How To Get Over Hump Day
Is Wednesday bringing you down? Maybe you’re viewing it as hump day then! In this post we look at a few simple solutions to help you stop thinking of Wednesdays as the mountain that needs to be climbed before you can reach your weekend.
Happy Wednesday! Or should that be Happy Hump Day?
There’s been a consensus around for years that Wednesday is the most unproductive day of the week. The initial burst of enthusiasm we feel coming back to work after a relaxing weekend starts to wane on Tuesday afternoon and by Wednesday lunch time we’re all consumed with thoughts of getting to Friday and, in turn, the weekend again.
The problem with this though is that if we continue life in this manner, are we actually achieving anything? Sure, we may be crossing some tasks off of our to-do lists but surely there’s more to life than responding to emails, remembering to clean the oven and finishing a work project only to start the whole same process again the following Monday?
Now, I’m not saying that we should all quit our jobs immediately and go off in search of something new and fulfilling – far from it in fact . Rather than view the week as an uphill slog to Wednesday lunchtime then a freewheel to Friday evening, we should be taking the time to look at ourselves, our work and personal lives, our outstanding tasks and our goals and aspirations.
So, what can we do to make our work week and ourselves less of a chore and more of a thing that we want to nurture and grow?
Start your day off the right way
Technically this applies to any day of the week but hey, we’re writing an article about Wednesday here!
You know what it’s like, you oversleep, spill your coffee, leave that report you were working on last night at home… argh!
Get everything you need ready the night before (including your outfit), so you’re not in a bad rush when you do get up late.
Also, try to fit in something that makes you feel good. Whether that’s having the time to listen to your favourite radio station, exercising or reading the paper having some “me” time can really put a positive spin on your day.
Don’t view Wednesday as a “Hump Day”
Wednesday is just another day after all. In fact, some studies have shown that after our initial burst of productivity on a Monday (clearing all of those emails out of our inbox, writing our to-dos for the week), Tuesday is the most unproductive day of the week.
Treat the middle of the week as an opportunity for review and reflection rather than the day of the week that marks the downhill to the weekend.
Break things into their small components
If you’re still struggling on a Wednesday with a seemingly never-ending list of items you need to complete, see if you can break these tasks down into smaller more achievable parts. Don’t write “Work on XYZ project” write down exactly what you want to work on e.g. “Gather distribution figures for 2014”. That way you can focusing on one item and work on getting it done rather than sitting there and thinking “I know I need to do something by what?”
Reflect, Review and React
Take some time out on Wednesday to look through what’s been happening in the past week and what you want to achieve in the next. Website “The Ladders” has some good tips on what to reflect on.
Change your scenery
Instead of sitting around Wednesday lunchtime thinking thoughts of Friday’s happy hour go for a walk in the park, sit in the library, just get away from your desk. Sometimes a simple change of location can revitalise us and help use regain agin lost productivity.
Do something nice for someone else
Helping someone with a task they’re stuck on or even simply holding the door open for someone can have a huge positive impact on your happiness and productivity levels.
What do you think? Is Wednesday a Hump Day or is it just another day of the week?
I’ve always found Tuesdays a bigger problem than Wednesdays, but then I am a bit odd! How about you? Do you struggle with Wednesdays or are they a breeze for you? Let us know in the comments!
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