Getting Through Friday...The Results!

 

Greetings Divas and Gents! Here we are enjoying yet another Friday, and attempting to conquer what I affectionately call the Friday Slump. What in the world is the Friday Slump you ask? The Friday Slump is a feeling that overcomes many professionals at the end of the week. We push ourselves so hard at the beginning og the week, and by Friday we’re coasting on fumes. 

This is a common occurrence for me, and I hate the feeling. As such, a few weeks back  I issued myself a challenge. I came up with 6 challenges that could possibly help me to get through Friday (See Here!) Over the past few weeks, I committed myself to these actions, and I promised you guys that I would share the results with you…here are the results!

 

Challenge #1 - Mentally Prepare for Friday – Over the past few Thursdays, I looked at my weekly To Do List, and selected the remaining tasks that I intended to complete by Friday. The goal was to complete these tasks by any means necessary! 

The Results: Surprisingly, this worked out really well! I was able to zero in on the majority of the remaining tasks and complete them by close of business Friday. I felt extremely productive, and drilling in on these tasks made the day go by quicker! Diva 1…Friday 0

Challenge #2 - Go to Bed Early on Thursday – I challenged myself to hit the sack at a decent hour on Thursday nights, and by decent hour I meant before 11 PM. This challenge was important because Challenge #3 required me to go into the office early on Friday.

The Results: Fail! I suffer from chronic insomnia, so regardless of how early I actually got in the bed, I was still awake well past midnight. But I tried…I really did! Diva 1…Friday 1

Challenge #3 - Go in the Office Early – Instead of capitalizing on my typical 9-12 window of productivity, my goal was to capitalize on an 8-12 window. If done properly, leaving the office at 5 would not be an issue. This was all contingent on my success on Challenge #2.

The Results: Epic Fail! Went to sleep late…woke up late…got to the office at 9…as usual! Diva 1…Friday 2 (WTH!)

Challenge #4 - Leave the Office at 5 – This was my attempt to convince myself to go in the office earlier on Friday. My thought was that if I subconsciously knew that I will not be staying later than 5, I will diligently work to get through those items on my list.

The Results: Even though I failed miserably on Challenges #3 and #4, I still managed to work diligently throughout the day and get out of the office around 5ish. Somehow I knew I would complete this challenge! Diva 2…Friday 2 (I’m gaining on you sucka!)

Challenge #5 - Schedule Meetings for Friday Afternoon – Assuming I was as productive as I wanted to be on Friday morning, my goal was to schedule several meetings during Friday afternoon to break up my day. This way, my afternoon would fly by!

The Results: Winning! I successfully filled my Friday afternoons with meetings, many of which were already on my weekly To-Do List. As a result, Friday was a breeze! Diva 3…Friday 2

Challenge #6 - Plan Something Fun for Friday Night – My goal was to plan something fun on Friday night to look forward to throughout the day.

The Results: Can I be honest for a second? In my experience, Friday is typically an exhausting day. This is primarily due to the fact that I usually have a hectic an busy work week. By the time Friday rolls around, my idea of a good time is sitting on my couch and catching up on the week’s worth of Wendy Williams Show episodes I have stored on my DVR. I know this sounds lame as all hell, but it’s what I like to do! And the truth is that I actually look forward to it. As such, I am claiming success for this challenge. Diva 4…Friday 2

And there you have it! I have successfully managed to conquer Friday and I am  once again a certified rock star! There are definitely a few things that I need to work on, like this whole insomnia thing, but I am working on it. I swear!

How about you guys? Have you successfully conquered Friday? Please share your stories and some tips in the comment section below. And Happy Friday!!!

P.S. Here's a little something to get your blood flowing this Friday!

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Happy Friday!!!

Here's a little something to start your weekend off right! This song always makes me feel happy whenever I hear it. In the spirit of sharing, please allow me to send a little happiness your way. Have a great weekend!

 

So tonight
Gotta leave that nine to five up on the shelf
And just enjoy yourself
Groove
Let the madness in the music get to you
Life ain't so bad at all
If you live it off the wall

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Getting Through Friday...The Challenge!

I work HARD all week...kind of. Each Monday I start the work week with a burst of energy. I have rested through the weekend, and I walk into the office on Monday feeling like a new creature! The night before, I had planned my assignments and goals for the entire week, and I declared to my To-Do List “you’re going down, sucka!” Typically, my week looks a little something like this:

Monday: Highly productive…crossed 5 items off the list before noon…certified rock star status…Beyonce who?!

Tuesday: Still extremely productive, but not like Monday… crossed off a few more items on the list…mini rock star status…now the opening act for Beyonce, but at least I’m still in the building!

Wednesday: Eh! Slightly productive…crossed one item off the list, but I should have crossed off two…rock star who hasn’t released an album in a few years status…now standing backstage at the Beyonce concert.

Thursday: Nothing crossed off the list, but I’ve added 5 more things…had a 1½ hour lunch just to get out of the office…drank an extra Coke Zero because I need the extra caffeine…rock star who released a horrible album…had to buy a ticket to Beyonce’s concert.

Friday: Flatline………………..

What happened!? What happened is what usually happens to many professionals. We push ourselves so hard at the beginning of the week, and by Friday we’re coasting on fumes. This happens to me every single week! Don’t get me wrong…I work diligently throughout the week and I always get the job done on time and fabulously. By Friday, however, it takes me much longer to finish a task than it would have on Monday. I need to fix this!

As I do with any problem I encounter, I have come up with 6 action that could possibly help me to get through Friday. I have no clue whether these things will work, but I’m willing to try anything! Check back here in a month to see if it works!

1. Mentally Prepare for Friday – Just as I mentally prepare for the beginning of the week, I will mentally prepare for Friday. On Thursday nights, I will look at my To Do List, and select the remaining tasks that I intended to complete by Friday. My goal for Friday will be to complete these tasks by any means necessary!

2. Go to Bed Early on Thursday – On Thursdays, I will hit the sack at a decent hour, and by decent hour I mean before 11 PM. An early bedtime is integral to item number 3, which is…

3. Go in the Office Early – I’m the type of person who is super productive before noon. Instead of capitalizing on a 9-12 window, I plan to capitalize on an 8-12 window. This gives me an extra hour of productivity. Unfortunately, this means I have to wake up an hour early…I guess I can do it! This way, I can….

4. Leave the Office at 5 – This is completely mental. I think I can convince myself to go in the office earlier on Friday if I subconsciously know that I will not be staying later than 5. Until 5, I will diligently get through those items on my list. Whatever works right?

5. Schedule Meetings for Friday Afternoon – Assuming I’m as productive as I want to be on Friday morning, I will try to schedule several meetings during Friday afternoon to break it up a bit. Thursday is typically a heavy meeting day for me…I will simply spread the meetings out so that Friday doesn’t fell lonely. And my afternoon will fly by!

6. Plan Something Fun for Friday Night – Having something to look forward to after work usually keeps me motivated throughout the day. Whether it’s staying in and watching a movie or going to the local diner with my hubby, I will try to plan something fun on Friday night to look forward to throughout the day.

So, this is my challenge to myself. I am determined to fight to overcome my downward spiral throughout the week. I’ll let you all know how it turns out…keep your fingers crossed!

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