One of my biggest pet peeves at the workplace is when co-workers celebrate the arrival of the most overrated day of the week, Friday, or what some may call, Fri-yay.
Whenever someone asks me what I plan to do for the weekend, they are expecting my answer to be something interesting and exciting, such as partying for 48 hours, jet skiing, taking a trip to Vegas, or any other thrilling adventure that will extend the conversation. Unfortunately for them, my weekends are usually spent at home getting other work done, relaxing, taking care of my body, and catching up on The Daily Show. Some people plan to chill with family and friends or catch up on sleep.
Whatever the reason, they are psyched it is finally Fri-yay.
I know I can’t speak for everyone, but there is an ugly reality about the day before the weekend. It is still a work day, and once the day is over, there are only two days in which to rest, have fun, and accomplish errands.
How am I able to take care of the kids, finish laundry, study for my master's degree, go to my exercise classes, catch up on sleep, read that novel it’s taking forever to finish, go to church, catch up with friends, mow the lawn, visit my parents,…….and finally have quiet time to myself in TWO days?
Which ones will YOU choose?
Plus, Fridays are usually one of the busiest work days for many companies—Monday being the other—as customers are unloading their services at the last minute, and employees are cramming their assignments on that one grand day before the weekend.
Two days is all we have to take care of responsibilities and rest before we tackle a new five-day workweek. And once the week is over, we get to do it all over again.
Don't get me wrong. I do love Friday. It's one of the funniest movies ever made and an all-time classic in Black cinema.
The sequels were hilarious as well.
But I have no extra love for the actual day.
No Time to Relax
I would imagine most people are tired after ending a long shift. They don’t feel like going to the gym, cooking dinner, helping their kids with their homework, or whatever responsibilities they have in their lives. They may just want to veg on the couch and listen to the TV while trying to take their minds off of waking up to go to work the next morning. Instead of relaxing, they use the weekends to catch up on things.
But what about that one day of rest?
Religious people believe Sunday should be the day for rest. The day to do absolutely NO work and just R-E-L-A-X. If you are an atheist, don't worry, you are also entitled to a day of rest. Unfortunately, times have changed. Our lives are busier than ever. We have found ourselves taking too many responsibilities just to support ourselves. We’re doing our best to keep our minds occupied so we don’t get bored. We want to do everything and be there for everyone.
There just has to be a time to recharge. There just has to!
No Time to Relish Fun
Some people like to do fun events on Sundays, such as boating on the lake, attending the NASCAR event, watching the Sunday fights, or watching that special event on TV that ends late at night. By the time they go to bed, they realize their fantasy has ended and they must return to the cold reality of Monday morning once again.
No Time for Me
Having me time for a few hours is fine. Half a day is also pleasant. But a day has only twenty-four hours. With sleep and eating, the average person will have used up at least eleven of those twenty-four hours. Nine or, Heaven forbid, the remaining thirteen hours are used for work and/or other activities, leaving zero time for the self.
Life’s distractions, whether they are enjoyable or strenuous, prevent us from keeping in touch with ourselves. We may forget to meditate for an hour or surf the ocean waves as a much-needed requirement to melt the stress away. If you have a family, doing me-time can feel like a burdensome chore.
As I mentioned before, people are busier than ever, and many are struggling to find proper balance in living a healthy life. Some of us find ourselves using the two-day weekend to share with others and never having alone time. Bottom line, there needs to be a balance between living for others and yourself. It's great to be there for others, but solidarity needs attention also.
Answer: Three-Day Weekend
A three-day weekend can work in this scenario for the average employee:
Saturday is the day to handle errands and have fun.
Sunday is the day to relax, have more fun, and take care of any remaining responsibilities.
Monday is the day to do nothing.
No longer will Monday be the saddest day of the week. Send the kids to a babysitter. Have food delivered if there are no more leftovers. Your job is to abandon all responsibilities and recharge. When Tuesday arrives, that congested morning traffic will not seem like an endless nightmare.
In proven studies, companies that have transitioned to the four-day workweek have shown higher productive rates from their employees. When workers are happy and can better manage their lives, the turnover rate declines.
Rebuttals
Maybe it's time for a vacation, some will say. Sure we can take a week or two off, but when we come back, we have to return to that endless loop and have our minds and bodies drained again and again.
I know there are people who love their jobs and don’t mind the five-day workweek. There are even those who prefer having no days off. To them, work is not actually work. It is life. I envy these people. Unfortunately, every person is not going to attain their dream job.
These people find themselves in survivor mode, where they work to become gainfully employed, which helps them to pay the bills to survive in this harsh jungle called life. For whatever reason, they haven’t attained their dream job. If they are satisfied with just surviving, I would imagine a three-day weekend would help them to enjoy life a little more. Just my opinion.
Lastly, I also want to express my annoyance over the celebration of Wednesday, the middle of the week where workers encourage colleagues to, Hang tough; you’re almost at the finish line. By the time Wednesday arrives, they are probably already drained. So to all of the Hump Day enthusiasts, please stop.
Not necessarily recommending a four-day weekend, but the thought does sound pleasant.
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