James's blog: Falling asleep on the job...

I've come to the realisation that, unfortunately, my part-time working arrangements are not working.  I notionally work a four-day week in my profession and, on the fifth day, fulfil another job looking after my two-year old daughter.

My weekly working hours are no fewer than my full-time peers; in fact they are generally more.  And despite this I take home a reduced salary.  That doesn't bother me though, if it means that I get to spend some quality time with my daughter.  Unfortunately, however, that is not always the case.  I invariably work until the early hours of the morning before my day off if, indeed, I manage to have that day off at all.  And I invariably work late into the night on my day off once I've put my daughter to bed, and whenever I can over the weekend.  I know that I'm not alone in making this complaint, and that I have it better than a great number of people but, quite frankly, I'm knackered.

Everything came to a head a few months ago when, on a couple of occasions, I fell asleep at home when I was supposed to be looking after my daughter.  It's become clear to me that the sacrifices I'm making both at home and at work are not really paying off.  So I thought that I'd have a look around to see whether there might be an alternative environment within which my part-time working arrangements could succeed.

The fact that I currently work a four-day week has not been an impediment to other law firms being willing to meet with me to discuss other opportunities.  However, when it comes to the offer stage, firms invariably stipulate that they see the particular role on offer as full-time, not part-time.  I know that these firms have fee-earners currently working part-time.  These are, however, normally fee-earners who have trained at the particular firm.  Recruiting laterally into part-time roles seems a rarity.

Overall, I've found the process quite frustrating.  I know that, with the correct team working around me, I could make part-time working a success.  Perhaps that is the problem though.  It depends on having a supportive team around you, and perhaps my desire to work part-time puts additional stresses on the rest of the team.

At the moment foregoing that extra time with my daughter and the ability to keep her off nursery for a further day, is something which I can't bring myself to agree to.  But I know that it is not sustainable.  And so I'm starting to look at other opportunities outside of the career that I've studied four years for, and practised for a further eight years.  I'm aware that this career has given me a lot, and that it would be a shame to have to give up something that I enjoy and, I believe, am good at.  But at the same time, I know that giving up quality time in my daughter's life would be a far greater shame.  And so I'll keep searching for that utopia of work/life balance, in whatever job that may be.

James is in his early 30s and father to a beautiful two year old girl.  He now works four days a week at a City law firm, spending the fifth day of the week colouring, playing dolls with, and looking after, his daughter.