I know this is not a topic that will win me many friends, but the truth of it is that I don’t work full time. I don’t think I have ever had a full time paid job.
That has been partly by chance and partly by design. I made a conscious decision to work part time when the children were very young and I have never changed the decision, or rather, I have never needed to change the decision.
Until a few weeks ago when for various reasons I ended up working some extra hours. So, I now work five days a week. Possibly for the first time ever. Technically it is still not full time – I work two half days. But still, every week day is a work day.
The most surprising thing is how long it is taking me to settle into a routine. As I have not worked on two days a week for a long time now, I maybe ought not to be surprised. I suspect I haven’t quite accepted it either – part of me thinks it should not affect the amount of other things I do in my week, but the reality is that I am not quite as available as I was.
It’s turning into another project in a year of ‘slower’ – allow myself time to just settle. I am reminded in this process of why I found working a term time only contract so very stressful. It takes a while to feel comfortable in a routine.
Thinking quietly 