Fridays don't have to be unproductive. Follow our top career tips for getting the most out of the day.
We all get that Friday feeling – but that doesn’t mean the day should be a write off. Before you finish up for the weekend, put your good mood to good use, and end the week on a positive note. These simple habits can lead to powerful results; you’ll improve your productivity, and your motivation, for the following week. You’ll take less stress home with you, so you can relax more this weekend – and as an added bonus?You’ll feel great on Monday morning, too. It’s win-win!
Make A Plan
Save yourself the stress on Monday morning by starting your week with a fresh to-do list, and with your weekly meetings pre-arranged. Prioritise your three most important goals for next week, and make sure you’ve left enough time to achieve them. Make sure there’s one thing on your schedule that you’re really looking forward to – if it’s not there, set it up; looking forward to coffee and a catch up with a colleague can give your mood a boost, and help you feel more positive about the week ahead.
Clear The Decks
Dedicate some time on a Friday afternoon to clearing out your inbox. It’s amazing how quickly those unnecessary CCs, newsletters and round-robin emails stack up, and we can feel overwhelmed when our inbox seems unmanageable. If something needs to be resolved next week, add it to the end of your list (see point 1, above!)
Give Yourself A Pat On The Back
Take a few minutes to reflect on your working week, and acknowledge the work you put in. What were your three greatest accomplishments? Bask a little in the glow of a job well done; you’ll take that sense of achievement and fulfilment into the following week.
Give Someone Else A Pat On The Back
Did anyone else contribute to this week’s success? Thank them for it! Drop them an email, give them a call or stroll over to their desk and let them know you’re grateful for their help. Remember it’s nice to be important…but it’s more important to be nice (and it will make you feel good, too).
Tidy Up
Before you leave the office for the week, take a few seconds to organise your paperwork, clean up your dirty coffee cups and tidy up your desk. You’ll have a fresh start for the week ahead; coming in to a nice environment will impact on your mood, and let you hit the ground running on Monday morning.
Now get out there and enjoy that weekend – you’ve earned it!
Looking for more careers advice? Why not download our free career development toolkit, which will help you develop a clear vision and action plan for your future, and take control of your career.
