The Middle Of The Week
Jul 10th, 2008 | By Dan O'Neil | Category: Goal SettingI’ve just been adding a few appointments to the diary for next week and I was thinking that as it’s Thursday that we’re nearing the end of the week. It was then that I noticed that actually Thursday is the middle of the week (Monday to Sunday) and there is still almost half a week left of this one. It strikes me that perhaps time is the only thing we treat in this way… for example there are not many people who get half way through a drink and think that they are nearing the end of it!
It’s so easy for us to slip into the trap of living from our free time to our next free time (for most, weekend to weekend) that we forget about the moment. Work occupies so much of our lives and for the vast majority of people, there is no excitement or will to be working. I feel privileged to be doing something that I love, to the point that it no longer feels like work. So for most, there are 5 days of 7 spent dealing (and accumulating stress) with something that enables us to have 2 days that we can call our own. To me it seems as though this is a really sorry state of affairs and one that can be really helped by a shift in attitude.
I’m always banging on about how we need dreams and goals in our lives to make sense and meaning out of the work that we do and I guess that’s one way to help us to remain present and focused during the times we spend at work. If you find yourself in this space of living from precious weekend to precious weekend, with the inconvenience of work in between then the chances are that you do not have personal goals in place to be working towards. It becomes too easy to be tired when you get home and even bring work home to the point where you have neither the time nor energy to do anything in your free time. I suppose this is what is called the daily grind!
In the absence of finding what you love to do for a living, then find what you love to do in your spare time and use your living to fund and facilitate that. I often have clients who tell me that they are in a place that they wouldn’t describe as being depressed, but they are feeling unhappy about their lives. In the vast majority of these cases, simply plugging them back into their personal goals in life, transforms how they are feeling and they are able to move forward in all aspects of their lives.
If you are living your life from weekend to weekend or day-off to day-off, then make sure you have some personal goals in place that will help you to keep upbeat and positive in the stressful times you may be experiencing.
I guess its just optimism. I mean thursday, 2 days left of work for the week. I feel as if its coming to the end of the week aswell. And i guess it is, well not technically, but in work terms, and thats what everyone judges a week on, i think.
Andy
Cheers Andy It’s a shame that the week is judged on work! Dan.
Hi Dan,
I just stopped by to let you know I added your blog to my master list. Good work.
Thanks RT Nice to be included in your list! Dan
Very interesting!
Thanks Vivian
Thankfully I actually like what I do right now. That said I *almost* want to experience a job that I don’t like – just to know what it’s like.
Is that really really dumb?
Dan O’Neil says… Hi Bob, thanks for stopping by. Interesting comment that – I feel that in order to know what it feels like to “like what you do” you have to be able to relate it to “not liking what you do” otherwise it’s pretty meaningless! Just like we can’t know what hot is without cold or we can’t know the light without the dark.
Dan,
I think this could also be due to the repetitiveness of the tasks that occupy our time that makes people live from weekend to weekend. When you do something you love and enjoy – it is looked at a bit differently
Cheers
Dan O’Neil says… I agree – in that case it is essential to be totally clear on why you are going to work. Having personal goals to work towards an achieve goes a long way to making the mundane more interesting! Thanks for stopping by.
Its because everyone is stuck in this Mon-Fri work syndrome.
The problem is work is too rigid in its dealings, rather than having a 24/7 work flow, companies instead run more of a 24/5 system… I think work places should become a lot more flexible in their dealings generally.
Dan O’Neil says… That’s a really good point – Might cut down on peak traffic too.
“Its because everyone is stuck in this Mon-Fri work syndrome”
That’s why I love having my own business. You don’t get stuck with the monotony of waking up every day at the same time and going home at the same time. I wake up whenever I want, and work from home.
I think having your own business is the perfect cure for middle of the week blues. But not everyone is going to be successful doing it.
Mikes last blog post..Forex Virtues – Patience
Dan O’Neil says… My sentiments exactly!
I’ve never noticed how by Wednesday or Thursday I already start thinking “the week’s over!” until now…I’m going to stop thinking like that starting today, because it’s not a very positive way of looking at things. Thanks for some great motivation and inspiration today
Dan O’Neil says… No problem! It’s feedback like this that really makes blogging a wonderful experience! Thanks to you too.
I think the very important takeaway I find here is to find a job you like (advice for those still in college). Find one you like, and you add 5 days to your week. Love what you do, do what you love. =)
Dan O’Neil says… Thanks Erin. Some of us are lucky enough to do this!
So true- the rest of the week is still open for exploration.
Louise’s last blog post..Chocolate Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce Dessert
Dan O’Neil says… Thanks Louise.
I’m also like that, come thursday i feel like it’s nearing the end of the week already. And I feel like I haven’t accomplished everything that’s needed to be done for that week. But i think it’s better to be doing something, and having a goal, than to let each day pass without doing anything.
Dan O’Neil says… I agree, I prefer to live a life where I make things happen, rather than a life lived on a default setting.
I love what I do so much that the week usually flies by so quickly I sometimes dread the weekend since I’m forced to pause. After two days off, I must admit the downtime is good and it takes me a few hours on Monday to get back into the swing of things.
Dan O’Neil says… So many people are hating you right now! For some of us lucky people, having the time off is a discipline in itself!!