Weekend Getaway #2 of 3:
Take Every Friday Off (90 - 100% pay)

This time off tactic gives you every Friday off with a pay cut of 0-10%.

How is that possible?

It's no secret. Thousands of other professionals have already done it by proposing a part-time (AKA reduced workweek) schedule.

Here's the alternative work arrangement:

• Work 36 hours a week
• Monday through Thursday
• 9 hours a day

That's only 10% fewer hours than the standard workweek.

IS IT REALLY ONLY 10%?

But wait. If you're a typical career professional, you're probably already working 9-hour days (or more), right? That's a 45-hour workweek.

In that case, proposing a 36-hour workweek is closer to 20% fewer hours, so your manager might challenge your proposed pay reduction of only 10%.

I said might. This is where your value as a seasoned professional can pull some weight.

PREFACE YOUR PROPOSAL TO HEAD OFF THE OBJECTION

Try this tactic: present your written proposal for a new work schedule at face value, using the 36/40 restructuring, but include a preface which preempts a rebuttal from your manager. Like this:

Along with countless other baby boomers, I am drawing closer to retirement age, yet I can't see myself going into full retirement. I still want to be actively engaged at work.

I have a wealth of knowledge and experience to contribute and I find my current position a good fit for my skills. At the same time, I'd like to give more attention to outside interests and commitments.

I propose that we restructure my current full-time position as [your job title] into a reduced workweek. The detailed plan below describes how it would work. I'd like to encourage a collaborative effort to make a flexible work schedule a success for all involved.

If you're copying the first page of the written proposal for part-time hours found at WorkOptions.com, place the preface above the INTRODUCTION.

You could also adapt the summary as your oral introduction when presenting your written proposal.

How (or if) you apply this strategy will depend on how you think your manager would receive it, so I'll leave it to you to make that judgment.

GO FOR LESS THAN A 10% PAY ADJUSTMENT

Then move on to apply the pay trade-off strategy as described in Weekend Getaway #1.

NEGOTIATE TO A MUTUAL AGREEMENT

What if despite your strategic efforts your manager challenges you about the actual hours reduction (20% vs. 10%)? Then negotiate the time/pay trade-offs until you reach a mutually agreeable percentage point.

All this is moot if your hours are pretty close to the standard 40-hour workweek. In that case, yours should be a relatively smooth path to getting agreement of your new work schedule if you present a professional proposal outlining all the details.

A PLEASANT PRELUDE TO RETIREMENT

I know every Friday off is not even close to full retirement, but having a long weekend away from the office every week is a pleasant prelude. Start planning for this time off tactic today.

Get a Yes to Your Request for every other Friday off

Learn more about Flex Success Part-time Proposal Template

Weekend Getaway #3: Take Every Friday Off (80-90% pay)