Annual leave I need to use up: would you work 4 day work weeks?

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TysonTK@reddit

I did this once upon a time and it was horrible. Since it’s only ever “a day” my 5 day workload had to be done in 4 days cus there was no cover for the day off I had for 11 weeks.

Wish I’d just booked blocks of time off.

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No_Jellyfish_7695@reddit

take Mondays off, not Fridays.

fridays are busy outside of work with folks “wfh” or part time

mondays the shops and cafe and parks and museums are blissfully empty

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cherrycocoakoala@reddit

I used to take Wednesdays, super quiet plus you're never working more than 2 days in a row without a break.

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I thought Wednesday was the best day too, but my cousin who was a doctor and is now in employee health told me that you need three consecutive days off to get the full benefits of a four day work week 🤷🏽‍♀️

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Bran04don@reddit

Im doing saturdays and wednesdays off currently. I dont get to have a 4 day work week but can pick what days.

Id do sundays and mondays off but sundays are useless to me as nothing is open or running and i dont drive so i have no transport on a sunday. And saturday and monday off is no different to saturday and wednesday except i then have a longer period between breaks.

Im quite enjoying my mid week break and shorter period between them. Normally before this, by friday im completely out of it and it ruins the weekend too as i dont have energy to want to do anything and have too many chores to do.

I work from home though.

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Relative_Sea3386@reddit

I agree. Midweek is productive once in swing of things. I personally can't switch on and off easily.

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audigex@reddit

I think a lot of this comes down to the individual and the job

Some people can switch on and off more easily, and some roles are just naturally better suited to it

Eg if you work in a call centre or shop, most work doesn’t really carry over day to day

But yeah some people definitely benefit more from “work mode: X days, followed by relax mode: Y days” and find a single day off isn’t really relaxing

Although one other consideration would be that you can stay in “work mode” on Wednesdays and do admin and housework, leaving the weekend free for relaxation

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cherrycocoakoala@reddit

That's interesting! I can see that. But equally I find i work better in shorter stints of productivity, so even if I'm not feeling the full benefits, this sort of tricks my brain into thinking I am doing better at work and having more home life, even though I'm not.

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Haytham_Ken@reddit

Lmao, that's valid too. I wish four day weeks were more common. Who decided we should work 35-40 hours a week 🙄

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Jaffadxg@reddit

Henry Ford started the push in the US I’m pretty sure, I don’t know if we had anyone specific push for it at the same time or if we just followed Henry

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cherrycocoakoala@reddit

So true. I keep hearing AI is taking all our jobs, can't it come take a day or two a week off me please?

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tsdesigns@reddit

Wednesday is the best day to take. You also don't end up with the occasional mega busy days that ruin your plans, when it happens to be a monday or Friday bank holiday or whatever at the same time.

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Auntie_Cagul@reddit

I love the thought of taking Wednesdays off. Plus, if you are in a role where someone doesn't specifically do "your" work then this will likely suit the business too as you are back the following day.

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Bibblejw@reddit

That depends on whether you like your days or nights. Taking Monday means that you get an extra night where you’re not tired from work, and you’re not working the next day.

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cherrycocoakoala@reddit

That's so valid actually. Hadn't thought about it like that.

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Astonednerd@reddit

Weekend Wednesday! I did the same all through uni, would take Wednesday off and study on saturday. Its a much nicer week personally than 5 days in a row working then 2 days off

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DoingItWellBitch@reddit

Lots of things are closed on Mondays.

Fridays off work out better.

Wednesdays off is also good as it breaks up the week nicely.

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Paulstan67@reddit

I was coming to say this, especially in rural areas.

I work weekends so my days off are Monday and Tuesday.

More than half of the pubs, restaurants cafes etc are closed either Monday or Tuesday (or both), or they aren't doing food or generally some other restrictions.

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blueroses8000@reddit

I find Mondays have such a blah vibe that being one of the few people out doesn’t feel good. Plus lots of restaurants and cafes and other recreational places are shut Mondays as the least profitable day.

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jesussays51@reddit

I take Mondays sometimes to look after my son when my wife has to do additional work days. Nothing is open! The library and museums are closed. My favourite cafes and restaurants are closed. I prefer a Friday despite the other people because there is stuff to do

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pig-dragon@reddit

I do love my Mondays off, but there are quite a lot of restaurants etc which close on Mondays, which can limit things a bit.

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mbe220@reddit

When I retired I thought that so went to a car park in the Peak District for a cycle ride. It was packed. I mentioned it at the food outlet and they said that Mondays and Tuesdays are always busy as it’s the ‘pensioners weekend’

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Tryingmybestsorta@reddit

I have Tuesdays off and quite like it. Mondays feel slightly less shitty knowing you’re off the next day

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WealthMain2987@reddit

If you do it, take Mondays off , not Friday.

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bunnyswan@reddit

Highly depends what your life is like. I have a child, my partner sometimes uses his AL to do other work so I had some left that he didn't this year, I used it on days my LO was in childcare and had a few random days of self care and doing diy around the house.

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SportTawk@reddit

I did a three day week, TWaT Tues, Weds and Thurs.

Then I had to use it or lose it so did Tues and Weds

Then a friend of mine did Mon, Tues, Weds one week and Weds,Thurs, Fri the following week.

Good luck

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thequestioningkat@reddit

Yeah unless it's a piece meal, do x cases in a day then no. They'll just expect you to produce the same amount of work in a 4 day week.

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Not_A_Toaster_0000@reddit

Can you start an hour late every day until you've used up the balance ?

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SilverellaUK@reddit

Would your employer allow this? In some companies with a small number of employees, taking a day off blocks someone else from taking it as part of a week off. I would plan to take at least one solid week off to totally relax.

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niallw1997@reddit

Did that last year and regretted it, felt I was expected to do too much work in 4 days.

Best to take a couple of long weekend holidays and then with the rest, a week or two blocks, imo. It’s subjective to the job though.

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Black-Blade@reddit

As others have said I've done this many years, take every Monday off and it's actually incredible, when you go back it's rough though

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Devify@reddit

I was in a similar situation a few years back and took off every Wednesday for 2 months. I quite liked it because you're working 2 days max before having a day off.

Having a mid week break worked better for me than long weekends. Kept me in the monday-friday routine and felt like less pressure as when you have a long weekend it can feel like you have to finish things off before you finish for the week. Whilst taking the Wednesday off I could just pick up where I left on Thursday. Yes it's the same extra 1 day off but mentally it feels different.

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blueroses8000@reddit

Big fan of Wednesdays too, I’ve had a few forms of that in my life and it’s always been so enjoyable. Midweek fun/relaxing is basically therapy.

It breaks up the week from being a “week” as you’re working 2 day increments only. And it really helps your mindset and motivation through the week as by Tuesday you’re thinking it’s your day off tomorrow, and on your Wednesday day off your mindset is “Back to work tomorrow but after that it’s Friday which is the weekend” so essentially it feels like only Monday is something you have to get through with nothing to look forward to, instead of the whole week looming ahead from Sunday evening.

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Soukchai2012@reddit

Just take the leave - 17 days? That’s 3.5 weeks. If you have the $ go somewhere, if not do what you like doing when not at work. If you don’t use the leave you are effectively burning money

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badger906@reddit

My work got rid of carried over days because of me.. (yeah I know boo hiss I’m a villain) because I had like 115 days because for many years I didn’t use it all. Think they were worried I’d had my notice in

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pockets3d@reddit

How much notice do you have to give ?

I work shift work and as long as bot too many others are off can take AL whenever.

Id use it whenever there is sunny days during the summer.

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tyger2020@reddit

Personally I'd have a 4 day week every other week, and then use whatever is left for a full week here and there.

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soupy_e@reddit

I'd rather have a week or two off together.

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Opening-Fortune4@reddit

You could go on holiday

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sjw_7@reddit

I had something similar and ended up booking three months worth of Mondays off so did a four day week. It was brilliant and I chose Monday because Friday was already very chill so thought it was better to take a busy day off rather than a quiet one.

You get used to a four day week really quickly so I didn't like going back to a five day one. I would love to move to a permanent four day week but sadly that's not an option in the line of work I am in.

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chill-manoeuver@reddit

We can see how much our holidays are worth and can request a cash equivalent. I work a compressed work week so every week is like a mini holiday.

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MonsieurJag@reddit

But for this, remember the tax, especially if you're sitting just shy of the 40% rate as cashing in holiday would end up triggering tax, NI and student loan contributions (if applicable).

Sitting in the park / spa or travelling around investigating castles etc. might seem preferable if you cash it in and lose 60% of it!

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thecheesycheeselover@reddit

I did that once, years ago. It was actually great, would highly recommend!

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Glittering_Win_5085@reddit

Do it, and make it Wednesdays if you can. That makes the most difference to quality of life ime.

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bowen7477@reddit

We'll work none if you want.

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ilikecocktails@reddit

Wow I never have any left over and I get 8 weeks a year.

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Iwantedalbino@reddit

I’d go Friday then Monday off Friday then Monday off. Rather than every Friday.

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Rude-Possibility4682@reddit

I never take Mondays off, it's double time on bank hols for me.

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Cauleefouler@reddit

I would alternate it, Mondays and Fridays. Every other week you get a 4 day weekend. But I'd also just take one full week, not make any plans and just relax, do some life admin id been putting off, potter around the house etc.

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JoeDaStudd@reddit

The trouble with Mondays is a lot of service businesses are closed.\ So restaurants, cafes, pubs, etc which limits your options.

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TravellingMackem@reddit

Fridays are a waste of leave - no one does anything on a Friday anyway

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JoeDaStudd@reddit

Everyone winds down on Thursday/Friday so they aren't filling your inbox ready for Monday.

On Monday everyone is trying to sort stuff out and anything that came up over the weekend so you come back to more work and everyone firing on all cylinders rather than the everyone pissed it's Monday.

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The_Blip@reddit

Clearly the only sensible option is to have Tuesdays and Thursdays off.

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roxieh@reddit

I don't understand you crazy animals who never take any leave 😅 my leave resets in September too. I have a day left.

A day.

I've never been able to carry over leave, I am always way too desperate to use it.

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Cloudinthesilver@reddit

I’d do it, but check with your boss. They may not approve every week and you’d be stuck losing holiday you can’t carry over.

But if you’ve not had time off, take a week off! Relax.

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fraggle200@reddit

If you work mon-fri, then take Wednesdays off. You're no more than 2 days away from a day off.

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Deletion99@reddit

I would take Friday and Monday for the 4 day weekend then the next week do the same again and again and again

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Virtual_Field439@reddit

Or you could book two 4 day weekend’s a month..

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I-Spot-Dalmatians@reddit

I work 4 day weeks every week (compressed hours, I do 7-6 Tuesday-Friday) and I absolutely love it. Having Mondays off and being able to do whatever I want is absolute bliss.

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RobTheMonk@reddit

I've staggered my weeks this month due to a house move. I won't have worked a full week all month. Tuesday is the day I'm taking off due to personal reasons, but I'd 100% go for the Friday long weekend if I could.

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AreaMiserable9187@reddit

My husband's allowance runs out in May, he's been taking every other Monday off :)

I'd checked with your team what's available beforehand. I work in a very small team which isn't allowed several people off at once.

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owningxylophone@reddit

I regularly do this on a smaller scale near the end of the year when I have loads of holiday to use up. I take a long weekend every other week, so I end up working 4 day weeks; mon-thurs one week, tues-Fri the next, with a 4 day weekend every other week.

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Cultural_Tank_6947@reddit

No, it's a crap idea.

If you're off for a week or two, your employer will sort out some coverage/back-up for you.

If you're working 4 days a week, they'll just expect you to catch up with the workload at the next opportunity. Which means extra work by default on the days you are here.

Just take a few random weeks. Sit at home.

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underwater-sunlight@reddit

This is a very valid shout. My wife works a compressed fortnight with slightly reduced hours and her workload is probably higher as she has the day to day stuff, the stuff saved up from her day off that probably should have been dealt with but rarely is and the occasional fallout from someone picking up something they probably shouldn't have picked up.

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CCFC1998@reddit

If you're off for a week or two, your employer will sort out some coverage/back-up for you.

Heavily depends on the job you do. 90% of my work would just be sat there waiting for me to come back, even if I took a week or two off. Only anything extremely time sensitive that needed to be done before I come back would get picked up by one of my colleagues.

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Existing_Doughnut985@reddit

I’m an engineer, if I work 4 days a week, I work 4 days a week, there’s no “catch up” to do when I get back.

If you’re working the kinda job that does that to you, you need to look elsewhere

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sparklybeast@reddit

Very much depends on your job. If I take a week or two off then my workload will (mostly) be waiting for me when I return. Only increedibly urgent stuff will be dealt with by someone else.

I book every second Monday off throughout the year and it's lovely.

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bars_and_plates@reddit

I don't really think it makes sense to consider time off work as time on holiday.

A month and a bit off = you have loads of free time now to just do whatever. Fix up the house, learn a new skill, or just go on a load of hikes, whatever.

Personally though I would sell it and take the pay. "after tax and student loans you don’t get much back" is poverty mindset thinking. It will get you to retirement earlier.

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Not_Wrong_Tho@reddit

while 3 day weekends are great, have you considered wednesdays off.

That way you're never working more than 2 days in a row without a day of rest, makes the week feel much more managable.

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paddybee816@reddit

That's what I'm doing at the moment, and it's great, do all the washing, etc on Friday and I get the whole weekend for myself.

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mordhoshogh@reddit

I always get to the end of the year with loads left. Last year I had every Friday off for the whole of November and December plus the whole Christmas period. It's great.

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tommycamino@reddit

Would your work object to you taking a day off every week? I'm sure mind would tell me a few are okay but ask to take them off in larger chunks.

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bahumat42@reddit

Unless you have a thing you need them for it's a solid idea.

I would recommend having the Monday off rather than the Friday though.

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tumshy@reddit

Great idea

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Auntie_Cagul@reddit

Check with your employer first. It depends on your job and whether it needs to be covered by another employee. Some employers prefer their employees to take their main annual leave in weekly blocks.

Whatever you choose to do, do not let on to your employer that you have "nothing planned" for those days. I have known colleagues who ended up cancelling their holiday because the employer was short staffed and then weren't able to take their holiday later on so lost it (they didn't receive financial recompense either).

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Chief_Whizz@reddit

I've just done this, pretty much throughout February to May, and it has been lovely. Strong recommend.

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Existing_Doughnut985@reddit

I did this one year when I amassed way too much TOIL and I had over half the year as a 4 day week. Was absolutely amazing and I ended up changing my workweek to Sun-Thur so I could have Fridays off after that as a weekday off was lush

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blue_rizla@reddit

Is it a client-facing role? If so, it will damage your ability to service your ongoing projects and would look bad.

If not - fuck yeah, why not.

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littletorreira@reddit

I have a colleague who uses all her AL Jan-April doing 3 day weeks. Works for her and we then have coverage through the busier holiday seasons.

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NickiHotchickie@reddit

Four days weeks is amazing I did this the other year and had about 10 weeks where I did a combination of 3 or 4 day weeks and it was incredible. I felt more rested each week and I ended up looking into whether I could afford it long term - sadly I could not.

But I'd heartily recommend it

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Gornal-Annie6133@reddit

I’d have Mondays and Fridays off, for a few weeks, if you’re not going to have full weeks and actually go away on holiday. You could do some awesome city visits!

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Aggravating-Ant-6767@reddit

I would take it all off and once and do something interesting. If you haven’t taken any for that long, it tells me that you aren’t doing anything particularly fun. Just take a few weeks off and go on a long holiday.

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banisheduser@reddit

I already work 3-day weeks. It's amazing.

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excitedbynaps@reddit

Id peraonally just take one whole month off.

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Educational-Angle717@reddit

I'd advise against this to be honest, do a few sure but overall I think you will need some sort of break from work. Else you'll just burnout.

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cari-strat@reddit

My husband is working three day weeks for the next month, for this reason. He's thrilled.

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Relative_Sea3386@reddit

I did that one year and concluded it doesn't give you as good a break as taking a proper break. I have kids though.

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TURBINEFABRIK74@reddit

Assuming you want to use 16 days, have a day off for whatever reason and keep 10:

I’d take Friday to Monday every other week. I would check what’s your employer preference ..

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zephyrmox@reddit

I think I'd very much annoy my team if I tried to do something like that.

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pixelunicorns@reddit

I love four day weeks, I mainly used them on a Monday or Friday but then our head office got funny about too many people taking the same days off at the same time. So I also would also do a Wednesday off to break up the week, I liked it as it always got approved and I'd either use it for a chill day at home or a fun day out.

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ReflexArch@reddit

If I had 27 days of leave to burn I'd sell some for sure. If your tax bracket and student loan is really that bad you could increase your pension contributions and stick it all away tax free (assuming you can salary sacrifice). Your future self will thank you.

If you do want to take them instead I'd at least take a solid week off in the summer (pre schools breaking up though).

The 10 days carry over is also very generous. I'm only a sample of one but my firm allows you to carry over a maximum of three days and you can't sell any days at all. Use it or lose it is the policy basically.

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Thevinegarmanreturns@reddit

Typing this comment on my Monday off is amazing

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GuybrushFunkwood@reddit

I did exactly the same thing a few years ago but banged in Wednesdays. It meant for 10 glorious weeks i only ever worked 2 days together and I had a Wednesday to do all my chores (gardening, wash car, do shopping etc) when it was dead ….. I think if I ever went back to work I’d love to do 4 days a week and have Wednesday and weekends off!

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Arny2103@reddit

This is what I'm doing permanently at work right now. Managed to get it agreed so I can be childcare for our lad every Wednesday. I love it!

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Not-a-Cranky-Panda@reddit

Friday off one week then Monday the next. So one weekend in two would be four days

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RegularHovercraft@reddit

Can you sell them back? We have that option, but only five days each calendar year and we have to decide within the previous November.

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NoodleDoodlesocks@reddit

Instead of taking a week off, I usually just take a couple days off at a time so I get at least one long weekend every month.

Nice to have a few days a month to go do whatever I want without worrying about what needs to be done at work the next day.

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OrganizationOk5418@reddit

Absolutely, our site does it.

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know-need@reddit

I do this. With small kids and no spare money, holidays are out, even just booking a full week off to relax at home pottering about at leisure is impossible with kids, a pointless exercise in frustration! So for the last couple years, and probably the next couple, I just distribute all my annual leave days as evenly as I can across the year. Taking into account bank holidays, it works out that almost every second week is a 4-day work week instead of a 5-day. I much prefer this. Life is 100000x better if/when you can work only 4 days per week.

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TheRebelPercy@reddit

Take Mondays off. Fuck all gets done on a Friday anyway, so just put your feet up then.

Sundays are cheaper to travel and stay away and it is easier to do errands on a Monday, too.

Finally, sitting in a beer garden at a country pub on Sunday afternoon is one of life’s little pleasures.

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Cod_Proper@reddit

My mate did this a few years ago! Was a PITA for me lol, but he loved it. Think he managed about 4 months of this

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rootbt@reddit

If you do 4 day weeks, and miss Monday one week and Friday the next, every other weekend is a 4 day weekend, every other is normal!

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Ambitious_Mark9922@reddit

Take the time off don’t sell them, also carry over as much as you can if you have no plans to get away!

But if you can drive etc book long weekends and camp in Cornwall/Devon and use the time to get away don’t waste them on the same weekend over and over again.

4 day weekends but Take a Friday and a Monday off, and then a normal weekend then a 4 day weekend!

Go Explore! The uk is amazing IF you are willing to just try! Solo is fine

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Max1357913@reddit

I’d probably take a wee now and a week in September and just stay home, play video games, and occasionally do other stuff

Then I’d probably take a long weekend every other week, and keep some days in case stuff comes up last minute I want time off for

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CMDRDrazik@reddit

I do it every year - take Fridays off for 10 weeks, it is fucking bliss.

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Weylane@reddit

4 days week is a blessing. Depending on the type of work you do, it might be easy to actually do 5 days worth of work in these 4 days without pushing too much, then nothing is delayed and you get 3 days rest.

Agreeing with the person mentionning taking Mondays off is the way to go. Public spaces on a sunny monday morning is pure peace.

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bureaucrat_chaos@reddit

Depends on the nature of your work. I gave myself every Friday off over summer last year for this exact reason but all that ended up happening was 5 days worth of work compressed into 4 and I had to come to work on Monday with a lot more to catch-up on, whereas if I had a whole week off, the work would be distributed to the rest of the team.

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Enough_Response@reddit

i already work 4 days weeks. 4 x 10 hour shifts is much better than 5 x 8

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PracticeNo8733@reddit

I've done that in the past and enjoyed it. Though I've often preferred to break up the weeks rather than extend the weekends. It's like having an extra mini-weekend each week!

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ImpressiveGrocery959@reddit

It’s your leave, do what you want.

Depends what your job is like? Do you not feel the benefit of sometimes just having a week off?

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BreqsCousin@reddit

I'd take at least one full week even if I wasn't going anywhere, and make plans for a staycation where you look at your local area as if you were visiting it on holiday, and think "what nice things are there to do here?".

But yes I'd also have a lot of long weekends.

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Jesisawesome@reddit

Yes, this is exactly what I did a few years ago but didnt tell anyone (outside of work) that I was doing it so they couldn't give me bullshit to do. Just me in my own time doing what I wanted.

PERFECTO

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