The Ups and Downs of Being ‘A Part-Timer’

People say how lucky I am to only work 26 hours per week. And I guess I am in a way, who really wants to spend 40 hours plus a week at work? Well, I’d quite like to go back to a full-time nine to five actually.

I work so few hours because I really can’t work any more right now. I do this over a four day period with a mid week break which works quite well for me, but I’m still utterly exhausted and riddled with pain after every day, especially my one eight hour day at the beginning of the week.

Working part time doesn’t allow me to spend my time off gallivanting, skipping through meadows, or reliving my raving days. I don’t come home and cook up a daily feast at 3pm every day, or take myself off shopping for something I ‘need’ such as another large pile of books (although I quite fancy doing all of those). It allows me to rest, rest, rest and take additional painkillers so I have more time to deal with the side effects, then have another rest. On Fridays I come home and sleep for the entire evening, because I just can’t function in any other way.

At weekends I’m not bursting with energy after all that rest, I’m ready for more rest. Which is really bloody boring at times might I add. I’m a bookworm, someone who loves to continually learn, I love going for walks or discovering new places (especially now I live on the coast), I’m a gardener and a baker. But I don’t do much, if any, of that, because brain fog makes it difficult to read much more than short magazine articles, and I can’t walk far because I’ll be so exhausted by the end of the road and my body hurts too much to be able to support myself with a stick or crutches. I can’t bake because I don’t have the energy to do the big clean up afterwards (I’m quite messy – think Selasi in the GBBO) and my gardening consists of keeping my lemon verbena plant alive through the winter.

Amongst all of this I’m half way through getting an Open University Degree. I’ve had to defer twice, and it’s taking me far longer than ever expected, but somehow I’m doing it. I’ll be honest, I can’t really remember a thing I’ve learnt along the way when put on the spot, but I’m getting good at answering University Challenge questions with my parents so it’s in there somewhere. I’m dreading the exam next spring, but what will be will be. If it doesn’t work out I’ll just try another module without an exam.

Then there is the financial freedom that working full time could bring. My wife currently earns considerably more than me and the is some  pressure on her to keep it that way, much to my dismay. But I’m lucky to be in a job I love and earn enough to pay my half of the bills and buy all the boring household groceries (she gets the fun tasty food and treats) and still be able to afford to treat myself to a few subscription boxes a month.

So, while working part time isn’t all doom and gloom as it means I actually get to see my wife on her incredibly unsocial shift pattern, and I get extra cuddles with kitty, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be when you work less due to health reasons.

Pyjama days and kitty cuddles

Karen xx