5 ms·

About work and happiness : the more I think about the reality of being a full time employee, the more I start to believe part-time is actually the right way to

by EZ-E 8y ago

About work and happiness : the more I think about the reality of being a full time employee, the more I start to believe part-time is actually the right way to work and be happy. I see little reason to spend something like 70% of waking hours commuting and working for someone else's profits if you can afford to do less. I've become pragmatic and realized the company I'm I work in is just a tool I use to make money while trying to extract valuable experience for my future. The rest doesn't matter

AnIdiotOnTheNet 8y ago
Boy, I wish I could find part time work that paid even a quarter of what I make supposedly working full time. The reality of course is that I'm at most actually working 15-25% of that time and the rest I'm just piloting a desk and being available for people to pick my brain. Then there's the health care issue to consider, at least for US residents.
- EZ-E 8y ago
  > The reality of course is that I'm at most actually working 15-25% of that time and the rest I'm just piloting a desk and being available for people to pick my brain Working remote can solve this, I've realized. One day I was stuck at home so I told my supervisor I would work at home for the day. I ended up doing my work in few hours, and was free the rest of the time since I was free from the "stay at desk" requirement.
  - AnIdiotOnTheNet 8y ago
    Sure, if your company isn't actively hostile to the idea like the one I work at is. Lot of places are very butts-in-seats focused.
- randysavage 8y ago
  Don't let the healthcare issue scare you. I've been on high-deductible Marketplace plans for the past few years, having gone through a pregnancy and delivery with complications, among a few other health concerns. As long as you have the cushion to cover the high deductible (~$6000), there's probably not much to worry about. I had the same deductible at a previous employer, so the current situation feels identical to me.
chrisper 8y ago
In Switzerland it's the norm that you can decide how much you want to work on an 80-100% scale (sometimes even 60%). Your vacation days etc. Adjust accordingly.
waldfee 8y ago
I recently reduced my weekly hours and am now working only 4 days a week. its so much better. People are dumbfounded when i tell them, they do not understand that free time is more important to me than money. as long as i can live comfortably and use my new free time i will trade money for time. end goal is 2 days a week - no idea if thats possible, but 3 days is a must. if you can do it financially and with your job situation i can only recommend it. i still giggle like a little girl every friday because i dont have to go to work
- anotheryou 8y ago
  I'm about to ask for the friday off, I'd even pass on the promised 5% raise if neecessary. As a rather young project/product manager I'm a bit worried about carreer prospects though. A day doesn't sound like much, but a work-day/weekend ratio of 60/40 is so much better than 70/30 I bet.

by EZ-E 8y ago

AnIdiotOnTheNet 8y ago

Boy, I wish I could find part time work that paid even a quarter of what I make supposedly working full time. The reality of course is that I'm at most actually working 15-25% of that time and the rest I'm just piloting a desk and being available for people to pick my brain. Then there's the health care issue to consider, at least for US residents.

EZ-E 8y ago
> The reality of course is that I'm at most actually working 15-25% of that time and the rest I'm just piloting a desk and being available for people to pick my brain Working remote can solve this, I've realized. One day I was stuck at home so I told my supervisor I would work at home for the day. I ended up doing my work in few hours, and was free the rest of the time since I was free from the "stay at desk" requirement.
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 8y ago
  Sure, if your company isn't actively hostile to the idea like the one I work at is. Lot of places are very butts-in-seats focused.
randysavage 8y ago
Don't let the healthcare issue scare you. I've been on high-deductible Marketplace plans for the past few years, having gone through a pregnancy and delivery with complications, among a few other health concerns. As long as you have the cushion to cover the high deductible (~$6000), there's probably not much to worry about. I had the same deductible at a previous employer, so the current situation feels identical to me.

chrisper 8y ago

In Switzerland it's the norm that you can decide how much you want to work on an 80-100% scale (sometimes even 60%). Your vacation days etc. Adjust accordingly.

waldfee 8y ago

I recently reduced my weekly hours and am now working only 4 days a week. its so much better. People are dumbfounded when i tell them, they do not understand that free time is more important to me than money. as long as i can live comfortably and use my new free time i will trade money for time. end goal is 2 days a week - no idea if thats possible, but 3 days is a must. if you can do it financially and with your job situation i can only recommend it. i still giggle like a little girl every friday because i dont have to go to work

anotheryou 8y ago
I'm about to ask for the friday off, I'd even pass on the promised 5% raise if neecessary. As a rather young project/product manager I'm a bit worried about carreer prospects though. A day doesn't sound like much, but a work-day/weekend ratio of 60/40 is so much better than 70/30 I bet.