I've written about working part-time before. And now I'm writing about it again. A bit less rant-y this time, but nonetheless, just as earnestly. Last time I wrote about opportunities, this time I'm writing about perception. The perception that working part time is the same as working half as hard, half as focused, half as dedicated. Half as skilled. What people seem to forget is that we're only paid for 'part' of the time.
Do you know how happy I would be if I was told I would be paid a full time wage for working 3 days a week? Ec-bloody-static. Sign me up. I'm there.
The reality is that we're usually expected to fit 5 days work into 3 days. And then go home and make dinner, do the dishes, sign the permission slip, tidy the toys, put the kids to bed and - oh! Before you know it it's 10pm.
A senior female colleague at a previous workplace gave me some good advice: she said, if you move from full time to 4 days, you'll still find yourself trying to fit 5 days work into 4. But if you go down to 3, it forces them to do something about it.
I've found that very useful advice to follow. And I've also learned it's important to push back. It's almost ingrained in us as women to be amenable. Be the perfect host and keep everyone happy. But in the workplace, you have to be assertive ro you'll be walked al over.
I had a full todo list his morning. I wasn't even sure I'd get it all done. But my boss asked me to load a budget for a new client. What do I do? The answer is: prioritise. The budget wasn't high priority. It could wait a couple a days. So I was honest with my boss. I told him I already had a number of priorities that had to be met that day. I would try to work on the client's budget but I wouldn't come to it until the end of the day and it may have to wait to Monday.
And you know what? It was fine. I had managed expectations and wasn't promising someting I couldn't deliver.