Balancing Work and Home Life

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  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,151 Forumite
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    LannieDuck wrote: »
    I find that quite hard to apply.

    1: Commuting - 2 hrs
    2: Working - 8 hrs
    3: Sleeping - 7 hrs
    4: Mandatory household - 2 1/2 hrs (incl childcare)

    19.5 hrs. Leaving 4 1/2 free

    I don't have that much free. 1/2 hour in the morning is getting ready for work. Should that go in mandatory household?

    There's always some non-mandatory household I have to try and work through (our mortgage is up for renewal - I need to start researching that), another 1/2 hr each day.

    1 hr of the 'free' time is my lunch break at work. I guess that counts, but the work canteen isn't very relaxing.

    2 1/2 hours free in the evening sounds about right.
    It's been years since I had a job that gave an hours lunch. Do you have to have this amount of time, or could you reduce it to 30 minutes and leave 1/2 an hour earlier?

    If not is there anything you could do during your lunch break that would free up time later eg make appointments using your mobile phone or pop to shops and get something eg I go to Home Bargains once a week to stock up on drinks for school/college.
  • LannieDuck
    LannieDuck Posts: 2,359 Forumite
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    edited 18 October 2016 at 9:23PM
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    Spendless wrote: »
    It's been years since I had a job that gave an hours lunch. Do you have to have this amount of time, or could you reduce it to 30 minutes and leave 1/2 an hour earlier?

    If not is there anything you could do during your lunch break that would free up time later eg make appointments using your mobile phone or pop to shops and get something eg I go to Home Bargains once a week to stock up on drinks for school/college.

    I was simplifying for the post. I actually work 8.30-4.30 with 1/2 hr break, but I commute around the North Circular / Hangar Lane, so I have to aim to be in work for 8am in case there's a problem with the traffic (in which case I have a 30 min contingency, which I do need ~10% of the time). So I normally get into work at 8am and take an hour lunch.

    It would be unusual to leave early - work have already allowed me to flexi sufficient for a 4.30pm exit, and I don't want to start disappearing at 4, even if it's justified in my hours.

    I do sometimes make appointments during my lunch hour, but I have quite a mentally intensive job, so I normally try and read a book in the canteen, or read MSE at my desk or something ;) It's... somewhat relaxing. Not the same as putting my feet up at home tho!

    But thank you for the suggestions :)

    To add, I will eventually look for a job closer to home, but my current employer has been very good about allowing part-time, flexi-time working which allows me to have a day a week at home with DD2 (who's still in nursery). I'd like to continue this until she starts school if I can, and I think it would be hard to find another employer willing to accommodate me. I think I can manage my exhaustion until then. Hopefully :)
    Mortgage when started: £330,995

    “Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”     Arthur C. Clarke
  • theoretica
    theoretica Posts: 12,306 Forumite
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    I would look closely at the housework - some things are necessary for health or not destroying property, but somethings you could probably let slide and do less often. Conversely, habits like immediately putting clothes in the laundry basket, spreading duvets flat, putting stuff in the bin or crockery back in the kitchen can really help and be started at a quite young age.
    But a banker, engaged at enormous expense,
    Had the whole of their cash in his care.
    Lewis Carroll
  • AylesburyDuck
    AylesburyDuck Posts: 939 Forumite
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    Can i hear i chorus of...what is this relax of what you speak?
    When the baby was born, didnt the midwife hand you that little contract to sign, the one that waves your rights to any relaxing time at all untill they are at least 18.;)
    And thats the contract for all parents, wether they work or wether they dont.
    Joking aside, it's the perfect time to find out exactly how low some standards can be dropped to?;)
    ,
    Fully paid up member of the ignore button club.
    If it walks like a Duck, quacks like a Duck, it's a Duck.
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