[Gangnam Style]

I'm contracted to do 35 hours a week, but I probably do more than 40. I also travel an average of three hours a days to and from work and the school run.

I guess I'm fortunate that my children's father really does do his fair share of child rearing, and the household chores that go with them as we are divorced and have shared care of them. This leaves my Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights free for "me" stuff, friends, and housework.

I usually see friends on Friday or sometimes Saturday evenings (my family babysits), or Saturday or Sunday lunches (with our kids). And every few months I get my act together and invite a bunch of friends over for dinner or a long lunch on the weekend. A couple of times a year I get a girly weekend away with a bunch of old mates as well. It's not a constant social whirl, maybe something once a fortnight on average, but that, facebook and email keeps me in touch with my friends.

[Sophie11]

I must say im almost jealous of your busyness....I work from home - 30hrs...do advertising stuff...and just seem to have spare time everywhere...
pays good...

looks like we are moving and I will have to get a real job but kinda looking forward to being busy...

Im bored....

Bet I will forever look back and think how good was my life...

[Canberra chick]

I have dinner with my mother's group once every 6-8 weeks, I have bookclub one night a month and my friends who live nearby who aren't involved in those 2 things I see in the school holidays (they're SAHPs and I take 50% of school holidays off - DH does the other 50%) but we're looking to try and meet up a bit more on Sundays now DS's swimming has moved to a weeknight.

[tanyak1]

DH and I both work FT (DH works different shifts) and we have 3 kids (2 at school, one younger), with sport, dancing etc.

I recently saw my 2 best friends from uni for the first time in a year. I see one other good friend maybe twice a year (she lives 2 1/2 hrs away) and my other good friend who lives about 20 minutes away maybe 4 times a year. The school mum I'm friendliest with I see maybe once a week, as she drops one of the girls off after dancing, and perhaps 2 times a year for social occasions.

So really I don't see my friends nearly enough - thank goodness for Facebook is all I can say!

The 'friend" I spent the most time with was my sister, we'd get together at least twice a month, but she just moved to Perth (I'm in Sydney).

[charlottesmum04]

I actually volunteer one Sat. morning per term and on my half day. I just didn't feel it was relevant.

Sorry OP, myself and the other PP were joking around cross referencing another epic thread.

[Sassy Girl]

DH and I have four children, work 70 hours a week in our own business and don't have any money for outside help .

There is no time for catching up with friends face to face. Using Facebook to unwind after work and housework etc is the only way I can catch up with friends and also most of my family. It has been a real sanity saviour for the most part.

[howdoyoudoit]

That's a massive amount of work your doing I must say. I would be thinking to myself if it is worth it in the end. Do you enjoy watching your kids play sport etc or are you so busy you are missing the most important years with them. I work from home so do lots at night and we have 4 kids and have sport every night and all weekend. We socialise a lot with the sport parents so make time but on your schedule you are going to burn out.....I guess you have to ask yourself if your truly happy and are your kids..YES we all have to work to pay the bills etc but sometimes you need to reassess where your life is going.

[Born Three]

I have a monthly dinner to catch up with a mix of single and married with children friends - there are 8 of us.

It's at the same time every month and each of us takes a turn picking a location - usual somewhere local to the chooser.

Some months we all make, others just a few. It goes ahead as long as two can make it. At times it's eat and run as everyone is so busy.

If it wasn't for this one night a month I'd never see my friends so think it's fantastic!

[WaitForIt]

Well you could shop around for a new cleaner, I'm dubious you're getting value for money there.

Also consider swapping doing your own ironing, the cleaner does the bath, shower, dusting. You can multi-task ironing with other things a lot easier.

Ultimately though, with those kind of hours, I'm not surprised you have no time for friends!

Why do you say you work 4.5 days per week? Are you not paid a fulltime wage? You should be for those hours!

[tothebeach]

We find the best way to ensure that we catchup with friends is to have a regular time in our diary. I catch up with my girlfriends on the first Thursday of the month - we all put it into our diary a year in advance and it happens. DH does the second Thursday of the month with his mates. This way there are no excuses because it is a regular standing appointment.

The other thing that we do (usually months in advance) is map out weekends away. A weekend away means no housework and just time to chill and chat and laugh. The kids play and everyone has a good time.

We find the best way to ensure that we catchup with friends is to have a regular time in our diary. I catch up with my girlfriends on the first Thursday of the month - we all put it into our diary a year in advance and it happens. DH does the second Thursday of the month with his mates. This way there are no excuses because it is a regular standing appointment.

The other thing that we do (usually months in advance) is map out weekends away with friends. A weekend away means no housework and just time to chill and chat and laugh. The kids play and everyone has a good time.