Weird Flex (Schedule) but Ok

Flexible work is becoming more and more common, with multiple factors driving its popularity: individuals seeking a better work/life balance, improvements in technology that facilitate easier long-distance communication, peoples’ desire to reduce their carbon footprint, and the increasing gig economy, just to name a few. Flexible work also exists on a spectrum, encompassing everything from options to work remotely occasionally at a typical 9-to-5 to independently contracting one’s time to determine exactly when, where, and how a person completes their work.

I personally fall into the seeking a better work/life balance camp, with a little carbon footprint reduction on the side, and my current flexible work situation is a part-time position here at Harvest. To me, flexible work is a privilege that not everyone has – I happen to have the right experience in a heavily seasonal industry that thrives on freelancers and small firms to fill in the gaps when research is in high demand, but not high enough to necessitate long-term increases in full-time staff. I also acknowledge my privilege in the fact that my household does not require that I have a full-time income to survive. However, I am very happy to take advantage of the opportunity to work in a flexible environment and role and the ways in which it allows me to craft the kind of life that is important to me.

My flexible schedule includes working from home regularly, which means on those remote days I can use my commute time to get an extra load of laundry done or some other cleaning task or spend more time in the kitchen cooking from scratch using whole food ingredients, which is something I value. Another perk of my flexible work schedule is that I don’t work the typical eight-hour workday, allowing me to say “yes” to opportunities to volunteer within my community that might start or end a little earlier or later than a standard 9-to-5 schedule might permit. I love being able to serve in my community in this way. To me, flexible working is freedom. It’s a wonderful gift that allows me to prioritize the things that are important to me. I get a say in how I spend my time, while still being able to financially contribute to my household’s needs.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/joyburnford/2019/05/28/flexible-working-the-way-of-the-future/#61c70f974874