How are you able to work full time ?

Howcanyou · 23-05-2021 8:06pm #1

In general how the heck people manage to work 5 days a week or more ? Even if you don’t have too much of a commute, work still takes over the majority of your life. If there is one thing that this pandemic has thought me is that I never ever want to work 40 hours a week.

I am currently on 24 hours and my work life balance is unbelievably better. I remember getting out of work Friday eve and thinking to myself whooo I have two days off what can I do with me time ? Do I fancy a drink or maybe I shouldn’t because the house could do with a good clean, I need to buy some food, oh I would really like to watch some movies, I want to go and exercise or go for some sort of a trip. You get what I am saying. Before I get a chance to do half of these things it’s already Sunday eve and the whole cycle starts again.

Is it not a bit much to work 40 hours a week ?

shane b · 23-05-2021 8:19pm

Great first post. Just joined too. Amazing ðŸ˜œ

23-05-2021 8:23pm

I agree but we are conditioned to believe that’s the norm. We give the bulk of our day 5 days a week then have a couple of days off at weekend. What’s it all about. Just to afford to live and buy some nice things.

I think 4 days or a 30 hour week would be plenty. I’m sick of working full time and nearly feeling grateful to be allowed take my annual leave when I need it.

mariaalice · 24-05-2021 8:29am

More of an AF thread.

I think it's an odd question, to be honest, the same way as someone looking for a handy number, life experience has shown me that looking for a handy number usually equals laziness or they have issues that make working with them very difficult.

We may end up with a 4 day week who knows.

If you can live on the income from a job working 24 hours a week and are not being subsidised by a partner or parents go for it.

phill106 · 24-05-2021 8:37am

The issue is needing to fund a 7 day a week, 365 day a year costs. Can be quite difficult on a 24 hr a week budget.

Sunny Dayz · 24-05-2021 8:39am

A lot of people don’t have a choice - rent/mortgage to pay, mouths to feed, bills to pay.

Wanderer78 · 24-05-2021 8:40am

Howcanyou wrote:

Is it not a bit much to work 40 hours a week ?

You ll find many actually work in excess of 50 a week, we should also be including other work related activities such as commuting, in such stats, in order to see the bigger picture. You ll find this is having a detrimental effect on our well being, both physically and mentally, particularly mentally. We re slowly killing ourselves by doing this, this is leading to all sorts of complex health problems, in particular psychological issues such as complex addiction problems including obesity etc, and to add insult to injury, wealth is becoming extremely unequal, so we re working harder for longer for less.........

Tails142 · 24-05-2021 8:41am

I hate my job but like the cash, tried discussing part time working even using parental leave but it wasn't a runner.

shtpEdthePlum · 24-05-2021 8:46am

Civil service. Doing 50+ hours per week currently to get all tasks completed.

Our region has 6 people doing the work of around 12. Oh and most days covering colleagues who are off sick or on leave.

Don't know these levels of output are sustainable without people literally breaking down.

Jequ0n · 24-05-2021 8:48am

I like my job and money and wouldn’t change a thing

starringme · 24-05-2021 10:14am

shtpEdthePlum wrote: »

It's raining constantly when I'm off, including lunchbreaks so I hardly even get a walk or if I do it's miserable. Sun splits the stones whenever I'm stuck at the computer.

I'm clinically depressed I think, don't have time to get it checked out.

I think you've joined the dots yourself there. In my own experience when it seems the weather is against you personally i.e. only raining on your time off, the issue is your mental health.

shtpEdthePlum wrote: »

I'm not sure why it has to be this way, why 9-5, why so many demands that need to be met yesterday. Why not 4 days and 10-4. Id probably be more productive knowing the work needed doing in shorter space of time.

Speaking as a CS, having worked in awful private sector jobs, short of teaching (mum having been one, so that's all I knew growing up), you can't get better from a work/life balance POV. (I assume you're not top brass or you wouldn't be complaining about 40 hour weeks on boards.)
If you want to work 10-4, 4 days a week, why don't you change your work pattern? Investigate shorter working year as an alternative? Contact Employee Assistance Service? Put in an EOI if you hate your unit?

The mechanisms in place for staff welfare, codified into the CS Action Plan etc., are vast. I really suggest you look into alternatives, you're definitely in the right place to do so.

Lux23 · 24-05-2021 11:06am

I can barely get by working full-time; there is no chance of me working 4 days.

Kerry25x · 25-05-2021 12:02pm

I love my job and although I could afford to work less it wouldn't be worth the drop in income for me. I work fulltime hours, 13 hour shifts x 3 days a week so still have 4 days to myself.

j@utis · 26-05-2021 8:32am

I've been trying to reduce my hours for ages now but I find it impossible because there's shortage of employees. I constantly do 30hrs+ on 15hrs contact.

When it comes to money - I rather be poor than sacrifice my free time which I enjoy so much. And on the other hand you don't need half the stuff you think you need, so you don't need that much money afterall, it comes with age I think. When I was younger it was all more money, more things, more hours, more overtime. Now I'm over 40yo and it's completely opposite - the less the better, our family of 3 could easily live on 1200€ per month, not including motoring.

Flinty997 · 26-05-2021 8:54am

Some people actually like working.

I'm quite happy to work long hours if it's something I like. But equally I like my free time.

26-05-2021 9:55am

I work 3 days a week and no plans to ever return full-time if I can avoid it as I'm senior enough in my field now that in salary terms I don't need to work full-time. I don't do anything particularly exciting on my days off but knowing that I have more than just the weekend to do whatever I want (even if that is absolutely nothing) is amazing.

Hoboo · 26-05-2021 9:57am

shane b wrote: »

Great first post. Just joined too. Amazing ðŸ˜œ

Very important for boards to ensure fresh engaging content continually appears, sponsors love engagement.

Howcanyou · 26-05-2021 10:46am

Deleted User wrote: »

I work 3 days a week and no plans to ever return full-time if I can avoid it as I'm senior enough in my field now that in salary terms I don't need to work full-time. I don't do anything particularly exciting on my days off but knowing that I have more than just the weekend to do whatever I want (even if that is absolutely nothing) is amazing.

I feel exactly the same. I earn a decent wage so don't really have to work full time. I mean the extra money would be nice but I am more then willing to give up on it if it means I can have extra time for me and my family. I have a few year old and was constantly feeling like I was missing out on so many things while stuck at work 40 hours a week. When he was younger he would literally go to bed half and hour after I came home from work. Everything was such a rush between dinner, getting him to bed it was often 10pm before I had a chance to sit down, completely wrecked just to repeat it all over again the following day.

Creamy Goodness · 26-05-2021 10:47am

I'm lucky enough to like what I do but also realise that it shouldn't consume my life. I'm also lucky enough to work for a company that respects this by paying relatively well, generous benefits like example gives everyone the afternoon off on Fridays during summer.

That being said, not everyone is this lucky I do not take it for granted and if I had to work more to provide for a family you can bet your ass I would.

Kopy · 26-05-2021 10:57am

I changed job in 2020 and joined a company on a 3 day week with a view to going 5 days after 6 months.
Have remained on 3 days due to covid pandemic but was asked to go 5 days in January.
Like previous Poster I have no intention in going 5 days ever again.......Job would be to stressful ( Direct Sales with unachievable targets )
The quality of life I have now is far far better than when I worked 5 days a week.

Smee_Again · 26-05-2021 11:00am

'm a full time worker but I don't work full time, that helps.

26-05-2021 11:27am

Anyone who is working a five day week but would love a four day week and thinks they can't really afford it, should sit down and do the maths.

I went from a five day full time to a four day week and my take home pay was not reduced by that much - what was reduced significantly was my tax and other deductions. Most of that fifth day's pay went to deductions!

I needed to do it for family needs at the time and have increased hours again since, (thinking of my pension) but it is definitely worth sitting down and working it out.

Jafin · 26-05-2021 11:44am

I work Monday to Friday on a 37.5 hour week and I genuinely like my job, so full time doesn't bother me at all. If I had extra time all I would be doing is sitting at home on my arse at home playing games since all my friends work full time. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be sat at home playing games all day, but it's not exactly productive. I was off for seven weeks during the first lockdown last year and honestly having too much free time is not a great thing. I much prefer being out of the house and at work five days a week being productive.

That's just my experience of course. There are a ton of factors that go into it that are different for everyone.

YellowLead · 26-05-2021 11:49am

Unfortunately I am saving to buy my own house and have a child to support, therefore the luxury of working part time is not afforded to me. But great that your circumstances allow for it.

A bit naive of you to think everybody works full time out of choice - but interesting to see there are some people who could afford to work less but work full time because they love it - and hats off to them that they worked hard and were smart enough to secure jobs they love - thats the dream.

Howcanyou · 26-05-2021 12:28pm

YellowLead wrote: »

Unfortunately I am saving to buy my own house and have a child to support, therefore the luxury of working part time is not afforded to me. But great that your circumstances allow for it.

A bit naive of you to think everybody works full time out of choice - but interesting to see there are some people who could afford to work less but work full time because they love it - and hats off to them that they worked hard and were smart enough to secure jobs they love - thats the dream.

Of course most people don't work full time by choice but as somebody mentioned above when you do the maths you might actually be surprised that by working less hours your take home pay might not decrease by as much as you thought it would.

I actually have this one friend and we used to work for the same company. She has two kids, a pretty high mortgage (for our area anyway), two cars and various other bills as we all do. She used to say to me that she doesn't know how I can afford to work part time (we both knew what wages we were on). She has since moved to a different area and had to look for new job. We recently met up for a few drinks and to my surprise she now WFH 3 days a week.

She pays less for childcare, commute costs went down to 0. She will occasional use her car for school drop offs, food shopping or little trips like that so she spends nowhere near on fuel. Even little things like not getting a takeaway as often because you are too tired to cook or going out for lunch add up.

When I worked full time and had the extra cash I used to buy a load of crap that I don't actually needed.

YellowLead · 26-05-2021 12:33pm

Yes I have done the maths, I’m not stupid! I don’t pay for childcare as my son is a teenager. I did the maths when 4 days were offered to us and I’m still down money, money I can’t afford to be down if I want to buy a house next year.
It’s doable for some depending on situation (particularly when it comes to childcare) - but naive to think it’s workable for everyone.

Now if I already had a house and was paying a mortgage instead of double that in rent - I could go for 4 days then, and use the 5th for something useful outside of work.

Pogue eile · 26-05-2021 1:12pm

Personally I think the more pertinent question is 'why am I doing this particular job' if the thought of a 40 hour week and the pending doom on a Sunday afternoon are pre occupying your mind then there is a fair chance you simply hate your job and should, where possible, look at other options.

I would estimate that I work roughly 55-60 hours in a typical week but I really like my job so it never feels like 'too much' - I have at different stages of my working life work in set 39 hour week jobs and hated every second of it and an 8 hour shift felt like an eternity.

Addle · 26-05-2021 1:30pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Anyone who is working a five day week but would love a four day week and thinks they can't really afford it, should sit down and do the maths.

I went from a five day full time to a four day week and my take home pay was not reduced by that much - what was reduced significantly was my tax and other deductions. Most of that fifth day's pay went to deductions!

I needed to do it for family needs at the time and have increased hours again since, (thinking of my pension) but it is definitely worth sitting down and working it out.

It’s not just about my week to week pay. It’s about pension contributions and service too. Have to be practical unfortunately.

Howcanyou · 26-05-2021 3:32pm

Addle wrote: »

It’s not just about my week to week pay. It’s about pension contributions and service too. Have to be practical unfortunately.

One is entitled to the exact same number of PRSI contributions regardless of hours worked unless you earnings are next to nothing or you work on a week on week off basis.

Now as to making additional payments into your pension fund that's a personal choice.

26-05-2021 3:52pm

Addle wrote: »

It’s not just about my week to week pay. It’s about pension contributions and service too. Have to be practical unfortunately.

Pension and service is why I increased my working hours again when my family circumstances allowed it.

Anyway, it's just a suggestion, and one seriously worth looking at and weighing up the pros and cons.

You will need different arrangements at different stages of life, and sometimes it works out more practical to work fewer hours.

jayjay2010 · 26-05-2021 4:33pm

OP I completely agree with you, working 40 hours a week can be torture. Obviously enjoying your job is a plus.

This is actually something I looked at in a lot of detail in recent years. Because my costs of living are relatively low (Low mortgage, no kids, etc) I worked out that I could live comfortably by working 3 to 4 days a week, which is what I plan to do eventually.

It all starts with keeping outgoings/expenses low. Obviously this will all depend on your personal circumstances. But one thing I've learned is that it's not always about earning as much as possible, it's about cutting back on expenses. Live below your means. Unfortunately this day in age a lot of people are trying to keep up with the Joneses which is a never ending cycle.

Personally, I don't see myself doing a 5 day/40 hour week for much longer. I have plans in place to change that all very soon. I think life is just too short to spend decades working full time waiting for "one day" at retirement age. Some of us won't be lucky enough to make it to that age unfortunately.

massdebater · 27-05-2021 6:19am

I went down to 3 days a week in 2019 and I'm now down to 2 days (11-12 hours each), been doing that since xmas. Realised a few years ago I could cover my expenses with only a few days and it's been the best move of my life. I'm 34 and single, no kids etc so it's probably easier for me than others but I don't own much stuff, my car is a 2006, no tv etc.

I think it would be tougher in Dublin but I live in an expensive Canadian city renting by myself so it's not cheap. I'm envious of people who love their job so much they want to work 5 days a week but I love having free time. No matter how much I loved any job I ever had, I always preferred having the day off!

If your job is flexible you can even bunch your work together and take more time off later. I worked more over the summer last year and was able to take 4 months off at the end of the year and I'm planning to do something similar later this year so I can take time off to visit the family in Ireland.

Peregrinus · 27-05-2021 6:47am

In general most people, most of the time, faced with the choice of earning more money or working fewer hours will choose to earn more money.

This is a choice that, as a society, we face more or less all the time. As labour productivity increases - which it does, steadily - we can choose to work less time and produce (and consume) the same volume of goods and services, or we can choose to maintain our workrate and have a more materially prosperous life. Both at the individual level and at the level of society, the latter choice has been vastly the more popular one. And in a materialist, consumerist, capitalist society, choosing to work less and consume less is seriously countercultural - quite subversive, even!

fits · 27-05-2021 6:56am

I was out of work from December until last month. With jobseekers we got by quite well on my husbands fairly average salary. It’s not sustainable in the long term of course as jobseekers doesn’t last and big expenses would eat into savings and also pensions to think about. But we could both do a four day week and get by fine if our jobs allowed it.

Keeping your living costs low gives great freedom I think.
( if it’s possible of course)

Buddy Bubs · 27-05-2021 7:02am

Different strokes for different folks but it's important to get the best balance you can afford. At the moment I work 8 to 4 Monday to Thursday and 8 to 12 on Friday, so taking an hours lunch out of the equation it's about 32 hours. But I wouldn't always take a break when eating lunch, so maybe more like 34/35 hours. I'm on salary and when I'm in work I'm working, no messing and procrastinating.

Luckily I am in my family business and have a lot of leeway but there are some others from outside the family that do similar, honest hard weeks work and then take an early Friday.

We have hourly paid workers at different stages of needs and wants in life, some do up to 55 hrs a week if it's available. Some do their standard 39 hour week and happy with that. We have a couple of guys getting bit older, kids grown up, mortgage paid, earning decent money and have gone to 3/4 days. Some ladies in the office not full time either, work mornings only. And of course we have the WFH going on now, seems to suit a lot of people and I know its helping their lifestyle but productivity is still good.

I had an opportunity this year to take over full ownership of the company through a buyout due to an impending retirement, which would have been of very favorable terms to me, and I made the choice to cut in some other key employees in the buyout, I see the effect the stress and worry of full ownership of the business has done to my uncle so I decided to split it 4 ways to reduce the onus on me. The others got on board so it will be myself, the financial controller and 2 key sales directors sharing the business. I'd imagine it's lonely at the top. So in this instance I have foregone a lot of future income in favor of a better balance, let's share the load.

fits · 27-05-2021 7:10am

mariaalice wrote: »

More of an AF thread.

I think it's an odd question, to be honest, the same way as someone looking for a handy number, life experience has shown me that looking for a handy number usually equals laziness or they have issues that make working with them very difficult.
it.

That’s a little unfair though. There are many reasons why people need more time at home. I worked 4 day weeks for 18 months and scheduled appointments for the Wednesdays off. I rarely had to take time off outside of holidays as a result. I’m struggling a bit to do everything now back on five days tbh.

27-05-2021 7:18am

I have a great work life balance with my job in Asia. Full-time teaching hours but all blocked together and don't have to be there when I'm not in the classroom. For the last year, I worked Tuesday and Wednesday 8.00-3.10, and Thursday and Friday 8.00-12.00. So every week, I'm free from Friday lunch until Tuesday morning. My commute is 15 mins on my motorbike.

No idea how people do proper full-time, or how I will in the future. I've been in this job for nine years so am completely used to it.

irelandrover · 27-05-2021 7:20am

mariaalice wrote: »

I think it's an odd question, to be honest, the same way as someone looking for a handy number, life experience has shown me that looking for a handy number usually equals laziness or they have issues that make working with them very difficult.

Totally agree. I know when i'm older i will definitely regret dropping down to a 4 day week to spend time with my kids. I should have spent that time working instead. Because working too little is what everyone regrets when they are older.

the-island-man · 27-05-2021 7:33am

I think it depends on people's circumstances. Some people due to their lifestyle or personal debt such as a mortgage need all the money they can get. Others may be in an industry where 40 hours + is the norm.

I believe most people if they had the choice would work less than 5 days\40 hours especially with the progressive personal taxation here you don't earn a lot more for the extra days work.

My own personal circumstances mean I don't need to work 5 days a week but the norm in my industry is that everyone does.

In a previous role I managed to get parental leave for one day a week which I needed. When I applied my boss told me in a private meeting that he didn't know if it would get approved because I was the first man to apply for it. Despite that it did get approved but what I found was that even though the hours on paper reduced, the workload didn't.

But if I get the opportunity again I would definitely drop to 4 days per week. That previous role was crap and I don't regret leaving it but spending a day extra with your children versus a couple of hundred euro extra a month, there's no competition.

Wanderer78 · 27-05-2021 8:00am

Deleted User wrote:

No idea how people do proper full-time, or how I will in the future. I've been in this job for nine years so am completely used to it.

Enjoy it while you can, unfortunately it ll probably change at some stage

irelandrover wrote:

Totally agree. I know when i'm older i will definitely regret dropping down to a 4 day week to spend time with my kids. I should have spent that time working instead. Because working too little is what everyone regrets when they are older.

People are nuts on the Internets! people are clearly being overworked, we re gradually making ourselves deeply unhappy in regards our work life imbalance, and there's no need for it, lazy my arse!

the-island-man wrote:

I believe most people if they had the choice would work less than 5 days\40 hours especially with the progressive personal taxation here you don't earn a lot more for the extra days work.

There's nothing progressive about our taxation, we ve been slowly reducing taxation on wealth, and moving it towards the individual, it's a train wreck

Lia_lia · 27-05-2021 8:19am

I would like to work part time but it’s not an option in the company I work for. If I left and joined another company I’d be likely to take a huge pay decrease, even if I left for another full time job.

the-island-man · 27-05-2021 9:55am

Wanderer78 wrote: »

There's nothing progressive about our taxation, we ve been slowly reducing taxation on wealth, and moving it towards the individual, it's a train wreck

If you read my post I'm using it to highlight that earning extra income by working extra time is not worth it because of the increase of taxation the more you earn.

However it is a fact that the OECD consistently ranks Ireland as one of the highest for "progressive" personal taxation

shesty · 27-05-2021 9:58am

Interesting question.

I have to ask all the people talking about their workload here - what would happen if you started to say no, sorry, won't get done til next week?

I worked in construction for 5 years, so 60 hour weeks. Decent salary for straight out of college, high stress, never-ending workload. Then I was unemployed for a year and discovered exactly how little money I really needed to get by and also, how much I did not want a job that was 50 or 60 hour weeks, because there was simply no need for it.Now - I did have a partner and no kids in that time, so there is that caveat. I found employment again and slowly worked up to a decent salary over a period of about 8years - it is higher than average but certainly not into the 70k/80k bracket. 3 kids arrived in that time. I work 4 days a week and frankly if the work isn't done in that time, then it has to wait.

If I don't draw the lines of what I will and won't do, then nobody else is going to do it for me. I do a good job, my employer is happy, and I am going to stick with a 4 day week for the rest of my life if I can get away with it. I mean a company could replace me tomorrow, so why would I be letting them take over my whole life?

I can absolutely understand if you have bills to pay and are really stretched for money or saving for a house or whatever, that a 5 day week is necessary, and I did it myself for years too, but if Mondays or Fridays can be worked from home, or taken off, then I would absolutely recommend it.

27-05-2021 12:14pm

My boss said I can reduce my hours but not reduce my workload.

scheister · 27-05-2021 1:53pm

I have worked similar jobs in different shift patterns. If the option of working 4*10 instead of 5*8 was offered i would take it. The pay should stay the same but i get an extra day at home with my kids.

As other posters have said alot is due to factors we cant control.

Take home pay may not drop much if you work a days less but any decrease in wage may effect a mortgage application.

People may live pay check to paycheck so any decrease will be noticed in the pocket

In a lot of cases moving from 5 to 4 days a week may mean same work needs to be covered but over less time which could be more stressful

shesty · 27-05-2021 2:33pm

Deleted User wrote: »

My boss said I can reduce my hours but not reduce my workload.

I take parental leave for my 4 day week - my workload hasn't changed, I just have to manage my time very well.
There are no 3 hour meetings or meetings that drag on past their allotted time, or messing around, put it that way. The amount of hours I wasted in previous jobs sitting in meetings that went on for hours needlessly, achieving nothing.....2 hour meetings is plenty, absolute max. In addition I have a childcare pickup to do, so I must leave by a certain time - again, I do and it's known. Thankfully I am in an organisation where many people have a similar set up, so it is widely accepted.

tscul32 · 28-05-2021 1:55pm

I used to work full time when we had two small kids, OH full time too. Then I was made redundant, had kid no.3 and wasn't really worthwhile going back with childcare for 3. It's also really hard to do 3 kids and being out of the house from 7.30 - 6.30 and I was never totally in love with my career, even though it paid well and I was good at it. I spent the next 7 years at home and we struggled a bit, but 2 of the kids needed lots of attention, appointments, etc. and it wasn't feasible to be working.
2 years ago I got a part time job in a small office. I work 12 hours a week, for a bit over minimum wage, but I love it. I love having a job and I love the extra cash. OH doing really well I work too so we are nicely comfortable and I don't "need" to earn more. Problem now is that if I was to work any extra hours, they'll be taxed at the higher rate so I'd be working for very little. So for now the 12 hours will stay. I've one still in primary school so it's great to drop him to school, go to office, home for lunch then collect him. When he moves up though I'd probably like a bit more work. Never had much interest in going back to my chosen profession even though I could make serious multiples of my current salary. Suits the family too.

How are you able to work full time ?

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