What’s So Great About Tuesday?

You are here: Home » Lifestyle » What’s So Great About Tuesday?

What’s So Great About Tuesday?

Quick question: What day of the week do you work best?

If you said Tuesday, you’re not alone. Last year staffing company Robert Half International asked 150 senior executives to answer this question: “In your opinion, on which day of the week are employees generally most productive?”

Fifty-seven percent of respondents–nearly six in ten–chose Tuesday as the most productive day, echoing similar surveys conducted in prior years. Only 3% chose Friday (no surprise there).

Perhaps you guessed that Monday might be the most productive day? After all, we’ve had the weekend off, and are returning refreshed and rewnewed to the office. But, according to analysts, on Mondays many of us are still thinking about the weekend–we’re not fully “back in the saddle.” Also, in many companies Mondays tend to be the days when regularly-scheduled meetings occur; this decreases the time available for tasks and distracts focus. By Tuesday, most of us are ready to buckle down to work and focus on what needs to be done.

Unfortunately for productivity, not every day is Tuesday. But here are some tips for maximizing productivity on each of the work week’s other days–even on Friday, when most of us are distracted with thoughts of the coming weekend.

Make a plan on Monday. When you arrive at work Monday morning, you’re probably still in transition from the weekend. On top of that, Mondays are often filled with meetings, catching your pals up with what adventures you’ve had since Friday, and other distractions. Since Monday may not be your most productive day to begin with, use it to set the stage for the week. Take time to develop a to-do list and prioritize your projects for the days ahead.
Get movin’ on Tuesday. Focus efforts and establish momentum for the rest of your week. Tuesday is a good day to begin projects that require extended concentration. Try to arrange your time so you have few interruptions or meetings, because changing gears frequently hurts your productivity. For even more efficiency, try to cluster projects requiring similar resources.
Reassess on Wednesday. The week’s midpoint is a good time to figure out where you’re at and determine what remains to be done. Think about what you can reasonably accomplish in the remaining days. Do any of your planned tasks need to be pushed to the following week due to emergency projects or unforeseen hurdles? Make any necessary adjustments to get back on track.
Take a break on Thursday. Use Thursday to reward yourself for your hard work throughout the week and prepare for the final pre-weekend push. You might plan a lunch away from the office or take a walk with a colleague to re-energize. Or, if you’ve been working long hours, maybe you could leave the office a bit earlier than normal.
Be flexible on Friday. Try to pad your week’s schedule to have flexibility on Friday for wrapping up any unfinished tasks. Spend time organizing your desk, files, e-mail, etc. The point: making things neat for your Monday return to the office makes for a less-stressful weekend.

Remember: it’s natural for activity levels to fluctuate throughout the course of a week. By learning to identify your normal peaks and valleys when it comes to productivity, you can make the most of your work week, no matter what schedule you follow.

—————-
© Suzanne Rodriguez
—————