The Friday Play Day
It's the best day of the week.
Friday is the best day of the work week.
Not because it's the last barrier to the weekend, but because it's the day we have the most free time.
There are fewer meetings, people sign off early, and most urgent work is done. We have space to do what we want to do instead of being pulled in multiple directions. Our mind is free.
We are burnt out from the week and there's not much more brain power for work, but there's headspace for play.
Friday is my Play Day.
The "Play" Day
I call it "play" because I like to spend Fridays playing around.
Playing around with new technologies, new methodologies, new techniques, new ideas, and new tools. Things I normally don't have time to do during the busy week. Sometimes these activities turn into skills I use the future, sometimes not.
But that's the point.
Children play for the sake of play. Not for some objective. So when I play on Fridays, I play with no expectations. I play for the sake of itself.
Tactics to make time for the Friday Play Day
Although a play day sounds nice, you'll never get one if you don't play your cards right.
Set up your work week to increase the chances you will have time to play on Friday.
Here's what you can do:
- Don't schedule meetings on Friday. Don't schedule any of your own meetings when you want to play. If others schedule something for Friday, propose a new time or ask them to reschedule.
- Don't push anything to PROD on Friday. Most technical people know this rule. Mistakes happen and the last thing you want to do on Friday is having to fix a bug before the weekend. Don't fall into this trap.
- Finish all time sensitive work by Thursday. There's always urgent work that needs to be done. Do it by Thursday. Even if it's not due until EOW (end of week), do it by Thursday. Even if you have to deprioritize other work, do it by Thursday. Even if you have to cancel meetings, do it by Thursday.
You may not get a perfect play day every Friday, but implementing these tactics increases your chances of getting as much play time as possible.
Benefits of the Friday Play Day
Creativity.
With open headspace, you can be creative and think of new solutions to old problems. You can build the skills you've been itching to learn. You can explore ideas that have been in the back of your mind.
This is how you build a meaningful and antifragile career.
You must continue to learn and improve to craft the career that will bring you the most fulfillment. The play day gives you the space to start the learning process, to listen to yourself and do what's needed to progress on your path.
Sure, you can progress without a play day.
But why make it harder on yourself?
Why work so hard?
Just play.