Ideal day of week for a day off (1 Viewer)

[NutterButter]

This is for taking a PTO day. I know that the 3 day weekend approach will run away with this (and I certainly enjoy a long weekend) but I do like the psychology of that Wed day off. Monday you're still easing in from the weekend. Tuesday feels more like a Friday b/c you know you have off the next day. Thursday is like a mini monday and Friday speaks for itself. All week you're either off or feeling the effects of being off. Btw, I took off today.

 

[bro1ncos]

Voted 3-day weekend, but you are right that the occasional mid-week break is a nice change of pace.

 

[Nugget]

T2T

10-2, Tuesday to Thursday.

 

[3 hour lunch]

I like Tuesday or Thursday because it turns into a 4 day weekend with a day of PTO or even without, really; considering how many people take it off. To me Wednesday is the worst

 

[NutterButter]

I like Tuesday or Thursday because it turns into a 4 day weekend with a day of PTO or even without, really; considering how many people take it off. To me Wednesday is the worst

This is for taking a day off; not talking company day off. So you'd need to take two PTO days to make that happen. I've come to learn I'm really good at making unclear polls.

 

[Fat Nick]

I think it strongly depends on what you are planning to do on your day off. The 3-day weekend is key for longer activities. You can take a short trip or do something overnight or engage in a longer home project or something. If you're literally just looking for one day to do something - especially by yourself, I'd vote mid-week, with Thursday being ideal IMO. If you do Thursday, you essentially work a 3 day week and can come back on Friday to a relatively slow day followed by the actual weekend.

 

[3 hour lunch]

I like Tuesday or Thursday because it turns into a 4 day weekend with a day of PTO or even without, really; considering how many people take it off. To me Wednesday is the worst

This is for taking a day off; not talking company day off. So you'd need to take two PTO days to make that happen. I've come to learn I'm really good at making unclear polls.

Ah, hadn’t had my coffee yet. I’ll say Monday then, since Friday is normally pretty chill already

 

[Zow]

Friday because of golf (my club has a fun gambling group on Fridays).

Note: A "day off" for me is defined differently because I genuinely can't go more than a day without responding back to clients so my days off usually still consist of working 30-60 minutes - usually immediately when waking up - to respond to emails and call a client or opposing counsel back when there is an emergent issue to address.

 

[NutterButter]

I think it strongly depends on what you are planning to do on your day off. The 3-day weekend is key for longer activities. You can take a short trip or do something overnight or engage in a longer home project or something. If you're literally just looking for one day to do something - especially by yourself, I'd vote mid-week, with Thursday being ideal IMO. If you do Thursday, you essentially work a 3 day week and can come back on Friday to a relatively slow day followed by the actual weekend.

Hmm, I like your thinking on that Thursday strategy. Its even better if you're remote on Friday. You can probably even make that work as a quasi 4-day weekend for longer activities where you can get a little ahead of whatever work you need to do for Friday on Thursday, log in for a bit on Friday and then finish up over the weekend if necessary.

 

[Manster]

Only thing better than a 3 day weekend?


A 4 day weekend

 

[freakinback2]

Used to take Wednesdays but prefer the three-day weekend more. Middle of the week killed my workflow and felt like two Mondays.

 

[General Malaise]

Only thing better than a 3 day weekend?


A 4 day weekend

A close second is the 4 day work week coming off a 3 day weekend.

 

[-fish-]

I changed my schedule a couple years back to stop working on Fridays. It's great. I take a lot of short trips where I leave on Thursday night and come back on Sunday (or Monday if I want to take a day off or tie it to a holiday).

 

[titusbramble]

I mean for a one off it is clearly weekend (Friday compared to Monday, all other things being equal is a debate), but I do wonder how this question would differ if it was a regular thing. My old work offered a four-day week option and I'm kind of thinking the peak option would be to choose Wednesday as the day off to limit the drag at any given time to two days tops. Might make a new thread later

 

[Don Quixote]

If I just take off a Wednesday, it never feels like a break. With just the one day, I’ll still get pings and e-mails with stuff like “I see you are OOO, but can you take a look at this one thing” or “When you are back tomorrow, could you look at this?” So, it feels like all of the questions/calls that would come to me on Wednesday just get added to my pile for Thursday, and I end up working later on Thursday/Friday to make up for being out on Wednesday, and all I’ve done is used PTO one day and worked overtime for free the next couple of days.

I’d rather lean into the usually slower day of Friday, as I can enjoy the day a bit more without the dread of what coming back to. And if someone needs an answer by the weekend, a better chance they will find someone else.

 

[belljr]

If I'm taking a random day off. I like Wednesday

Since I work 4 10s I would not want to be here late on Fridays so I do every Friday for a 3 day weekend

So a random pto for me is a Thursday

::Math:

 

[Gally]

As someone mentioned upthread it really depends on the purpose of the day off. Typically a mid week day off is great if you have appointments and things to do that you can't typically do on weekends. Dr's appt, New tires, go to bank (if people still do that), car detailing, etc. Nice to have everything open and usually less busy to just get crap done.

If it's for rest and relaxation or mini vacation then Friday/Monday is the way to go and which day depends on what you are doing.

All things being equal I prefer taking Monday's off because then you have a 4 day work week to follow. Everyone hates Monday's so not having to go in is great. Plus Friday's are usually slower and people duck out early so it's kind of a half day anyway so just better. Why waste a PTO day on an easy day of work?

I do like the idea of taking a Thursday instead of a Wednesday for midweek leaving with just Friday to catch up from being off Thursday and then the weekend. Seems like a great way to go.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

For those with a regular 5 day week I always liked a Wednsday off so never more than 2 days in a row of working.

 

[Zow]

I changed my schedule a couple years back to stop working on Fridays. It's great. I take a lot of short trips where I leave on Thursday night and come back on Sunday (or Monday if I want to take a day off or tie it to a holiday).

Yeah I work my tail off M-Th to try to be done by mid-morning Friday. Definitely a great feeling when it works out.

 

[Manster]

I changed my schedule a couple years back to stop working on Fridays. It's great. I take a lot of short trips where I leave on Thursday night and come back on Sunday (or Monday if I want to take a day off or tie it to a holiday).

This is what I do often. My fishing buddy has fridays off so I will take the day off meet him on the river for a 3 day fishing trip

 

[NutterButter]

I think I need to create another poll asking whether people actually go on these long weekend trips? I see this mentioned a lot but personally never do it myself. For me, its uncommon to go for less than 9 days (sat - following sun) but typically longer. Granted I do typically work during some of it.

 

[The General]

Def weekend adjacent.

I’m typically WFH Mon - Tuesday. Everyone wanted Thur - Fri.

Mon Tuesday has worked out great. Sunday feels like Friday now. Friday the office is empty and everyone who is there is in a good mood. Traffic is super light.

 

[Ilov80s]

The tougher call is do you prefer F-S-S or S-S-M off. The first is better IMO if you want have fun and do stuff. That's the fun long weekend. The S-S-M is more about resting. Mondays are usually pretty quiet so you are likely to get that whole day be a homebody.

 

[urbanhack]

Monday to Thursday for sure. I have it down to close to 4.5 days now. I can pretty much skirt after a half day on most Fridays. I'm on the west coast and 99% of the people I work with are in New York or Europe.

 

[urbanhack]

Almost everything I do involves finishing earlier.

 

[Cowboysfan8]

I changed my schedule a couple years back to stop working on Fridays. It's great. I take a lot of short trips where I leave on Thursday night and come back on Sunday (or Monday if I want to take a day off or tie it to a holiday).

This
I worked four 10s (Mon-Thurs) for a few years. Awesome
Doing it again this week

 

[Cowboysfan8]

think I need to create another poll asking whether people actually go on these long weekend trips?

Beach
Saratoga
Casino
Friday night concert out of town

 

[Zow]

I changed my schedule a couple years back to stop working on Fridays. It's great. I take a lot of short trips where I leave on Thursday night and come back on Sunday (or Monday if I want to take a day off or tie it to a holiday).

This
I worked four 10s (Mon-Thurs) for a few years. Awesome
Doing it again this week

Yeah that’s my ideal schedule if I could limit work to forty hours per week.

 

[Goldminer1]

I work 7-3 M-F. If I'm taking a day it is almost exclusively weekend adjacent.
My "tip" is to take the day that others typically don't - when trying to extend long weekends.
For example, for MLK weekend, when everyone has Monday off, most people take the previous Friday. I don't. I take the day after MLK Day (Tuesday) off.
The way I see it, that Friday before is a "coast" day anyway and I can get through it easily. If I take the Tuesday instead, I get a 4 day weekend followed by a 3 day week.

 

[Gally]

f I take the Tuesday instead, I get a 4 day weekend followed by a 3 day week.

The underrated part of taking the day after the weekend off is that you have a short work week following. When taking the day off before the weekend once your long weekend is over you have a full work week. Getting that short work week after a long weekend is so much nicer. It feels like cheating the work week a little bit.

 

[Major]

When I was studying in Denmark, I really loved our Wednesday mid week break. You're basically working two days before you get a Friday night. It's highly underrated unless you've tried it and breaks up the week quite nicely. You also avoid that pain I'd often get checking in early Monday morning.

 

[Manster]

I think I need to create another poll asking whether people actually go on these long weekend trips? I see this mentioned a lot but personally never do it myself. For me, its uncommon to go for less than 9 days (sat - following sun) but typically longer. Granted I do typically work during some of it.

I never even took a week off of work until the last few years…..I turn 50 this year.

I’m now covering for a co-worker who took 2 weeks off. Seems crazy to me to take that much time off. I wouldn’t want to come back!

 

[Gally]

I’m now covering for a co-worker who took 2 weeks off. Seems crazy to me to take that much time off. I wouldn’t want to come back!

One week up to 10 days is a solid vacation. Taking two weeks off definitely would be too much with respect to wanting to come back. I have never taken that long of a vacation. It just seems like it's too long..hahah

 

[NutterButter]

When I was studying in Denmark, I really loved our Wednesday mid week break. You're basically working two days before you get a Friday night. It's highly underrated unless you've tried it and breaks up the week quite nicely. You also avoid that pain I'd often get checking in early Monday morning.

That Friday feels especially nice b/c you did the equivalent three days earlier; 2 Friday feelings in the same week. I am excited about trying the Thursday approach next.

 

[Sullie]

Good thread idea. I just now took Friday and Monday off!

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

My wife gets a work from home day each week and normally she uses it for Wednesday.

Makes her feel like she works part-time and just breaks up the monotony.

 

[nirad3]

My wife gets a work from home day each week and normally she uses it for Wednesday.

Makes her feel like she works part-time and just breaks up the monotony.

I work from home on Wednesdays, too. It's great, perfect mid-week break to go grocery shopping, do some laundry, etc. I am rarely at my home office desk for more than 20-30 minutes at a time on Wednesdays. Although... if I travel for work it is sometimes on a Wednesday.

 

[Gally]

I work from home on Wednesdays, too. It's great, perfect mid-week break to go grocery shopping, do some laundry, etc. I am rarely at my home office desk for more than 20-30 minutes at a time

Doesn't really sound like "work". It's more like day off and check emails to look like I am working. hhahahaha

 

[Zow]

My wife gets a work from home day each week and normally she uses it for Wednesday.

Makes her feel like she works part-time and just breaks up the monotony.

This makes sense to me as a work from home day.

I still nonetheless think I'd take the Friday for golf and because my family does a lot of weekend trips with our kids getting out of school at noon on Fridays.

 

[nirad3]

I work from home on Wednesdays, too. It's great, perfect mid-week break to go grocery shopping, do some laundry, etc. I am rarely at my home office desk for more than 20-30 minutes at a time

Doesn't really sound like "work". It's more like day off and check emails to look like I am working. hhahahaha

Pretty much

 

[urbanhack]

I work 7-3 M-F. If I'm taking a day it is almost exclusively weekend adjacent.
My "tip" is to take the day that others typically don't - when trying to extend long weekends.
For example, for MLK weekend, when everyone has Monday off, most people take the previous Friday. I don't. I take the day after MLK Day (Tuesday) off.
The way I see it, that Friday before is a "coast" day anyway and I can get through it easily. If I take the Tuesday instead, I get a 4 day weekend followed by a 3 day week.

I do the same thing around the holidays. I use my PTO elsewhere and typically work the weeks of x mas and new years while everyone else is off. I'm working but it's slow...

 

[Ministry of Pain]

This is for taking a PTO day. I know that the 3 day weekend approach will run away with this (and I certainly enjoy a long weekend) but I do like the psychology of that Wed day off. Monday you're still easing in from the weekend. Tuesday feels more like a Friday b/c you know you have off the next day. Thursday is like a mini monday and Friday speaks for itself. All week you're either off or feeling the effects of being off. Btw, I took off today.

When Mrs Mop and I were younger and living in Tampa in the 90s, we would go out on Wednesday Nights to Ybor and party as long as we could get away with it vs work the next day
We needed a mid week break, couldn't wait until the weekend. It follows the general vibe of what you're saying.

My wife prefers the M or F day off now to make a 3 day weekend, she thinks 2 days is just never enough time on the weekend
My son's company is thinking of going to four 10 hour days and giving everyone a 3 day weekend

 

[northern exposure]

At this point in my working life, the ideal day for a day off of work is any day of the week that ends in "y" ! Har har.

 

[Zow]

I work 7-3 M-F. If I'm taking a day it is almost exclusively weekend adjacent.
My "tip" is to take the day that others typically don't - when trying to extend long weekends.
For example, for MLK weekend, when everyone has Monday off, most people take the previous Friday. I don't. I take the day after MLK Day (Tuesday) off.
The way I see it, that Friday before is a "coast" day anyway and I can get through it easily. If I take the Tuesday instead, I get a 4 day weekend followed by a 3 day week.

I do the same thing around the holidays. I use my PTO elsewhere and typically work the weeks of x mas and new years while everyone else is off. I'm working but it's slow...

Are you still at the golf booking site?

 

[urbanhack]

I work 7-3 M-F. If I'm taking a day it is almost exclusively weekend adjacent.
My "tip" is to take the day that others typically don't - when trying to extend long weekends.
For example, for MLK weekend, when everyone has Monday off, most people take the previous Friday. I don't. I take the day after MLK Day (Tuesday) off.
The way I see it, that Friday before is a "coast" day anyway and I can get through it easily. If I take the Tuesday instead, I get a 4 day weekend followed by a 3 day week.

I do the same thing around the holidays. I use my PTO elsewhere and typically work the weeks of x mas and new years while everyone else is off. I'm working but it's slow...

Are you still at the golf booking site?

No…Haven’t worked there since 2016.