I only finished Uni a year and a half ago ( It feels like a lifetime ago tbh) and since then I have had my fair share of jobs.
I worked for a design agency after coming fresh faced from uni - 50 hours a week, over worked and under paid. I've done stints in retail, temporary jobs, one single day in a call centre and admin jobs - basically a bit of everything.
After working 50 hours plus and getting myself stressed out to the max I took a step back and thought it might be beneficial for me to look for something part time. I applied for like a million jobs and eventually managed to bag myself a 30 hour per week job with the NHS - score!
From around 16 I have always said 'I can never imagine having a full time office job, it's just not for me' - so even though this was infact doing a dreaded ' office job' at least it was part time, giving me more time to concentrate on my Graphic Design skills from that little BA HONS degree I went and earned!
I knew working less hours would give me more time to do the things that I wanted to do but I never realised the benefits it would have on my general health, mental health and home life.
Ok - that does sounds really dramatic, but it's true.
I don't think working 50 hours per week was healthy for me personally or for anyone for that matter especially when you are not paid for the extra that you are working.
I would leave the house at 7.30am a head for a long day staring at a mac screen for hours on end with no break ( yeah I know thats illegal but the company I worked for didn't seem to care about that).
I would be trying to complete work as quick as possible whilst having angry clients calling the office every 5 minutes and as a team of 2 designers we were pushed to the limit.
I think my final straw was when I was expected to stay in the office till 9pm, unpaid and after having no lunch break. I left work at 9pm feeling deflated, with a banging headache and ended up in tears when I got back home as the constant pressure was just getting ridiculous. This kind of stress and pressure isn't something that I had set myself up for -
I know graphic design jobs can be stressful with deadlines but as this company broke the law on more than one occasion I knew it was best to get myself out and fast.
After quitting that job I became a bit of a lost soul trying to find something else, anything else.
thats when I landed my NHS part time role.
I settled in quickly and every single person I worked with was absolutely lovely. I found it such a luxury to be able to have a lunch break and to finish at 4.30pm every day - that was just mind blowing to me.
I feel so much better as a person too - I'm more positive and i'm more focused when I'm actually at work - just known that I have that extra day and time to do the things I love makes your mind set on life completely different.
Maybe I am in the whole 'student mind set' of wanting to work part time, I'm not sure, But if you can afford to do it and it makes you happy I don't see the harm in it.
I might not earn as much money as some of my peers who are working 40/50 hours a week but they are always complaining on how tired they are or they would love to be in a job like I am.
My main goal for 2016 is to start designing again, I miss it. Heres hoping one day I can freelance and 'live the dream'.
xox
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