In business, Friday seems to be pretty hit or miss. You’re either getting a bunch of last minute emails that people send out because they have no intention of getting a response until Monday or…
You get no emails.
If you’re like me then you know that Friday is pretty dead.
That can be frustrating as a startup founder because you want those inquiries coming in so you can grow. But Friday just isn’t the day that most people are looking for tools, products and services.
I’ve actually found that I like these Fridays. They’re a chance to step back from the day-to-day business work and look at the big picture.
Here is how you can take advantage of the Friday Business Lull so you can build an even better business.
Step 1: Get Up Early
I know this is hard for some people, but if you can get up early one day a week I would suggest doing it on Friday. Everybody is ready for the weekend and there is nothing better than finishing up work early on a Friday so you can jet out of the office early for an extra long weekend.
Getting up early also means you’re up before most people and that means even fewer emails and more time to get regular work done in the morning.
I usually roll out of bed anywhere between 4:30 and 5:30 AM. From there I’ll take a minute to wake up with a cup of coffee, but by 6:00 AM I’m on my computer getting regular work done.
Step 2: Get Regular Work Done Within Two Hours
There is usually something to get done as far as regular work on Friday morning. GBW has clients in Australia so there are usually a few emails. I’ll take care of those and other business right away.
Send out emails that need to be sent. Finish off work that can be finished and plan your tasks for early next week. Get it all done bright and early in the morning. This frees up so much time for what we’ll talk about next.
Step 3: Catch Up On Your Reading
After I get through the early work I’ll take some time for reading. My new favorite iPhone app is Pocket. I wish I had known about it earlier. I can save stories from throughout the week that I never have time to read and read them all on Friday morning.
It might be a news story about something interesting or it might be a blog post about the blogging industry. But I also add the occasional story from Longreads, which is one of my favorite sites.
Reading seems to rewire my brain to get it thinking in different ways, which is important for the next item on the list.
Step 4: Take 2 Hours For Big Thinking
After al that stuff gets done (usually before noon) I like to take some time to do some “big thinking”. This is what I consider to be the big picture brainstorming about the business. I like to think about the vision for the business. I’ll step back from tasks and think about what’s working and what’s not working.
I look at things that are working and try to figure out ways to scale those. I’ll look at what’s not working and think about how we can either fix it or phase it out of the business.
Big thinking is huge for the Friday Lull. You get so stuck in the day-to-day tasks that there is little time for big thinking. You can really take advantage of the down time on Friday to think about the big stuff, which is very important for the success of a business.
Step 5: Catch Up With Colleagues
Finally, take a colleague to lunch or even hit the golf course for 9 holes with a friend or two. I love golfing and there is nothing better than enjoying a nice summer day with a good friend or two. Golf is perfect because you’re only actually playing for about 10 minutes out of 2 hours. The rest of the time you’re walking around and you can chit chat about anything.
It’s a good time for building your network and also for learning what other people in the business world are up to.
Final Thoughts
If your Fridays are’t particularly busy then you have an opportunity to improve your business. Try the steps included in this post. I really feel they will improve your business. I know it’s been great for GBW and it’s even great for me personally. It gives you a chance to breathe a little after a long, busy week.