Yahoo Finance Day off debate: The day that feels ‘infinitely better’ than not working Friday
An Australian expert has revealed the most popular day to take off, but is it the best?
It might just be me, but a three-day weekend instantly evokes a Friday-off feeling. But some are arguing that’s not the best way to take advantage of a sneaky extra day off, whether it’s taking a four-day work week, booking in some leave, or the time-honoured Aussie tradition of ‘chucking a sickie’.
In an assessment reminiscent of the ‘girl math’ trend, TikTok creators have argued why Monday makes for a much better day off than Friday, and their logic speaks to me.
“Having Monday off is infinitely times better than having Friday off because both get you a three-day weekend but, when you have Friday off, by the time you hit the three-day weekend, you've already exhausted the four-day work week," Colin said.
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“When you have Monday off, yeah, it sucks to go back to work, but then you finish Monday, which is really Tuesday. And then you're like, ‘Oh my god, it's already Wednesday’, which is basically Thursday, which is basically the weekend."
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“When you have Friday off, yes, that weekend feels a bit longer. However, when you start the next work week, that work week feels like an eternity to get to the next weekend,” Jordan added.
Those in agreement said Mondays off improved return-to-work anxiety on Sunday, making it “10x better”.
Others said Friday was a waste to take off because it was often “the most relaxed day” at work, while taking Monday gave you a full day out of the most hectic part of the week.
“Mondays off is superior because, once Friday is over, it just feels like a regular weekend. The magic is gone,” one said.
However, this was also considered a downside, given Monday was often when their week was set up.
“I actually prefer Fridays off. At my job, I have pretty long days Monday-Thursday so my Fridays usually end up being pretty short. But if I have Monday off, that Friday becomes a full day. In my brain, it feels better to have my Friday off fully than have Monday off and lose my half day.”
But others have argued Wednesday is far more beneficial because it breaks up the working week.
"I prefer having Wednesday off because I work Monday to Saturday and Wednesday is better in the middle of the week to recharge," one said.
"Wednesday is my day off and it literally feels like I only work 3-day work weeks."
What day is most popular to take off work?
This question may be more relevant now more and more companies are trialing and, in some cases, adopting, a four-day work week.
Aaron McEwan, vice-president of research and advisory at Gartner HR, told Yahoo Finance the data showed Friday was the most preferred day to take off, followed by Monday.
"Employees have a strong preference for Friday and Monday but some also do choose Wednesday. It all comes down to how they can continue to manage the workload," he said.
Companies will often stagger the days off so the impact to the workforce isn't as serious.
"Workplaces doing four-day work weeks have also reduced real estate so need to stagger time off as there's not enough space for everyone," he said.
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