--- title: Working 4/5 as a young professional? Claire went for it! description: Going your own way also means consciously choosing a work life that suits you. Get inspired by the unique life choices of these young professionals.... image: https://blog.upliving.be/hubfs/Upliving_TheBrewery-082.jpg --- Discover our availabilities [here](https://upliving.be/en/rent-upliving) ![](https://blog.upliving.be/hubfs/Upliving_TheBrewery-082.jpg) # Working 4/5 as a young professional? Claire went for it! Published by [Marie](https://blog.upliving.be/en/author/marie) on Oct 6, 2021 10:09:49 AM Your first job really doesn't mean the end of your fun life as you know it. Working part time certainly isn't a **parent - only** option. In 2020 Some 19.8% of **young professionals** in **Belgium** were working part-time. Does the idea of part-time or taking a **4/5th job** appeal to you, but does the full-time dogma still have its grip on you?Claire did away with the **prejudices** and consciously chose to live a richer life* * ** More me-time** Like any young professional, Claire Bracke first opted for a **full-time job**: "I was working a **38-hour week** in a digital agency and had long had the feeling of 'a little more time would be nice.' So I deliberately applied for a **four-fifths job** as communications manager at [KrisKras vzw](https://www.kriskras.be/), a travel organization for young people." ![Upliving_TheBrewery-082](https://blog.upliving.be/hs-fs/hubfs/Upliving_TheBrewery-082.jpg?width=586&name=Upliving_TheBrewery-082.jpg) "I am a** firm believer** that the more time you have for something, the more time you spend on it. Well,** I opted for more me-time.** And I must say, I quickly got used to that extra day in the week. Family visits, taking trips, housework.... I don't have to cram everything into those two weekend days anymore." **Lower pay, higher awareness** "With the **job switch**, I barely had to give up anything in pay. If it involved major financial uncertainties, I might not have done it. But thanks to the public sector** pay scales**, I knew very well what I was choosing. Although I have to admit that I may not have looked up enough what the **implications** would be for my **pension**."  **My time is worth more to me** "My **life goal** is also not to make as much money as possible. The older generation may think differently about that. But my time is worth more to me. I realize that's a **luxury**. Not everyone can do that just like that. When I chose a **four-fifths job**, I was still living alone. Of course I doubted it would work out **financially**. But I organized myself accordingly and am conscious of my money without having to leave things for it. What I give the most money to? **Travelling**! Well, I also work at a **travel agency.**.."   **F*ck prejudice ** "When I say I work f**our-fifths**, they often assume I choose to have a family life or be self-employed. That I work less to do fun things, people don't find that normal. I also know very few people my age and without a family who consciously choose this. As an exception to the rule, I sometimes have to defend my choice. A friend of mine who went to work in the medical field really had to defend it. Maybe that's because people secretly want it too?"   **Fulltime? That’s so 20th-century** "To doubters who are afraid of coming across as unambitious, I would say: don't worry about it! I know about myself that I **work **hard for four days, perhaps as much as some people in a **full-time position**. Besides, the working world is in transition. In 30 years, no one will be in the office five days a week, if you ask me. **Working from home** is going to change the **mindset** around **full-time work** and increase our awareness of me-time. So from me, those prejudices around **part-time work** can safely be left behind in the twentieth century."   All set Up for your new life as a **Young Professional** in Belgium? Find your Upliving rental apartment                                       [![In Ghent](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/19928326/f205bc10-af78-43f8-a8cd-88b182872127.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/19928326/f205bc10-af78-43f8-a8cd-88b182872127)      [![In Brussels](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/19928326/115cb553-fb48-4869-a83b-c82f407d1ce5.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/19928326/115cb553-fb48-4869-a83b-c82f407d1ce5)                                    Tags: [Working in Belgium](https://blog.upliving.be/en/tag/working-in-belgium), [fulltime](https://blog.upliving.be/en/tag/fulltime), [choose life](https://blog.upliving.be/en/tag/choose-life), [Life choice](https://blog.upliving.be/en/tag/life-choice), [work life](https://blog.upliving.be/en/tag/work-life), [work balance](https://blog.upliving.be/en/tag/work-balance), [career choice](https://blog.upliving.be/en/tag/career-choice), [work type](https://blog.upliving.be/en/tag/work-type) [Back to Blog](https://blog.upliving.be/en) ## Related Articles ## [Not in the mood for a full-time office job? 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