The “Sunday scaries” may be cliche, but they’re also real. That dread we feel about the coming week is connected to the relief we feel on Fridays as the weekend approaches. But instead of treating Friday as a time to avoid and escape your responsibilities, what if you used it to set up a relaxing weekend and a less-scary return to the work week? This Reddit thread has some excellent suggestions for how to do just that.
Don’t create new problems for yourself
“If you don’t change anything on Friday then you won’t need to fix it on Saturday,” writes a redditor who works in IT. (They call this custom “read-only Fridays,” using the lingo for a file that you can view but not change.)
We can expand that idea to any action that is likely to trigger a response or a requirement for more work. Some emails should be sent earlier in the week so you don’t need to deal with the response on Friday afternoon or face it down first thing Monday morning (or, worse, deal with an alleged emergency over the weekend).
Close as many browser tabs as you can
You might be tempted to just shut your laptop when your work is done, but if your week has created a lot of digital detritus—or physical detritus, like those dirty mugs you haven’t taken to wash—do your future self a favor and tidy up a bit.
“On Friday I do favors for future me,” writes one redditor, who not only closes tabs but also writes a checklist for Monday to ensure nothing gets lost in the shuffle. In a stunning display of self-compassion, they add that “when current me is too physically or mentally tired to do favors for future me ... I look back and say, well, past me had it a bit rough ... and I needed to rest.”
Budget for your upcoming expenses
If Friday is your payday, be smart like this redditor and take a minute to plan out your budget so you know exactly what essentials your paycheck will cover, and how much you might have left over for fun stuff.
Do laundry
“[I] take my pants off as soon as I get home,” one redditor writes. “I won’t need them until Monday.” Friday is a great time to launder those pants as well, along with any work clothes or gym gear you won’t need over the weekend.
Several people said they have a tradition of washing bedding at the end of the week so they can enjoy “Friday fresh sheets” on their days of rest. If you’re feeling particularly inspired, you might do some extra house-cleaning chores while you’re at it.
Plan family time or a date night
Friday doesn’t have to be all work and no play. Several redditors described setting aside time on Friday evening to spend time with the special people in their life.
This couple goes to their favorite restaurant, and then they come home with takeout and play video games with the kids. Another couple does “album awareness and appreciation” (they call it “4A Friday”) where they take turns choosing music to listen to together.
You don’t need a partner to make Fridays special, though. This dad does an indoor camp-out with the kids, this redditor gets together with a longstanding group of friends, and this person makes time for their dog:
I come home, clean the house then spend an hour loving my dog who is almost 15. I whisper sweet nothings in her ear while we watch TV and it puts me at ease. Whatever happens on Saturday or Sunday doesn’t matter because I can always think about the awesome time I spent with my pup.
