The office is closed on Fridays? / journal / hicksdesign

09/08/05

The office is closed on Fridays?

This line in my contact details often raises a smirk, usually combined with a sarcastic “Enjoy your day off”. The word ‘Part Timer’ is inferred, but never uttered.

So why is this? Do I just work a 4 day week? I wish it were true!

When I first took the plunge to go freelance, there was one thing driving it. Samantha had been born 6 months previously, and Leigh’s maternity leave was nearing an end. She managed to get a 4 day week so that she could look after Samantha on a Thursday, but we still didn’t want her seeing more of nursery than of us. Nursery is a great environment, they learn social skills, have more riotous fun than they could at home, and pick up enough illnesses to make their immune systems as tough as old boots by the time they start school. However, Nursery is not a parent.

I had been thinking about freelancing for a while, but this was the catalyst. So the plan was hatched – going freelance would give me the flexibility to help out. Originally I had Samantha for 2 days a week, but the work just wasn’t getting done, even though I was working weekends. After a few months, we settled in a routine of Mummy on a Thursday, Daddy on a Friday, and work weekends/evenings to make up time.

So there you go. If you’ve ever wondered what I do myself on my day off, I’m looking after the wee ones, a 2 year old and 4 year old and its a rewarding time without a doubt.

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Comments are now closed, but you can still have a jolly time reading what others have left:

matt Carey said 1158 days ago:

Great to hear how you do things Jon. My wife and I are just starting to think how to deal our little boy Arlo, who is now 5 months. The one day a week off is an option…

David Horn said 1158 days ago:

Whatever the reasons – and looking after little people is among the best – a 4 day week is just a more civilised way to live for those who are able. All power to you!

Simon Clayson said 1158 days ago:

You are 21st Century Man. Good for you.

David Hughes said 1158 days ago:

That sounds like a great arrangement.

I was ‘lucky’ enough to be made redundant when my daughter was almost 1 and spent a year finding another job. This meant I saw her go from 1 to 2 which is an amazing time in any childs life.

Sadly I didn’t think of going it alone until the end of the year and by then financial drivers meant I had to go back to working for the man. I’m still here and we’re expecting our second on August the 30th. I am able to work from home two days a week but that isn’t gonna be the same as the year I had with Jasmine.

Nathan Pitman said 1158 days ago:

This is something I ‘really’ want to be able to do. Especially with baby P #2 due very soon. It’s encouraging to hear what a difference you feel working at home makes to your life.

Ian Brown said 1158 days ago:

That sounds like a brilliant arrangement. We all know the affects that daycare can have on a child, especially if it’s poor quality daycare.

Although, working weekends as well as during the week, and evenings?! You’re a very busy man, I don’t envy that!

karl sinfield said 1158 days ago:

Interesting…why Fridays? Why not Mondays? On a Friday I’d worry that I won’t be there for my clients who really need something done for the end of the week. None of the office-jockeys (I used to be one too) seem to do much on Monday anyway, so I find that is when I am in least demand.

I’m thinking maybe Wednesdays might be worth a try – break up the week, and generally not a critical day.

Although for me this is all a crazy dream. Due to my geneal lack of design expertise, I have founded my minimal reputation on responsiveness rather than quality. I currently have to intertwine my daddy duties (4mth girl) with my work – which seems to work fine. Except for the following: have you ever tried to Ctrl-Click with a baby on your lap? It requires the flexibility of a limbo dancer.

Andrey Smagin said 1158 days ago:

You’re lucky man. Spending time with kids is awesome. I have a daughter who is going to be 2 in couple months. Although i don’t get Fridays, weekends are mine. It’s pure fun.

Kids are adorable. And I feel like it’s weird that clients don’t understand that for designer there is no day off ever. Whatever you do is going to reflect in your work. And the more quality time you spend off work the more quality work going to be done. You don’t have to be seating next to computer to get inspired and to have your mind wondering.

Damon Parker said 1158 days ago:

Being a freelancer for over five years I am just finding my way in managing my personal time and work time. Young and single makes it as easy to work 8pm-3am as it is more ‘normal’ hours. I used to always feel guilty for not putting in my 8 hours at ‘normal’ times. But with the way projects and on-call work comes in, I’m finding it more important to take my personal time when I want (maybe more importantly, when I can), even if it is to go see a movie at 1pm on a Tuesday afternoon. As long as I am available shortly via telephone to current clients and only a few hours away from email responses, who cares?

That doesn’t even begin to cover holidays or vacations. I travel a lot for pleasure, and I used to ‘hide’ these trips from clients so as to not call into question my professionalism. Most never even noticed that I was gone, even when emergencies arose, you can still find wi-fi on every street corner in most places. Lately, I’ve been more open about holiday’s with medium to long term client’s and have found them to be very receptive and supportive (even more understanding seem to be my international clients but thats a whole other post).

Good on ya for working an official four day work week. Given the amount of hours I’m sure you put in, I bet you’re still over ‘required’ 40 hrs week. :)

#10

Dave Simon said 1158 days ago:

Good for you – I think your clients will appreciate your reasoning as well. No matter how important your job is, your kid is more important.

#11

Jon Hicks said 1158 days ago:

Karl – I would hate to do a Wednesday – I prefer the feeling of a Friday – not that it makes much difference I guess! But clients are fine with it – its never been a problem.

And yes, I have tried the ctrl-click with baby on lap! Daniel used to fall into the keyboard when I did that…

#12

Joshua Rudd said 1158 days ago:

Yeah! i’m not the only one. It can be challenging working as a freelance designer and being a father.

My wife works mornings while i watch our two-year-old, and i work afternoons. Yes, it can be difficult—especially when i’m overloaded with client work—but the trade-off is so worth it.

Besides, we can always work more someday. You can never make up these years.

#13

Anthony John said 1158 days ago:

As a freelance web designer, I take Mondays off. I usually do some work every day, so no one could call me a part-timer. I work on Saturday because I don’t like crowds. When my wife and I take our son to the zoo, we want to go when everyone else is working.

Congrats on having an entire day to just be dad!

#14

Dave Gregory said 1158 days ago:

You GO!
I did part part part-time work and stayed with our kid full-time for 2.5 years. I went back to work just a few months ago and now the wifey is full-time home and learning flash part-time.

There is no way that a nursery can raise your child better than U can. Good looking out for your kids.

Dave

#15

stilist said 1158 days ago:

I’d always kinda wondered what the reasoning behind that was. I’d say it’s a very good choice you’ve made. Too many parents are content to send their child to a daycare or something, and assume it won’t have an effect.

Also: there seems to be something messed up with your Atom feed – see this screen grab

It may just be a problem with Sage, who knows.

#16

stilist said 1158 days ago:

Er, that should have been this image

#17

Noah said 1158 days ago:

Good for you! Family is so much more important… I doubt you’ll be lying on your death bed saying, “I wish I had spent more time in the office…”

#18

Gerard McGarry said 1158 days ago:

Jon, I’m dying to go freelance, for much the same reasons. Just have to nail a few of those ‘big’ clients!

I _totally agree _ with Noah above – don’t want to miss one precious moment!

#19

Egor Kloos said 1158 days ago:

In Holland everybody seems to have a 4 day week. However, it does actually seem to be on the decline. I can imagine some employers trying to walk that one back. The overhead must be killin them.

#20

jonasn said 1157 days ago:

Ctrl-click? Get a two-button mouse already!

#21

Jon Hicks said 1157 days ago:

Ctrl-click? Get a two-button mouse already!

Well, I have now !

#22

goodwitch said 1157 days ago:

Brilliant! I made a similiar decision a few years back. I was tired of paying other people to spend time with my children….the children I worked so very hard to have. And I realized that these early years are some of the most precious…so spending quality time with them while they really want to be with me is priceless.

And I constantly find that being with my boys and playing with them opens my mind to new perspectives. I feel it makes me more productive and creative! Nothing like a bit o’ Harry Potter, Dr. Seuss and a session of Blow Pens to get you thinking Inside, Outside and Upside Down!

#23

Rolf Johansson said 1155 days ago:

Well done. I just quit my full-time job 2 weeks ago to take care of my little ones full-time. Like you, I’m going to try to fit in the client work 2 days a week while they’re off at pre-school (that’s what we call it here in Canada). My wife is working full-time.

Even if there isn’t enough time to do the freelance thing, the time that I’ll be able to spend with my kids will be priceless, and the inspiration that they provide me can’t be matched… although we’ll be quite financially challenged.

It’s all about the choices you make… you can’t get that time back. If the freelance thing doesn’t work, I’ll still know that I’ve made the right decision.