Exactly one month from today I get my first day off as part of my reduced schedule. Next month I start working 36 hours per pay period, which means I get one day off every other week. It’s not a lot (ideally I’d like to work about 3 days a week, every week, but that ain’t gonna happen), but certainly better than nothing. I had been talking to my boss for a while about possibly working four 10-hour days, but decided against it because, with my commute, it would keep me away from home for way too many hours most days of the week. And I’d never have any interaction with Lauren’s school/teachers (wouldn’t be able to drop off or pick up). So my boss suggested this alternative. I will have to take a 10% pay cut, which didn’t sound too bad until I crunched the numbers. I will actually have to adhere to a budget for once in my life. That’s fine; it needed to be done anyway. And if I was just blowing that 10% on stuff I didn’t really need, all the better.
Anyway, the important thing is the time I will gain. Since Lauren was born, I feel like I’ve been drowning. There’s never enough time to get things done at home, so I am delighted that I’ll have a bit more time each month. Time to do things that now never get done (painting the inside of our front door that was installed 5 years ago), things that bug me (piles of clothes to go to Goodwill), things that only get done when absolutely necessary but should be getting done more often (mopping the kitchen floor), things I do on the weekend that I’d like to NOT do on the weekend (grocery shopping). I already have a list of chores, projects, etc. to work on, and I’m giddy at the prospect of crossing some of these things off my list.
My plan is to take Lauren to school in the morning, spend about 6 hours doing whatever needs done, and picking her up a couple of hours early so we can have a bit more time together. On days when it’s especially nice outside, I won’t take her to school at all, we’ll just go to the pool or play outside.
Can't wait.
