Advice for next Career Step
Hey,
I'm facing a big decision and would love to hear about your experiences and opinions! I'm considering a retraining program in the e-commerce field and am torn between two options:
Option 1: Great content, exactly what I want. But it's full-time (8 AM – 4 PM), partly in-person, partly remote. I'm worried that the workload might be too much—will I still be able to take care of my child, my partner, and myself?
Option 2: Part-time, meaning shorter days, which would make everyday life easier. BUT: 100% in-person with a longer commute. Less flexibility if my child gets sick, and the content isn't exactly what I was hoping for, though still acceptable.
My partner is also doing a retraining program at the same time, we have no support from family or friends, and our daycare is already at full capacity. I'm especially concerned about absences due to daycare closures or illness, as well as the overall workload, including catching up on missed lessons and studying for exams.
On top of that, I want to have enough time for my child, my partner, and myself... It's hard to gauge how overwhelming this will be.
My partner is very supportive and willing to take on more if possible, so at least I know I won’t have to manage everything alone.
But honestly, I have a lot of respect for this challenge—especially the full-time option, which actually appeals to me more in every other aspect.
👉 Have you successfully managed a full-time retraining program or a similar double burden (especially without outside support)?
👉 How did you handle organization, sick days, or exhaustion?
👉 What would you advise me to do?
I’d really appreciate any honest opinions! ❤️
I started a full time job (9-5, 5 days a week) when my LO was 2. It's been really tough but the pay has been great and I'm never worried about money anymore. Though if I had the option, I would prefer to work part time. I am solo parenting which has definitely made it 10x tougher because between work and looking after my child, I get no breaks AT ALL, and the guilt kills me daily. But equally my organisation are very understanding about sick days etc. And I AM managing the workload, just finding maintaining the home and my self care the toughest to keep on top of. I get groceries delivered which makes life easier, and we have a weekend routine which motivates me to have quality time with my LO. Once I'm qualified I'm going to cut the amount of days I work to 3/4, as I feel like life was more manageable when I worked 3 day weeks. This is just my experience though and it may be different for you! I don't regret doing it because it is bettering our lives and eventually I will be in a position to drop days.