I too work 32 hours a week, and have for years. I am so much happier because of it, and I telecommute to boot. The adjustment to a smaller paycheck was somewhat neutralized by reduced work related costs due to telecommuting (less gas, no lunches out, no special clothing, no baby showers, etc). And as a result, I am much happier in my work and my production actually went up 15%.

I know it isn’t at all possible for everyone, but I wish more people could have the opportunity to job share or work 32 hr weeks. Only 60% of the Dutch work full time, and they are some of the happiest people in the world. I think they’re definitely on to something because it can be life changing.

I did not realize that school board positions paid, especially that much. Sounds like the writer found a win-win situation for him and his company.

So far we enjoyed all the 3-day weekends at the beach in August but I think that real-life will kick in shortly and I will be back to chores!

Good plan, perhaps when I’m closer to retirement I’ll have to try and drop down to a three day week as well. *grin*

@The Other Brian,

Actually we just brought on a new person to the department recently and were planning on shifting around the work load anyway. So my dropping hours didn’t dump work on anyone who had a full plate. It just craved off sections that someone else could manage instead of me. In reality my timing was nearly perfect from that point of view. My co-workers were actually fine with my reduction in hours since they got some more interesting work out the deal.

Thanks for the stories from everyone else. It’s good to hear about who others are trying out reduced hours. It really was a great choice for me.

Tim

Much happier working in a more peaceful environment for less money. Of course, after subsequent layoff I’m now in a NEW new job and almost back up to my previous level of compensation.

Nice story. It’s good to remind people that public servants often go into public life because they want to make a difference.

I’d much rather they cut our hours, as the extra time would have been nice, but I didn’t have anything quite so useful to do with it as the author. Good job, and a very interesting way to handle the situation. I liked the article, but did think the title a bit misleading.

I’m also interested in the gender politics of cutting back on work to spend more time with family.

I am intrigued by the responses to this post in comparison to the responses to a female reader story in which the writer made a career change and cut back her hours to spend more time with her family. She got much more criticism for her decision. Many of the commenters couldn’t understand why she would give up a high-paying job she hated.

Why the difference?

That probably means a couple other schleps just got and extra 4 hours of work per week….

Thanks,

After a year and a half of this, and getting old enough for Medicare, I asked my boss last week to let me cut back another day starting in January.

With 24 hours in my week, no benefits, but no problem. I have no debt, the house is paid off and having another day off seems like a great idea.

I had joked with co-workers that the 32-hour week was my semi-retirement, and now I’m ready to make it even more semi. The paycheck is smaller but the freedom is priceless.

Ours is a 7-day operation and my present schedule is working Wednesday-Saturday and off Sunday-Tuesday. The schedule I’ve proposed would have me taking on a slightly different job (which I did previously) and working Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, and off Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

This is just my way of easing into retirement. One day, I just won’t show up and they’ll never notice.

Very timely for me, as my husband chose to leave his job and focus on school last week. He’d initially planned to work full time while pursuing this degree full time. Not an easy task when I also work full time, and we have two kids.

The financial hit will not be inconsequential, but overall it will be far easier than not having him around for 2 years.

(But thanks to good budgeting in the past, we expect our emergency funds will outlast his academic career!)

Those were the best two years of my life. When my husband lost his job, I went and found a full time gig at another organization (the one I was working in before was toxic, to say the least), and I find myself wishing I could cut back at work after six years of full time.

Tim, enjoy yourself and congrats for the community service!

Company policies vary. There is no general ‘rule’ that you have to work 40 hr to get medical in USA. I’m in the US and my company considers 32 hr / week or more to be full time status. So I could take a 20% time cut and still be full time. And we are still eligible for medical and pension even if we’re part time. My understanding is that Starbucks has medical insurance for people working 20hr/week or more. Of course I understand there are companies that don’t have as good of benefits.

@ Tim – great article.

I also hardly noticed the change in my pay because of the taxes. Since taking the 20% cut I have bought a house and paid down $21 700 in debt.

The funny thing is, in 22 years I am the first employee to take advantage of the program. All of my co-workers keep saying that they want to, but they just can’t afford the 20% cut.

Bravo to the author

Thanks so much for sharing Tim!