5 Ways to Reclaim Your Friday Productivity

Fridays can be tough.

In many workplaces, they are written off as non-productive days. This seems to happen even more during the summertime when people are taking time-off or vacation.

Yet, Fridays don’t have to be a wash when it comes to getting work done.

With some planning and discipline you can reclaim your Friday productivity.

Friday: The Lost Day

For many companies, Friday has become a lost day.

Often, workplaces accept it as a “less productive” day of the week. It seems to have become part of the weekend. This leaves you with a four-day work week. (Three… if you also waste Monday.)

On Friday, people are getting ready for their weekend and spend an inordinate amount of time talking about their plans for Saturday and Sunday. So, even if you aren’t bragging about your upcoming weekend, chances are that you’ll have to listen to countless stories of others’ weekend adventures.

You could look at this lost workday as a negative. However, in reality, it is a great opportunity for you to get ahead. If others have chosen to be less than productive on Friday, you can take advantage of the time to get ahead on your work. (Or catch up if you are behind.)

What can you do to reclaim your Friday time?

Here are 5 Ways to Make Your Friday More Productive:

1. Time-shift Your Day – Friday’s timing can be a little different from the rest of the week. Commutes tend to be earlier, both in the morning and evening. Adjust your routine to ensure that you do not waste time in traffic or waiting in line.
2. Clear Your Schedule – I like to save Friday as a “Clear Day,” meaning no meetings or appointments on Friday. This makes room for dedicated time to work on creative tasks and projects.
3. Catch Up and Close Loops – Unless you want to be worrying about random todos all weekend, make sure you utilize Friday to close all of those open loops. Catchup on email, phones calls, and more. What do you need to finish before the weekend?
4. Work When Others Are Not – Some of the best times to get things done is when others are not. Take advantage of a quiet office to get your tough work done while others are out.
5. Prepare for Next Week – After you have closed out your work week, leave a little time to prepare for next week. Walking in cold on a Monday can be stressful in itself. If you take a few moments to prepare for next week now, you will hit the ground running when you return.

Be More Productive on Fridays

Friday doesn’t have to be a lost day in your work week.

It can be tempting to let it slide into the weekend.

However, with a little planning, Friday can be reclaimed as a productive day in your week.

Question: Is Friday a productive day in your workplace? Or has it become part of the weekend? You can leave a comment by clicking here.