Everyone is excited about Friday, especially after a hectic week. Sometimes Fridays can feel like a waste, especially before the holidays. Our brain is excited about weekends that it doesn’t cooperate with us in our work and wants to enjoy downtime. Friday afternoon is a shared experience, and you don’t receive much support from your colleagues. People are already planning for the weekend, and everyone is ready to head home. All of this causes your productivity to drop. Instead of succumbing to the urge to daydream and window-gaze, take this opportunity to set the stage for next week. Here are eight productive things to do on Friday to enjoy a smooth start to Monday.
Get Done with a Big Task
On Fridays, it is tempting to glance at tasks and projects and think that you’ll get back at them on Monday. Please choose one of your ongoing projects, and commit to finishing it before you go. You may even get excited to do more on Friday because of the satisfaction you get from completing a project. You’ll feel relieved knowing the task will not be sitting on your desk coming Monday.
Network More
According to a study, we work 35% less on Friday than on any other day. Instead of sitting at your desk pretending to be working, do something that doesn’t seem like work but is still productive. Friday is a social day, so take a break from the heavy lifting and reach out to your network. You can keep in touch with clients or maintain a favorable profile with people you have networked with. Friday is the perfect day to connect with everyone. Networking is crucial in most professions and businesses; thus, you can plan meetings and interviews and send cold emails on Friday. It won’t feel like a dreaded task, and you’ll still invest your time in something valuable.
Reflect on Your Week
Your preparation won’t pay off unless you apply what you learned during the week to the next. On Friday, reflect on what went well and what didn’t. See where you want your focus to be the next week and any additional skills you would like to acquire. You can add critical goals or areas that you want to improve to your weekly plan. It is one of the favorite habits of successful women. Sticky notes are handy for reminding yourself.
Track Your KPIs
Have some measurable indicators that can help you look deep into your week’s performance and outcomes. Determine your key performance indicators according to the nature of your work. Track them on Friday; they can be pretty valuable in making good decisions in the future.
Plan for Next Week
Look through the next week’s calendar to plan your week. You can set reminder alarms on your smartphone or computer to remind you of important dates. All meetings, deadlines, to-do items, and other important information should be included. You can create a task list and assign hours, which will help you forget that feeling and make you happier.
Review Your Routine
Take a moment to reflect on your weekly routine. Write down your usual distractions, habits, and stressors that prevent you from getting started on the work week with a bang. These could include scrolling social media, sharing memes, sipping extra coffee, etc. Write down the things you’ll do instead. Make a new routine that is uplifting and energizing. It should be visible from the beginning of Monday morning. Maybe you can apply a new time management framework to your work. If you work from home, you can also add an afternoon nap.
Clean Your Space
After a hectic week of work, you’re likely to have many files, loose papers, and future projects on your desk. Most of the time, you ignore this clutter and focus on the task. Friday is the best day to sort through your pile. Determine which pieces you may need again and which can be discarded. Even your digital space is also essential. Try to organize your inbox, desktop, and downloads. You can get rid of all those additional files and images on your download folder and desktop that you won’t need to use again. Organize items according to their importance and eliminate what isn’t required.
Prepare for Weekend
Even the most ambitious women can benefit from a weekend off. Give yourself a break. It can be hard to let work, and sometimes it feels like it’s hovering over you. Overworking yourself can lead to poor content. Therefore, give a lovely end to a whole week of work. It is one of the most important things to do on Friday. Plan to get together with your friends and enjoy your Friday night in your favorite restaurant. Or, you can go to the movie you have been eagerly waiting for days.