by Edward J. Thomas

Created on: May 24, 2009

Friday is the day most people look forward to more than any of the other days of the week. From week to week, we count down the days in eager anticipation of its arrival. Friday is the end of the school week, the end of the work week, and of course, the beginning of the weekend. This highly significant position in the lineup of days is what makes Friday extra special. It is important to do whatever is necessary to make the transition out of our sometimes frenzied and chaotic environs into the promised land of rest and relaxation as smooth as possible.

One way the transition to tranquility can be eased for students is by teachers observing the unwritten but almost universally accepted rule of no homework on Fridays. Having a homework assignment due at the start of the next week casts a shadow over the entire weekend, as the task is likely to loom large until the very last minute. The time has come for school boards across the nation to act. A policy needs to be enacted due to the fact that there are educators among us that are unwilling to voluntarily give young minds the break from academia they need.

Those that are in the corporate world usually have more control over how the end of the work week plays out. For the most part, it simply boils down to being able to set just the right pace like a disciplined long distance runner. It is all too easy to begin looking forward to the weekend, but first and foremost, all unfinished business from earlier in the week needs to be wrapped up. The primary objectives for Friday are to have all work completed before lunch and to avoid having any new work finding its way onto your plate after lunch. In order to accomplish all those pending tasks, distractions should be avoided at all costs. There are ways to minimize the interruptions and to divert those chores that are flung at the unprepared worker bee usually near the end of the day.

If the phone rings do not answer it; run to the restroom or grab more coffee. The most natural strategy would be to alternate between the two. If an unscheduled visitor shows up, grab the phone and wave the unwelcome guest off. The best way to handle email is to respond with a lengthy reply. The message needs to be long enough to discourage the reader from crafting a speedy reply and if there was any work being tossed your way, deflect it by requesting more information. Be sure to end with a question.

There are several techniques that can be employed in order to insure that at the end of the day, the weekend amnesia can be allowed to kick in so that everything that transpired throughout the week can be forgotten all through the weekend and the next week can begin with a blank slate.

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