Lessons from Fridays

Today is the last Friday I will ever experience in the normal Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm working world. It's the last Friday I will have in this cozy office of mine which I must start cleaning out soon. And it's the last Friday that can teach me lessons about... well... life.

Fridays are often looked upon with a lot of excitement and joy. Everyone wants to end a boisterously busy workweek to start a perfectly peaceful weekend. Offices everywhere have at least one person saying, "TGIF" to a co-worker at least once every Friday. At my work, I am that person. 

I love Fridays. And even greater are the Friday Holidays I don't have to go to work (Cesar Chavez Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving-...I know you keep track too). But as much as I look forward to this day, the reality of it is that good old fun Friday will always come to an end... in 24 hours. Fun Fridays become Fleeting Fridays. And so before this Friday fleets away, I want to celebrate my last Friday by posting some lessons this day of the week taught me about life. So... here we go.

Lessons from Fridays
1) There are always good/better days ahead.
We've all had tough workweeks (if not, where do you work?!) - the kind that gets you tired, exhausted, and pondering why you even do what you do. But no matter how badly busy and seriously stressful it gets, there is a glimmer of hope that shines through your eyes (even if they are super small like mine) when you think about Friday. The thing about Friday is that even if you're having a bad Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, you know Friday is coming with promise of rest. Fridays never fail you - it has and will always show up. And so Fridays teach me that there are always good days ahead. Of course we have bad days and times of hardship and busyness... but trials will end, rest will be provided, and relaxing days are sure to come. It might take a while, but it always shows up. Fridays teach you that there are always better days ahead and that's surely something to keep you going and enduring.

2) Press the brakes and take some breaks.
Fridays teach me that it's okay to take breaks. You always have something to take care of, something to accomplish, somewhere to be, but you also need to press the brakes and take some breaks. Rest is not forbidden - it is allowed and encouraged. Breaks will refresh you and help you to be much more productive when you go back to tackle your work. Can you imagine how ineffective you would be if you worked every single day - 7 days a week? Take a break. Enjoy family and friends and take care of other things. Take a breather, enjoy what you have and the people around - it's okay.

3) Finish Strong.
The biggest temptation when I see the end nigh is to slow down, be slothful, and finish weak. But friends, you don't finish your week by finishing weak (I'm getting really punny around here). Fridays teach me to discipline myself to finish strong. Fridays are unique in that though it marks the beginning of much needed rest, it still contains 8 hours of work. So, just because it's Friday does not mean you get to rest. Don't press the brakes until it's time to take the breaks (punny punny). Finish your work strong - it'll make your time of rest feel much more deserved and you'll start it off feeling accomplished and able.

Well... there are more but I must do my last work meeting ever soon so we'll just end here. Working life Fridays - it has been a good two years. Thank you for all your lessons.