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Original poster

Why did you choose the day for your day-off?

37 replies

rainydaysandsundays · 26/05/2014 17:58

Going back to work for 4 days and considering a Thursday or Friday day off.
Thursday would be good for family because of their current extra curricular activities (not sure we could do them on a Friday). Thursday off might also suit me because 4 consecutive days (with a 3 hour round trip commute) might really be tiring.

Had Friday off in previous job (very short commute though) and it was a relief to have the 3 day stretch off work. But wonder if Friday is considered to be a more relaxed day at work - wouldn't intend to mess around on a Friday but wonder if it just feels less pressured?

OP posts:
HeyMicky · 26/05/2014 18:01

I wanted Wednesday, to break up the week. And because birthdays, lunches, drinks etc all happen on a Friday and I wanted to be a part of the team. I was forced to take Friday Hmm

After the next maternity leave I'm going to do 80% over 5 days, so finish at 3. That way I'm available every day but there's time for errands and as the kids get older I'll be about after school

MrsLettuce · 26/05/2014 18:02

Wednesday is the most efficient, IME. All the logical reasons.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 26/05/2014 18:06

Nope. Particularly asked not to work Monday or Tuesday and guess which end of the week I ended up working Hmm

GoogleyEyes · 26/05/2014 18:08

Is there a 'corporate day'? If so, it's often Wednesday, and it would be very awkward to miss it. Otherwise, I decided based on being in for the busiest days. It's worked out that I'm at home for the day that school usually uses for parental meeting stuff (assemblies, parents 'evenings' in the afternoon, sports day), which is handy, too.

BobPatandIgglePiggle · 26/05/2014 18:08

Friday. Dp has an earlier finish on fridays so its a good start to the weekend. If we want to go away for the weekend (we have scattered friends and family) we can make an early ish start.

Angelina77 · 26/05/2014 18:11

I initially thought Friday but whenever I have Friday's off the shops are rammed, almost as bad as Saturday, because so many people are off. I'm going for Wednesday too, to break up the week.

Best1sWest · 26/05/2014 18:12

Wednesday is mine. It's like a mid- week weekend.

StepfauxWife · 26/05/2014 18:13

Suppose it depends on the nature of your job. I know of someone who is not working on a Thursday so there is still time to sort any work issues on a Friday before the weekend. Also agree that Fridays are more relaxed in the office so easier to slope off earlier Smile

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 26/05/2014 18:13

Take off a Thurs, get most of the week out of the way and as others have said, Fridays in can be nice (earlier finishes, treats etc). Also, on BH weeks, Mon off tues and wed in thurs off and fri in.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 26/05/2014 18:14

Monday. I get the house straight after the weekend, batch cook for the week ahead and still get a pro rata rate of all bank holidays.

It works for me!

stella69x · 26/05/2014 18:15

It all depends on the job and your family commitments.

My previous role Mondays was all hands on deck, easing off towards end of week, my current role is frantic Friday,
only you can judge what works best for your role and family.

look for the busy times at work that can't be delayed, and the family commitments that can't be altered then you have the answer that fits you.

lambinapram · 26/05/2014 18:16

monday - then i'm not paying nursery fees for all the bank holidays they are closed and can go away for long weekends.

MiddleOfMarch · 26/05/2014 18:17

Monday. You don't get the Sunday feeling and can enjoy an extra glass of wine (or two) with your lunch, and going back on a Tuesday just doesn't seem as hard as on a Monday for some reason. You get three days off in a row, and as you said, Friday is a more chilled day at work for getting stuff done without lots of meetings etc.

OverAndAbove · 26/05/2014 18:19

Wednesday works really well if your job is stressful because it means you only ever have to work two days at a time. If you have a LO at nursery or CM it works well for them too. Lots of job share people swap on Weds as well so somehow it feels like you're not missing much. Friday would be nice for a long weekend wind down though!

bluewisteria · 06/06/2014 17:19

Not Monday's or you loose the Bank Holiday's...!

ThreeBecameFour · 08/06/2014 09:27

Friday is my non working day. This was chosen as it had the least impact at work...

melliebobs · 08/06/2014 09:32

I asked for Thursday and Fridays off. These were my 2 quietest days work wise anyway and there was little for my team to cover clinic wise. I also wanted 2 days off that were together and didn't want my weeks being split into two , so working a Monday then Thursday and Friday.

Ragwort · 08/06/2014 09:36

We work over seven days and have to fit in with the rest of the team so no 'set' rota - works for me as DC are older and no child care issues and being flexible is useful as we all help each other out if we have specific commitments - wouldn't be so good if you didn't have co-operative colleagues.

ZenNudist · 08/06/2014 09:42

Monday is great much better than Friday I used to have. In my project based job projects end on a Friday and no one will bring deadlines back to Thursday even for the person running the project.

This way I still get long weekend but works out better financially as I get a pro Rata share of bank hols to take elsewhere but don't have to pay nursery for days we aren't in.

Friday is a much nicer day to be I my office as we do all the fun stuff then: lunches, cakes, non uniform days and drinks that I hardly ever go to.

Best1sWest · 08/06/2014 09:52

You don't necessarily lose the bank holidays if Monday is your day off. Where I work you are given 4/5 of the bank holidays added to your annual leave in hours. You then use that to book off the bank holidays as 'leave'. For me, as my day off is Wednesday, this means that I have to use some of my leave to make up the extra 1/5 of the bank holidays. But if my day off was Monday anyway, then I wouldn't need to use up any of those additional hours to take the bank holidays but could use them to take 4/5 of another day off. So everyone gets the same amount of time off.

OddFodd · 08/06/2014 10:00

I work for myself now but when I had a job, I always took Wednesdays. Mondays wouldn't work because so many project kick offs happen on Monday. Fridays would have meant working really late on Thursday to finish things before the weekend!

So I guess it's dependent on the workflow in your job in summary

Ellypoo · 09/06/2014 14:21

I have Tuesdays off and I like that it breaks the week up, and no matter how tired I am on a Monday, I know that I'm off the next day! Also, it was how our childcare worked out.

Casey123 · 09/06/2014 14:47

You're lucky you get a choice! I'm on maternity leave at the moment, but I get Thursdays off, not my choice its just the way the school time table goes. I don't really like it. Its always a bit of an awkward, useless day. I'd go with the crowd and say Wednesdays would be good.

Lweji · 09/06/2014 14:49

I'd rather do Wednesdays or Fridays, unless Thursday is clearly more suitable because of activities.
I'm not keen on going one day only because I don't think it's sufficiently productive (on one right now, because tomorrow is a bank holiday where I live).

MelanieCheeks · 09/06/2014 14:53

I do Wednesdays, but I can switch it to a different day if there's a work related something I need to attend on a Weds, or if it suits me to swap it for a different day e.g. to tie in with a holiday. I try not to do too much shuffling around as it confuses people, though!