Why work part time hours? Is it worth it?
There are lots of reasons why you may want to work part-time, to be available to take the kids to and from school, to have extra time to study to advance your career, looking after elderly family members or to gain a better overall work life integration.
However, it is common for many part-time workers to over-perform in their roles. This can be due to a strong work ethic, a desire to prove their worth, a feeling that they need to prove they can be effective whilst working part-time or a sense of responsibility to their employer.
In my experience of coaching over the past 10 years I’ve seen that women leaders often end up doing a full-time job for part-time pay, all whilst taking on more responsibilities at home than their partner.
This over delivery at work and busy juggle at home can often lead to burnout.
Many of my coaching clients come to me when they realise they are overwhelmed, stressed and frazzled – their tank is empty and they don’t know what to do.
So what can you do when you realise you’re working a lot more hours than what you’re being paid for?
Here’s a starting point for you.
- Track your hours
I see this so often, for instance women working 30 hours a week but being paid for 20 hours. Sometimes this is down to habit, we have been conditioned to working 35+ hours a week for such a long time. And, if you love your job, it can be easy to let a few extra hours slip in here and there.
Or there is a crisis and it’s all hands to deck, before you know it you’ve done a full time working week!
It is important to track your hours, especially if you’re working from home, it’s too easy to ‘jump on and send a few emails’. All these little pockets of time really add up.
- Communicate
Make sure that you have regular check ins to monitor your progress and hours. Don’t avoid having difficult conversations, it will only make it worse in the long run. By pushing back it might make you feel like you’re incapable or unprofessional but you’re not doing yourself, or the organisation, any favours if you’re on the brink of burnout.
Set expectations together with your line leader, agree what’s realistic and over what timescale.
Sometimes it’s about being flexible and taking time back in lieu. Sometimes it’s readjusting expectations or your contract.
- Boundaries
Make sure that your team is aware of your part time status and when you are working.
Add your working pattern hours to your email signature and be prolific in having your out of office on when you are not working, with clear direction for what to do in your absence.
Say no to certain projects that you know you are not able to commit to with your current working hours.
Stop people pleasing. It only leads to emotional stress and resentment.
Delegate to your team.
- Be aware of the signs of burnout
Make sure you are checking in with yourself every month or so as the symptoms of burnout can creep up quite rapidly without your realising.
Here are some watch outs –
- Feeling tired, lethargic and you find it difficult to unwind or sleep
- Losing your sense of fun and joy in your life or work that previously you have enjoyed. Sadness.
- Self-doubt starts to creep in and you feel a lack of accomplishment. Job satisfaction disappears.
- Procrastinating or taking ages to complete tasks. You can’t concentrate.
- Becoming irritable or impatient with clients, customers or colleagues
- Physical symptoms can be headaches, stomach or bowel problems. You become more vulnerable to ill health.
- You may start to rely on alcohol or drugs to escape from these feelings.
Please seek medical advice if you feel you’re suffering from burnout or depression.
As always, I hope this has been helpful for you.
If you’d like some more focused one to one support then please get in touch.