What flex do you have?

I work 3.5 days a week and I manage my hours flexibly around nursery and school events and make up the time sensibly. The office is just 10 minutes down the road but there’s no expectation for me to be there, just to be present. I’m a sociable person and I really enjoy office days but I’m generally more productive at home, so I mostly work there.

How did this flex come about?

The short story is that I was brave enough to ask for part-time hours during my job interview.

The longer version is that I gained the confidence to ask about flexible working in the interview because I’d been on a Women Returning to Work course and heard Nikki Slowey from Flexibility Works (OR a personal story about a working mum) who did the same. She applied for a role that was advertised as full-time, then when the interview was going well, said she was available to work three days a week.

I’d never considered doing that before. I’d taken a break from work after my second child was born and after then having my third baby, I felt incredibly stressed whenever I thought about returning to work. I’d previously been an executive assistant, which can be a very demanding role and you’re often expected to mirror the working pattern of your director. I couldn’t fathom how on earth I’d manage that with three children as well.

I always knew I wanted to return to work. It would help financially but I wanted it for me too. I’d lie awake at night, my eyes darting around trying to work out what I could do, and how I’d fit everything in. I was uncharacteristically anxious.

The course I went on was a complete game changer for helping me sort through my anxieties, fears, and ideas into something much more coherent. It gave me the confidence not to undersell myself.

When I saw my current role advertised it was full-time. I wondered maybe I could ask about flexible hours in the interview, just like Nikki Slowey did. I tried to talk myself out of it, but the application and interview process would be good experience anyway, so I took a deep breath and applied. Then when the interview came up and was so going well, I spoke a little about my young family and that I’d seen flexible working mentioned on their website. They were open to a conversation about it. Children 1st rang me later that day to offer me the role and I negotiated a three-day week.

My managers are completely flexible on when those hours are too, as long as they meet the charity’s business needs. We’re all clear that the important thing is what’s delivered, not how it’s delivered. It’s a culture of flexible working, it’s the norm, not a special arrangement and I couldn’t have asked for more.

The Chief Executive is now looking for a new Executive Assistant and she’s asked me to help with the recruitment. I will 100% be advocating visible flexible working.

What does this flex allow you to do outside of work?

It allows me two precious days a week with my 3-year-old daughter. She’ll be at school before I know it, so I want to make the most of this time. I can also attend small but important things at school for my sons. My younger son has just started Primary One, and the school held a little play session recently with parents in the classroom. I wasn’t sure if I could go. But he was pleased as punch to see me file in with the other parents and proudly showed me round. I’m so grateful I didn’t have to miss that.

What does your flex mean for your work and home life overall?

I can do the job I’m good at and experienced in, without working in a way that’s detrimental to family life – I can still be the kind of mum I want to be.

Life is hectic, but with three children it always was. Sometimes I’m emptying the washing machine at 9pm. But after all those anxious nights worrying, I’m just thrilled I had the confidence to ask about flexible working because I got exactly what I wanted, and some.