I did 75% time for six months. In my case I was approached by an old employer because they really needed the extra help. I originally asked for a contracting

I did 75% time for six months. In my case I was approached by an old employer because they really needed the extra help. I originally asked for a contracting arrangement, but according to HR they couldn't do that, so we settled on the 75% (w/ benefits) arrangement. A few thoughts on the subject: 1. Everyone I know who has managed this schedule has done so by negotiating with their existing employer (in my case a former employer). Doing this at the interview stage seems a sub-optimal (unless you are really in demand) because they will probably just go with someone else. After you have been working for a while, you are a known quantity, and so it's easier for them to stick their neck out for you. If your current employer is not receptive, you can apply pressure by threatening to leave (worked for a buddy, but you have to be prepared to walk). 2. For this arrangement to make sense, you really need to be good at setting boundaries. I was pretty bad at that, and as such, I often put in more hours. Part of the reason they took me on was because they were having trouble finding people to handle all the workload, so I should have realized that it would be a struggle to keep the workload manageable on the 75% schedule (when I used to work full time I put in a lot more than 40/week). 3. For me personally, I would much rather have a (very) flexible schedule than a shorter work week. I don't mind cranking out 10-12 hour days if needed, but I like the option to get some of that time back, whether it be taking part or most of a day off on short notice, or coming in late to the office in order to enjoy the outdoors in the AM or do some chores. Due to 2 and 3, I think an hourly consulting arrangement would have been much better (for me at least). If you charge enough, you will make up for the lost benefits, and because you are charging hourly, you don't have to stress too much if the workload spikes from time to time because you will get paid for those extra hours.