don’t regret choosing Wednesdays. We never work more than 2 days in a row which is a beauty.
Most people tend to choose Fridays as their days off which I understand, but it’s our favourite days at work. Everyone is chilling out. Few management about. Not tonnes of work going on. Added bonus that slightly less cars on road.
Most people tend to choose Fridays as their days off which I understand, but it’s our favourite days at work. Everyone is chilling out. Few management about. Not tonnes of work going on. Added bonus that slightly less cars on road.
I went with Friday when I was doing 4 days. I didn't take Mondays due to losing the luxury with bank holidays and taking a mid week felt like just inflicting another Monday on myself every week.
I also did reduced hours for a bit. So 4 days work spread over 5 days. During the summer months that made me feel like I wasn't working at all.
I also did reduced hours for a bit. So 4 days work spread over 5 days. During the summer months that made me feel like I wasn't working at all.
nordboy said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Why does it have to be the same day each week? As your work days alter can't you shuffle your off days to maximise weekends etc?
This, take the Friday one week, and the Monday of the following week if you can? We used to do this until it got in the too difficult to manage category for one of the management. Every other week you get 4 days off, admittedly you then only get a two day weekend the other one though, but it wasn't really an issue.Gassing Station | Finance | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff