Can you do OS and work full time too?

SunnyGirl

I've searched back to before I joined the forum but can't find the thread I'm looking for :eek: It was titled 'Can you be OS whilest working full time' or similar. If antbody could point me in the right direction I'd be very grateful :T :T I'm investigating going back to work to up our income so would love to read the pros and cons in this thread.

Thanks in advance :j

Pink.

Hi Sunnygirl,

I've added your post to the end of that thread so you should be able to find it easily next time.

Pink

BeatriceM

Hi everyone,

After having lurked on these boards for ages I've finally taken the plunge and registered so that I could ask you all a question.

After a few years of working part-time the credit crunch has forced me back into full-time work. Now, I know that it may seem a bit unreasonable to complain about that when so many people are losing their jobs, but I'm finding it very difficult to fit being OS in around the new full-time job.

So, I wondered if anyone had any experiences to share or advice to give me.

Many thanks - I think these boards are great

lynzpower

Id love to be able to offer something but find myself in exactly the same boat. Thank god right now we dont have kids to contend with!

The best advice I can offer is to "flylady" List all your daily tasks and fly round doing them get OH & kids involved too ( if you have them!)

Otherwise its the old adage of making in bulk & freezing. Sunday mornings used to be my cooking morning, need to get back into that- making pasta sauces/meals for the freezer, then take out in the morning before work and cook at night.

Must take own advice!!

Pink.

Hi Beatrice,

Welcome to MSE :hello:

I'm lucky enough to be able to work part-time at the moment (seven nights on and seven days off). For me, organisation, bulk cooking, roping the kids into helping with chores and lots of lists is the key to managing on the weeks I work. I need to plan ahead constantly so that I can organise family life around my work, but it's worth it to me as it gives me a life outside the home too. I'm in awe of anyone who manages Old Style, having a family and working full time too.

There's an earlier thread with lots of tips that may help you:

Can you do OS and work full time too?

I'll add your thread to that one later to keep the suggestions together.

Pink

newlywed

Hi, welcome.

I have a morning routine and an evening routine. In the morning I empty the dishwasher and the washing machine (if there's washing in it) and sort it out, then get breakfast etc.

In the evenings I get home from work and don't even sit down - just straight away start cooking tea (if I sat down, I wouldn't want to get up ). Whilst tea is cooking I make a cuppa, and make packed lunches for the next day, get anything out of the freezer for the next evening meal. That way, I get to sit down after dinner!

At the weekends I do dusting, washing (if I haven't done it in the week). I do my food shop in my work lunch hour (we have a small fridge I can use at work).

My biggest tips, gained from on here are to meal plan so you always know what you are going to cook and what you need to have in the house, and to make extra and freeze for another day (eg double spag bol, double casseroles) so you get an easy heat it up and cook frozen veg day

And a slow cooker helps too

celyn90

Hi BeatriceM welcome to MSE Old style :wave:

Both OH and I work full time with erratic hours (for example on Monday I did 16hr, yesterday 12hr and today will be the same) and I have just learnt that it gets done when I have time. With the laundry, I will load the machine at night and the last one out of the house will switch it on, I will hang it out when I get back.

Breadmakers and the oven can be programmed.

I don't have a freezer, so proper batch cooking is out, but I do use the slow cooker and will do four portions of stuff in one go. Knowing the dates things last in the fridge is a great help too.

I do an on-line shop about once every two months, other bits get picked up on the way home from work or at the market once a week.

rachbc

I work 4 days a week and have 2 kids. My 'day off' is for spending time with dd so its a self impossed no cooking or cleaning day! I cook from scratch everynight but meal plan so I don't have to think about what to make or shop for odds and ends to get a meal together (the it I find tricky). I have a range fo quick easy and cheap meals that we eat failry often during the week but try to be more adventerous at the weekends. Batch cooking is great so if like last night I have to work late dh can produce an instant healthy meal for him and the kids.

I online shop every 2/3 weeks and buy fresh stuff form the market every saturday morning. The housework is all hands on deck on sunday morning - kids and dh just muck in to dust, hoover/ mop and wipe through the whole house then each week one room gets selected for a more thorough clean. Takes us about an hour and its good enough for me - and as we're out of the house most of the time anyway it doesn't have a chance to get too messed up. I put a load of washing on most mornigns before work and hang it up in the eve, dh loads the dishwasher every evening and I wipe down the ktichen. its not picture perfect it keeps us on top of things.

I bake at the weekends or evening with my ds for packups - flapjacks, twinks, cereal bars etc, My wonderful son makes his own packed lunches in the moring and dh and I take filled rolls, leftovers or soup.

BeatriceM

Hi,

I haven't got time now to do more than say thank you for all the replies and the welcome messages.

So thank you all:A :A

I'll shall try to get back here and post more later.

Beatrice

puss14

I agree with newlywed about getting home and starting tea straight away. I too would have eaten heaps of takaway if I had sat down when getting home (and I wanted to as I was in a standing job). Also while cooking try to clean as you go and maybe if you can manage sweep the floor or have a quick dust because I found that once dinner was eaten I had no interest in doing anything except walking my dog (sheer guilt and pure love).

Also don't be hard on yourself and expect things to be perfect and if you have a OH make them kick in and help;)