how to cut back working extra?

74jax

My current job is the most demanding one I've ever had - and I love it! But I'm looking at ways of changing how I work to cut down on always feeling constantly on the go. As its the new year, I thought I'd start now.

I went on Honeymoon 2 days before we broke up at Christmas and was off sick last week - back tomorrow.

After a holiday, it normally takes the same amount off to catch up. So if I'm off for a day it will take a day to catch up - so in 2 days I'm up to date. I've been off 8 days so I know in 16 days I should be all caught up but I'm really wanting to just stick to my working hours.

I should work 8.30-4.30, but normally work 7.30-7.45 till 4.30 working through 1/2hr lunch and I was given a work laptop to work from home so do a little at home in the week. This keeps me up to date.

If I drop my 45mins extra in a morning and take my lunch, I'm loosing 1.25 x 5 = 6.25hrs a week - yikes!

Do you have any ideas how approach this? I love my job, am ultra organised but just want to work my paid for hours. I appreciate I have a job and others don't and don't want to sound ungrateful, but if you've been in this situation how did you go back to working 'just' your paid for hours?

Its not that I get streSsed or it takes over my homelife, but I started feeling resentment for all the extra work I did before Christmas and don't want to get in a position where I feel like that all the time.

I've had 1-2-1s and mentioned it in developement meetings, but I won't get an assistant/extra help/more money.

I also feel the work I produce will not be on time etc if I just stop doing an extra 6hrs a week and it will reflect on me, as previously it would all be done.

Any advice?

lika_86

Who takes over when you're on holiday? Although there should be an element of preparing for a holiday and then catching up when you get back from a long break it shouldn't be anywhere near 16 days to get caught up from an 8 day break.

LEJC

how about just cutting down gradually over a period of time..instead of dropping 1 1/2 hours per day every day, in one gocould you start off by dropping a monday and friday...its only a little but its a start which will give you a sense of being away from the desk...


Make sure you take the lunch break on the dropped days and if you have to go out and away from the working area.

74jax

No-one covers holidays. In any way. So whatever I would do has to be done together with what I would normally do.

Because I must work quicker to catch up I can catch up whilst still doing my job (if that makes sence).

justanopinion

You will need to be very disciplined and only log on for your working hours. I know it's easier said than done. The first thing I used to reach for in the morning was my Blackberry at 7am to see what had happened overnight in the US...

Also, you need to check your contract, as it may have one of the lovely catch alls that say you will work up to 48 hours and not stipulate your actual hours of work.

Do remember though that most roles come with the requirement that you will do the hours needed to perform the role correctly and, if I'm being honest, an hour a day is not a lot. Not saying that it's fair, but the more senior you get and the more money you're paid, overtime and being there long hours is the unwritten clause in the contract.

Best of luck making it work for you!

74jax

justanopinion wrote: »

You will need to be very disciplined and only log on for your working hours. I know it's easier said than done. The first thing I used to reach for in the morning was my Blackberry at 7am to see what had happened overnight in the US...

Also, you need to check your contract, as it may have one of the lovely catch alls that say you will work up to 48 hours and not stipulate your actual hours of work.

Do remember though that most roles come with the requirement that you will do the hours needed to perform the role correctly and, if I'm being honest, an hour a day is not a lot. Not saying that it's fair, but the more senior you get and the more money you're paid, overtime and being there long hours is the unwritten clause in the contract.

Best of luck making it work for you!

My contract states 8.30-4.30 with half hour for lunch, and luckily it doesn't mention working up to 48 hours. Some of the people starting after me have this in their contract so I am lucky.

I understand when your senior, paid a bit, maybe a manager etc you are expected to work more - none of those apply to me.

I think you're right, it will be hard but I need to focus on when I'm logging on and I'm really going to try and have lunch every day this wEek. That's my aim for this week anyway. I've even got my lunch sorted so I don't really have an excuse. Just stop, eat and start again.

AcidHouse

Is there anything you can do to work smarter? Are there any systems you could set up to stop you having to repeat parts of the job or speed things up? Is there anything you could cut out of a process that doesn't need to be there?

LEJC's idea of knocking a few hours off here and there would help. Find something that needs to be done in a lunch break - re-heeling shoes, dry cleaning dropping off, present buying, special ingredients for a meal, meal planning, coffee with a colleague away from the office, buying something that would be useful for a loved one, replacing something in your home that should have been sorted months ago - anything to get you out of the office!

Is there any way of you doing more work from home on the laptop? You can start work even earlier in the day than you would at the office, which would ultimately save you spending so much time there. That's something I used to do if I had a big project to work on that would normally take a full two days - I'd negotiate spending the first day on it at home so I can start bright & early, then complete it by the following afternoon in the office.

justanopinion

Do try and leave the office for lunch as much as you can. If you're at your desk, even if you're eating, people never have any qualms asking for something. Reasoning seems to be if you're there, you're game. Even if it's a walk round the block, round a lake in the business park or something. It helps clear your head.

They gave you a laptop so you could do work from home. Perhaps ask to go back to a desktop? Or, (and yes, done this too) lock the laptop in the drawer of your desks until the next morning. You cannot work if you don't have it!

74jax

justanopinion wrote: »

Do try and leave the office for lunch as much as you can. If you're at your desk, even if you're eating, people never have any qualms asking for something. Reasoning seems to be if you're there, you're game. Even if it's a walk round the block, round a lake in the business park or something. It helps clear your head.

They gave you a laptop so you could do work from home. Perhaps ask to go back to a desktop? Or, (and yes, done this too) lock the laptop in the drawer of your desks until the next morning. You cannot work if you don't have it!

In regards to lunch, we can't eat at our desks, so I've not been having a lunch as going to the kitchen etc would be time away. But I've got ready my lunch for tomorrow, so I will defo be having lunch.

They gave me the laptop to catch up on work last year when I broke my foot. I still went to work but was 'slower' as I couldn't get round the office or different floors etc, I asked for the laptop as my work was falling behind. My foot was in plaster for a good 3 months as I broke it in 3 places and it wouldn't heal properly, so that helped me loads.

I just kept the laptop as they got used to me doing work on weekends etc so that's why I have it now.

ostrichnomore_2

It's a tricky balancing act. With some roles, extra time is expected. In others, it shouldn't really be.

However, are your employers expectations reasonable? You've spoken to them about your workload and they've said that they think it is manageable by you in your hours. the trouble is different people produce different amounts of work in the same time. But employers are reasonably expecting the same amount of output work for the same money. All you can do is try to make yourself even more efficient.

But start taking your lunch break. It's important to have a break from work - and you'll probably find you'll get more done overall as you'll be more refreshed and work better again in the afternoon instead of hitting that 3pm slump.

Rottensocks

74jax wrote: »

In regards to lunch, we can't eat at our desks, so I've not been having a lunch as going to the kitchen etc would be time away. But I've got ready my lunch for tomorrow, so I will defo be having lunch.

Taking your lunch is a legal requirement, you know. I know companies turn a blind eye if you work through your lunch sometimes, but they really shouldn't.

The 30 minute break is a working time legal minimum, so you should observe it - better for your health to take a rest.