Compression
My head hurts. I'm trying hard to figure out if I can take advantage of the new benefit at work... compressed work schedules. This is all the rage with government jobs now, so my nonprofit is starting a pilot program to test it. It's theoretically going to be easier for us because we already only have a 35 hour work week, not 40. So jamming 35 hours in 4 days shouldn't be that hard, right?
well, unless you're me.
I work 35 hours a week and commute 16 hours a week. Wow. Never actually said that out loud (errr... typed that) before. What the hell am I doing?
So this is my chance to only go into the office 3 days a week, keep my 1 day a week telecommuting, and have 1 day off. But still get everything done. This could bring my commute down to 12 hours a week. Plus the extra day off. Did I mention it would be Monday? Imagine... not ever having "a case of the Mondays..." although I probably still would. It would just be on Tuesday.
We already have flex-scheduling, so I get every other Monday off if I get those extra 7 hours in over 9 days... but they don't currently let me earn flex at home, so I only get 6 days to do it in. This means that 2 nights a week I get home at 8 pm. I f'ing hate that. This wouldn't be any better really, and it would in fact be harder.
but not.
They've reluctantly (they said I could, then said I couldn't, then said I could) agreed to allow me to earn some hours at home. This means I can work 10 hours on the day I'm home (which ironically still has me being done before I would be home on a normal day) and slightly shorter days in the office, though still more than 7 hour days. But the idea of getting home at 8 every night bothers me, so I started to look at the train schedule and figure out how to switch things up.
I am now seriously thinking about taking the train that leaves BWI at 6:45 am.
Let me just let that sink in a bit.
6:45 am.
seriously, am I crazy?
Well, I would have to get up around 5 am to get out the door by 6:20 am to make it to the train station. I don't really function before 9 am currently so that would be an adjustment for sure. Actually, though I wake up at 6 am, I rarely put my feet on the floor before 6:20. So maybe I could get up at 5:30? And surely traffic will be lighter. And the train actually gets to DC faster than the one I take later because 1) it makes fewer stops and 2) the stops are shorter because there are fewer people getting on. It's definitely a more efficient use of my time and I would get to leave the office at 4:45, to be on the 5:20 express, home by 6:30. That makes me happy.
I'm not sure though if I can handle these early mornings. I think it means I'll have to go to bed earlier than I do now. It could really cut into my social life. On the other hand, the 3 day weekend means I could get all my errands done on the Monday and have the evenings for playing. And will that extra day off make up for working 8.5 hours a day, except for the 10 hour day on Wednesday? I don't know. I'm really up in the air about it.
but I'm going to try it. In fact I'm going to try to try the early train tomorrow so I know exactly what time it would get me to work. I'm thinking it will be between 7:30 am and 7:45 am.
Anybody else try a compressed work week? How did it go?
well, unless you're me.
I work 35 hours a week and commute 16 hours a week. Wow. Never actually said that out loud (errr... typed that) before. What the hell am I doing?
So this is my chance to only go into the office 3 days a week, keep my 1 day a week telecommuting, and have 1 day off. But still get everything done. This could bring my commute down to 12 hours a week. Plus the extra day off. Did I mention it would be Monday? Imagine... not ever having "a case of the Mondays..." although I probably still would. It would just be on Tuesday.
We already have flex-scheduling, so I get every other Monday off if I get those extra 7 hours in over 9 days... but they don't currently let me earn flex at home, so I only get 6 days to do it in. This means that 2 nights a week I get home at 8 pm. I f'ing hate that. This wouldn't be any better really, and it would in fact be harder.
but not.
They've reluctantly (they said I could, then said I couldn't, then said I could) agreed to allow me to earn some hours at home. This means I can work 10 hours on the day I'm home (which ironically still has me being done before I would be home on a normal day) and slightly shorter days in the office, though still more than 7 hour days. But the idea of getting home at 8 every night bothers me, so I started to look at the train schedule and figure out how to switch things up.
I am now seriously thinking about taking the train that leaves BWI at 6:45 am.
Let me just let that sink in a bit.
6:45 am.
seriously, am I crazy?
Well, I would have to get up around 5 am to get out the door by 6:20 am to make it to the train station. I don't really function before 9 am currently so that would be an adjustment for sure. Actually, though I wake up at 6 am, I rarely put my feet on the floor before 6:20. So maybe I could get up at 5:30? And surely traffic will be lighter. And the train actually gets to DC faster than the one I take later because 1) it makes fewer stops and 2) the stops are shorter because there are fewer people getting on. It's definitely a more efficient use of my time and I would get to leave the office at 4:45, to be on the 5:20 express, home by 6:30. That makes me happy.
I'm not sure though if I can handle these early mornings. I think it means I'll have to go to bed earlier than I do now. It could really cut into my social life. On the other hand, the 3 day weekend means I could get all my errands done on the Monday and have the evenings for playing. And will that extra day off make up for working 8.5 hours a day, except for the 10 hour day on Wednesday? I don't know. I'm really up in the air about it.
but I'm going to try it. In fact I'm going to try to try the early train tomorrow so I know exactly what time it would get me to work. I'm thinking it will be between 7:30 am and 7:45 am.
Anybody else try a compressed work week? How did it go?