Do you ever feel that on Fridays you don’t get anything done? Friday is a wasted day for a lot of people. You’re tired from the week, your mind is focused on the weekend, and most of your coworkers are probably checked out. This day plan keeps your Friday productive, but also keeps things relaxed so you can ease into your weekend.
Start your workday earlier in the day than usual.
This might be counterintuitive. After all, by Friday your energy might be waning. The key is to go to bed especially early on Thursday so you can start an hour earlier than usual on Friday.
Don’t check your email for the first two hours of the day.
Even if you went to bed earlier on Thursday, there’s a good chance your energy will dwindle over the course of a Friday. Given that, don’t waste your peak hours at the start of the day on email. You can even use a tool such as Stay Focusd or Block Site to block your access to your webmail during certain hours to help you stay focused.
Work on a major initiative you’ve been putting off.
Fridays are often odd in that you’re rushing around to end the week on the right foot, and yet nothing of major substance happens. Instead, block out time for one to two hours at the start of the day so that, even if you get hit by a truck at 10 a.m. and your workday ends suddenly, it’s already been a very productive day.
Don’t send emails; schedule them.
Research shows that Friday is the worst day to email people, assuming you actually want a response. Instead, write emails but schedule them to get sent later. Two of my favorite tools for doing this are Boomerang for Gmail and Sidekick from HubSpot. I’ll try to schedule emails for Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning, rather than anytime on a Friday.
Figure out something you can say no to.
If there is a business deal you are uncomfortable to say no, don’t put off the decision. Saying no isn’t always easy, but sometimes it’s best to just find the perfect time to deliver that no and move on. Fridays are great days to say no and to head into the weekend feeling like a weight has been lifted.
Plan the week ahead out carefully.
Look over your calendar to make sure you’re fully prepared for any upcoming meetings.
Use Friday afternoons for big picture thinking. “People are so fried on Friday afternoons that any productivity is going to feel oppressive,” notes Harvard-educated author of Where’s My Sanity, Dr. Claudia Luiz. “To get back your motivation, use Friday afternoons for big-picture planning.” From organizing your monthly progress report to brainstorming ideas for your next project, use this time to get creative and set new goals.
Adopt a few of these, and there’s a good chance you’ll head into Friday night feeling like you’re entitled to a great, relaxing weekend.
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Source: Inc.com
