Sometimes Friday is a tough day to do the same old same at the office.
There can be a full day of calls and meetings. Or there might be a huge stockpile of emails that need to be answered. Those things tend to fill up throughout the week and by Friday it can seem like a good idea to leave it for the weekend.
Throughout my life I’ve had the luck to be able to watch really successful businessmen and businesswomen. I’ve seen what the best do on Friday. It’s a little different than just punching the clock and taking care of the normal business.
I don’t think there’s a science to what these successful people were doing, but they seem to something figured out when it comes to being successful.
So based on my observation only (no science here), these are the things successful people do on Friday that others might ignore and overlook.
1. Read The Latest Industry News
One thing I noticed about successful people is that they’re usually reading. They read most days, but on Friday they seem to pay a little extra attention to what’s happening in the world and in their industry. Friday is usually a day when things aren’t as crazy in the office so they use that time to pay attention to outside forces.
2. Workout
Friday is usually the day that people take off when it comes to working out. I know I’ve done it. But the boss usually takes Friday as the day that they can get to the gym to workout. The gym is less busy so they can really get in and get some work done without be distracted. And it’s also a time when they can be alone with their thoughts. No meetings. No distractions. Just the boss alone with their thoughts.
3. Take A Co-Worker To Lunch
This is an interesting one. I don’t know that others overlook it. Friday is a common day to go to work with your co-workers. But what was always interesting when the boss did it was that he or she got the chance to learn about you. They ask about what’s going on in personal lives and also what’s going on at work. Sometimes you have to get to know the people that work with you.
4. Go For A Walk
Walks are great for many reasons. You get a little exercise, but you also get a few minutes alone with your thoughts. When you’re out walking, leave the phone back in the office and just enjoy the fresh air and the chance to think about your business and life in general.
5. Visit Or Talk To Co-Workers
Like going to lunch, this is an opportunity to get to know the people you work with. At my last job, the CEO would usually walk around on Fridays. He would stop at the front desk and in every office. He would talk to everyone. It was almost always small talk. He was good at it and it was really nice to get to know him. He was usually so busy the other days. I’m sure it also gave him a chance to get to know the people at the company.
6. Prioritize The Coming Week
This is a big one. It’s easy to close things down and let things sit until Monday. Successful people don’t do that. They plan the upcoming week. But they don’t only plan it. They prioritize it. They do the most important things (think money and profit) and focus on those early in the week. That allows them to focus on other things later in the week like on their Friday.
7. Nap
I’m a big fan of naps. Fridays are tough for me. I’m usually wiped out by the end of the week. But Friday can be a day when you go visit family and friends. It might be date night with you and your significant other. I can’t make it through the evening without a nap during the day. It’s something I had to do out of necessity, but I noticed that successful people take naps too. They take 20 minutes in the afternoon after lunch and buy themselves an extra couple hours later in the evening.
8. Ignore The Phone
Some people are glued to their phone. Busy bosses and entrepreneurs are especially in-tune with the phone. But you can’t let it hold you back. Leave the phone at home or turn it off on Friday. Don’t schedule calls. If someone does call that’s not a family member with an emergency then let it go to voicemail. Let the business calls wait until Monday. Put them on your priority list. Friday is for thinking.
9. Analyze The Previous Week
Friday is also a chance to think about what happened during the week. You can see if you’re doing what needs to be done and if priorities are in line. Sometimes you can get caught up in the little things that the week flies by. Assess the week and if something is off then make plans to switch it the coming week.
10. Tell Staff Members Thank You
I really appreciated this one. The boss would come around and thank employees for things they done a good job with. Again, you can get really caught up in the work. You can expect employees to do things and that’s fine because they are getting paid, but people really appreciate a thank you once in a while. It can go a long way.
11. Stick With Routine
Friday is usually a day to slack off on the routine. But successful people stick with it. They do what they’ve done for years. Think about a professional golfer like Tiger Woods. He probably didn’t take many Friday mornings off when it came to practicing. I’m guessing he went through the same routine on Friday that he did each of the days before. Eat the same breakfast. Go to the gym. Do the little things that got you where you are today.
12. Tie-Up Loose Ends Before The Weekend
Finally, nothing is worse than going into the weekend with thoughts of work weighing you down. Tie things up by taking care of what you can today or making plans to take care of it next week. By addressing it this way you’ll clear it out of your mind.
Interesting stuff right?
Do you do these things on Friday? If you do then you’re in good company and if you don’t you’re still probably doing alright. The key seems to be finding things that keep you focused on the important things in the long-term. Sometimes it pays to have one day each week when you take it easy from the grind so you can look at the big picture. That’s what the best of the best seem to do.