Four-day workweek - your preference (mo-th / tu-fr)

[ChimpMaster]

Likewise, Weds and Fridays are a home day for me. Friday traffic is awful, and in addition being at home that day allows for Friday night social planning more easily.

I don't mind Mondays per say and it's usually a good day to be in the office to show the client your face and to kick start the week off.

[d000hg]

I'm surprised more contractors don't work 4 day weeks - after you've been offered a renewal seems a perfect chance to negotiate this.

[OwlHoot]

It's even a bit counter intuitive as there are less people working on a Friday, but the travelling "rush hour" is not only miles more horrific, but it's more like 8-10 hours of horrific.
The Northbound traffic gets horrible at a bit after midday on Friday and just gets more horrendous until about 7pm when it starts to tail off to just bloody awful to not far before midnight. Considering the majority of Friday going North drivers are single people in business type cars not families going for a weekend away it's basically folk going home.

Tell me about it.

Some years ago I set out from London one friday at midday, aiming to "beat the rush hour" or so I fondly imagined. But after battling up the M1 then M6, past a few roadworks and a couple of accidents, I finally reached Manchester at 10:30pm completely frazzled.

But travelling West across country, from Cambridge to Devon, usually isn't too bad on fridays as long as one reaches the M4/M5 at Bristol after about 8pm.

[Martin Scroatman]

It would depend if I had to travel to site or commute any distance.

Friday is really a pig on the roads, so I'd do Monday-Thursday.

Don't agree with that.

I often find Friday is quiter as people who take a day off to make a long weekend tend to take the Friday.

Monday morning is hell and I'd take the Monday just to avoid it.

[gables]

I'm surprised more contractors don't work 4 day weeks - after you've been offered a renewal seems a perfect chance to negotiate this.

I tried this on a renewal with a 25% rise per day, so the cost was the same to the client, didn't work because they reckoned they'd be needing me in most Fridays, ho hum

[d000hg]

I meant at the same rate, duh

[gables]

I meant at the same rate, duh

Oh, my rate isn't high enough for that yet

[d000hg]

If your rate isn't high enough to survive on 4 billable days a week, something is wrong THe higher earning power of contracting is WHY I think we suit 4 day weeks so well.

[gables]

If your rate isn't high enough to survive on 4 billable days a week, something is wrong THe higher earning power of contracting is WHY I think we suit 4 day weeks so well.

You are correct on both counts

[original PM]

Tell me about it.

Some years ago I set out from London one friday at midday, aiming to "beat the rush hour" or so I fondly imagined. But after battling up the M1 then M6, past a few roadworks and a couple of accidents, I finally reached Manchester at 10:30pm completely frazzled.

But travelling West across country, from Cambridge to Devon, usually isn't too bad on fridays as long as one reaches the M4/M5 at Bristol after about 8pm.

fook the M6 on most days

take m54

then either a41 to a49 and up

or carry on on m54 to a49

unless disaster happens you can normally be hitting the m56 in 2 hours doing that

as opposed to the 6 hours staying on the m6

and you can have that for free!