Thinking more about my job

I've been thinking more about my job situation. That and how stable or unstable my mood is are pretty much the only things on my mind. And the more I think about my job situation, the more I think I am going to have to wait to cut hours down, unfortunately. I know it's only January, but my colleague is going on maternity leave from mid-July through mid-October. I have to take over her entire work load. Now given how slow it is now that would probably give me enough work to be busy a decent amount of time, but the last time, I was swamped. If we get busy again, and who knows when we will, her entire work load plus mine is difficult to manage. It was difficult the last time.

So what am I supposed to do? I don't know. There is simply no way they are going to be agreeable to me going down to 1600 hours when I have to do the work of 2 people for 3 months. 1600 hours won't cut it. The other problem I keep thinking about is the problem of enforceability. When we get busy again, how am I supposed to enforce it? They heap work and more work on me and there are deadlines to be met. I can't leave at 4 and get it all done. I don't know what to do really. Supposedly when you are on reduced hours, and you exceed your requirement, they compensate you in your bonus - but I have found, based on what I have heard, that this isn't the case. You may not get compensated for it.

So I am back where I started with the same dilemma. Do I stay at 2000 hours and simply bill 1850 for my full pay, fore go any bonus and hope for a raise, or do I cut down to 1600, get paid less and end up billing 1850 anyway and not be compensated for it. At this point, and until her leave is over, I think I am stuck with option 1 because I won't be able to enforce the reduced hours. I think I am stuck with simply trying to work less and maintain better balance and not feel guilty about it when I walk out the door. Good luck with that.