Is Part-Time Right For You? Here’s How to Think it Through Strategically
Inside: Part-time work can be a great solution for working moms and dads. Is it right for you? Find out inside! Includes how to create a proposal for your company.
As we head into summer, I hear the same thing from so many parents:
“I just wish I could work part-time. Life would feel so much more manageable when the kids are out of school.”
And I get it!
Summer has a way of exposing all the pressure points in family life. The camps. The schedule juggling. The mental load. The constant feeling that work and home are competing for the exact same hours of the day.
So part-time work can feel like a great solution! And while part-time work is not always possible, and it’s not always the answer, for some people, in some seasons, it can be the ideal fit.
Read more below on the factors to consider when thinking about part-time work and proposing a change to your role.
Or listen to the podcast episode on When Mommy Grows Up!
Is Part-Time Work Right for You?
Part-time work comes with pros and cons, and deciding if it is right for you right now requires you to consider your Career and Life criteria.
We talk about this A LOT in the Career Clarity Program and in When Mommy Grows Up: Finding Career Clarity While Covered in Kids. Knowing specifically what you want and need from the next chapter of your career is key!
So while I can’t tell you if part-time is the right fit without seeing your criteria laid out, I can give you some pros and cons.
Pros of Part-Time Work
- improved work-life balance – more time at home to meet family needs
- reducing commuting/childcare stress
- job crafting your role to focus on the skills/projects you enjoy most
- continuing career path at a sustainable pace (alternative to stepping out of the paid workforce)
Cons of Part-Time Work
- reduction in pay
- loss of benefits depending on hours/company policies (not always!)
- potential to take on too much and be paid part-time for full-time work
- creating a new kind of stress, managing expectations at home and at work
Pretty clear that this is a magical unicorn situation! Ideally, we want ALL the pay and ALL the time to do what we need to do outside of work. But there are tradeoffs. Consider what factors matter most to you and your family right now.
Where to Find Part-Time Work
If part-time work aligns with your criteria, let’s shift to focusing on landing that role.
Keep in mind that the mistake I see people make is assuming the ONLY way to work part-time is to go find a completely different job.
Sometimes that’s true, and there are job sites that specialize in flexible work options.
Networking is an even better option here, as you can uncover roles that aren’t posted!
But often, the best opportunity is much closer than you think.
In many cases, the most successful part-time arrangements happen when someone thoughtfully reshapes the role they already have. That’s actually how I approached it myself years ago while working in higher education!
And while the conversation can feel intimidating, I want you to know something important:
You can do hard things. And this hard thing could make a really meaningful difference for your family.
“My Company Won’t Go for That…”
Some people have BIG reactions when I suggest proposing a part-time role at their company. That reaction usually sounds like something like this:
“My company would NEVER allow me to do that!”
You know your company better than I do, 100%. But I do want to gently challenge the assumption for a moment. I’m going to give you THREE questions to consider.
- Have you already proposed a flexible work arrangement with your company, and they said no? What did your proposal look like?
- Has a colleague proposed a part-time role and been turned down? If so, what did their proposal look like?
- Do you simply have too much work on your plate and can’t imagine how to make it work? What creative solutions have you considered?
Answers to these questions can be very revealing.
Remember, I understand that this can be scary. And there could be very real reasons why you don’t want to pursue this option with your current company. However, if you’re starting to question your own hesitation, read on!
If You Want to Propose Part-Time Work, Start Here
One of the biggest reasons part-time proposals get denied is that they’re too vague.
“I want better balance” makes sense for you, but it doesn’t help an employer understand how the work will still get done.
The more specific and thoughtful your proposal is, the easier it becomes for leadership to see a path forward.
Here are the five areas I always encourage people to think through before having the conversation.
1. Be Specific About What You’re Proposing
Most people start with the emotional and logistical reasons they want part-time work. Those parts matter, and your boss may care deeply about those reasons. However, the company still needs you to get the work done.
That’s why we start with the logistics instead.
What schedule are you actually proposing?
- Which days would you work?
- What hours would you be available?
- Would this be seasonal or long-term?
- Are you proposing fewer days, shorter days, or a hybrid structure?
Clarity matters.
The goal is to help your employer picture what this arrangement would realistically look like instead of leaving them to fill in the blanks themselves.
2. Address the Exceptions Before They Ask
One of the biggest concerns managers have is: “What happens when we really need you on a day off?”
Don’t wait for them to ask.
Think through the times of year, events, deadlines, or meetings where additional flexibility may be needed and proactively address them.
For example:
- Busy seasons
- Team retreats
- Conferences
- Client presentations
- Quarter-end deadlines
- On-site requirements
Showing flexibility where it matters most demonstrates partnership instead of rigidity.
3. Explain How Communication Will Work
A successful part-time arrangement depends heavily on communication.
Your manager needs confidence that teammates will still know:
- how to reach you,
- when to expect responses,
- and how collaboration will happen.
This is especially important in hybrid and remote environments.
Think through:
- response time expectations,
- calendar visibility,
- Slack or Teams usage,
- meeting coverage,
- asynchronous updates,
- and who handles urgent issues when you’re unavailable.
The more operational clarity you provide, the less risky the arrangement feels.
4. Don’t Fall Into the “Same Work for Less Pay” Trap
This one matters a lot!
Too many parents negotiate reduced hours… and then quietly continue doing full-time work for part-time pay.
That’s not sustainable.
A successful proposal clearly outlines:
- which responsibilities stay,
- which responsibilities shift,
- what can reasonably be deprioritized,
- and who covers the work that no longer fits inside your new schedule.
When you think it through like this, you may find that there are pieces of your role that you should have delegated long ago! Or there could be projects coming to an end, freeing up your time. Or there could be someone else on the team whose skillset and capacity perfectly align with something on your plate that you’d be happy to take off.
Remember, part-time work only works if the workload changes too! This takes some creative thinking but it’s worth it.
5. Make It a Trial Run
One of the easiest ways to lower the stakes for an employer is to make the arrangement temporary at first.
Instead of presenting it as:
“This is forever.”
Try:
“Could we test this for three months and evaluate how it’s working for everyone?”
That changes the tone of the conversation completely.
It communicates:
- flexibility,
- collaboration,
- and willingness to adjust if needed.
Employers are often much more open to experimentation than permanence.
So is Part-Time Work Right for You?
Part-time work isn’t a magic solution.
Sometimes it’s financially impossible.
Sometimes the role truly doesn’t allow for it.
Sometimes the season passes before the change ever happens.
But sometimes?
Sometimes one brave conversation creates breathing room your family desperately needs.
And even if the answer ends up being no, there is real value in learning to advocate for what you need instead of assuming you’re not allowed to ask.
That skill matters far beyond this season.
So if this idea has been sitting quietly in the back of your mind lately, consider this your encouragement to think strategically about the possibilities.
You might be more capable of creating a workable solution than you realize!
