Productivity on Friday is not as good as most would like. Many of us are guilty of treating Friday as a more laid back and relaxed day and thinking for it TGIF: “Thank God It's Friday”.
Fridays are simply great! Why? Because it symbolizes the end of the working week and kickstarts the weekend. There is simply less urgency to have to get things done.
The “it can wait until Monday” mentality is very common. We understand it. You are tired. You've had a busy week and are really looking forward to your plans for the weekend.
But there is still something you could do to get more done in general if you do your best to increase your productivity on Fridays before closing the office or workday for the weekend.
Here are 7 easy-to-implement productivity tips you can use today on Friday to boost your productivity at work:
Clean up your tasks in your inbox
We all want to get the Monday off to a good start after a wonderful weekend. So why not use Friday to clear your inbox?
Answer any emails you wanted to deal with. This way you can tick off at least one task on your to-do list, you don't have to spend time on the weekend thinking about the emails you have to answer on Monday and you can have a fresh and fruity tidy next week. tackle. Start with the most important item in your To do list and work your way through the list until it is complete.
Schedule meetings
Scheduling meetings, meetings and calls for Friday is a great way to take advantage of a day when your productivity is generally low. Most people have less scheduled on Fridays and this is a lighter way for them to end the week with meeting (s).
Use these meetings on Fridays to close the week and plan for the coming week. Ideally, plan your meetings in the morning or early afternoon. Of course, no one wants a Friday afternoon meeting to delay and delay the start of a great weekend!
Save simple routine tasks for Friday
Let's face it: once Friday comes around, most of us have less motivation and energy. By the end of the week, we're often burned out, so now is the perfect time to do routine tasks that actually require little thought.
The tasks you do depend of course on your work or activities. Choose tasks that don't require deep concentration - small, simple tasks such as checking your work schedule, keeping track of projects and their status, making phone calls, and other routine tasks that help you organize your work.
Schedule a reward for yourself this weekend
Most of us could use a little motivation to increase our productivity on Fridays and get more work done. A weekend reward can be just what you need to get through your to-do list.
The reward doesn't have to be something complicated. It can be as simple as a slice of pizza from your favorite restaurant, a night out (or hanging out on the couch) with a good movie, or something else you enjoy exceptionally. Sometimes all we need is just that little incentive to put in the extra effort at the end of the week!
Avoid the start of new projects
Just as a project go live or software update is out of the question on Friday, it is also not the best day to start a completely new project. After a busy week, it can be challenging to have the focus and mental ability to wrap your head around a new project.
Rather than struggling to get the project started, work on less challenging tasks so you can still get more done. Moreover, such a new project and all the action points will also bother you in your head during the weekend. So absolutely, if possible, avoid starting new projects at the end of the week.
Start planning for Monday
One of the most effective ways to use your time on Friday, especially in the afternoon, is to start planning for Monday. Spending some time planning the week ahead can really jump-start the week ahead. It will help you get things in order and have a better understanding and control of what to expect next week.
Email-free Friday afternoons
Let's face it, no one responds to (or likes to receive) important, urgent emails on Friday afternoon. Most people are already out of the house on Friday. People take vacation days or hours and sometimes prefer to leave earlier. This generally makes Friday more relaxed at the office or in your mailbox. This is actually a great opportunity for you as there will be less distraction.
If you still have the energy, energy and mental capacity, use this time to concentrate on your work for a while. Make Fridays meaningful to you. Do not send emails or social media messages. You have more time to focus on your work and still get a lot done to increase your productivity on Friday. Enter the weekend feeling like you've really done a lot of work. Close Friday strongly and prepare for a successful Monday.
Finally, about productivity on Friday
If you're like most, Friday is notorious for being your least productive day. But that doesn't mean you have to write off the Friday completely. Use some (or all!) Of these tips and by the time the weekend arrives, you'll be sure to make a big dent in your to-do list.
Enjoy your weekend!
Sources include EverydayPower (AND), Inc (AND), Randstad (AND), TheMuse (AND)
