Natalie S
A few years ago, I decided to reduce my five-day working week to four days. It was a choice made in relation to my personal wellbeing, supporting my partner with a new business venture and to spend more time with some elderly relatives. Even now writing this article I find myself feeling the need to explain my choice!
When it was announced at work (I was in a management position at the time so updating my department was necessary) I will never forget someone saying to me “What will you do with your time?” their face was utterly puzzled. I can still visualise that puzzled look now. Whilst they didn’t say - you don’t have kids, why do you need to work part time? I know it’s what they were thinking. I felt myself explaining my reasons whilst feeling completely judged.
I have friends who worked part time while their children were young and now their children are older, they haven’t increased their working hours. Instead, they enjoy hobbies and time for themselves, and good on them for doing that. What I find difficult is that they don’t seem to be questioned as to what they are doing with their time, yet I felt myself in a position of having to justify my needs as a woman without children.
It feels that working part time is automatically accepted for those with children, while those of us without, are expected to work full time and not ‘need’ part time working.
Reflecting on current society, I think that generations newer to the workforce seem to have a different view of work and leisure time, focusing on work life balance a lot more. Wellbeing seems to feature more too. So, I hope for future childless women,who reach the stage in life I was at, that they will be able to make their choice to work part time and do that without being judged for requesting part time work as a childless person.
