Marvelous Monday! And Other Optimistic Ways To Look At A Work Week.
I have never liked the phrase “Thank God, it’s Friday!” and could never understand why Shannon’s grade school teacher would write TGIF!!! on the bulletin board on Friday morning. I will sometimes hear people who work non-traditional shifts say, with elation, “Today is my Friday!” Or, with despair, “Today is my Monday.” I sometimes wonder if their days off are such unalloyed pleasure and their work is so unpleasant as to make the time away such a marvelous experience!
There are reasons to like time away from work, of course: Sleeping later, being able to have an unstructured day, spending more time with family and friends, going out on a date, staying in on a date, sports and recreation, and not having unpleasant interactions with coworkers, bosses and customers. But, it has always seemed to me that few people come back to work with stories of fun times! In fact, Monday morning is often a de-stress time when people talk about the work or hassles of the weekend–unless it is football season.
I have always enjoyed time away from work very much, but did not dread going back to work and did not want Shannon to dread going back to school on Monday. So, I instituted a program for us that would create a feeling of enjoyment for every work and school day. I’m not advocating that you copy it. In retrospect, it is a bit too Pollyanna even for me! However, the overall view is still one I try to achieve in my mind, and I think Shannon does as well.
- Marvelous Monday!! We now and then had a special breakfast on Monday to celebrate getting to see friends and talk with them about the fun things we did over the weekend.
- Terrific Tuesday!! With Monday out of the way we could really get busy at school and work.
- Wonderful Wednesday!! The weekend was coming up, but we could spend two more days turning in good work–and in Shannon’s case, wearing cute clothes!
- Tremendous Thursday!! This was a big day, because we knew everyone else was getting worn down, so we could be the most energized of anyone. Yaaaaay!!!!!!!
- Fabulous Friday!! We made a point of getting up early (for us, anyway) on Friday, so we could go to school, and to work, feeling ready to do well and end the week on a high note.
- Super Saturday and Sacred Sunday: We seemed to always have a good time on weekends, but on Sunday evening we talked about how much fun it would be to get back to school the next day. We were ready for Marvelous Monday!!
As some of you with teenaged daughters will understand, after junior high started I had no problem with excitement about school, because that was where her social life took place!
There are millions of people who are unemployed (or jobless, as the new euphemism puts it). Many of those people don’t just wish they had a job, they desperately need a job. There are likely millions of people who just as desperately wish they had fulfilling jobs where they are treated decently. Many hundreds of thousands of people are disabled to the point that they will never be able to work at all, or to work again. Many more people are retired and live each day wishing they could be active and useful back at their former jobs.
If you are employed and find fulfillment in that employment in some way; if you have friends at work and a workplace that is tolerable, and if you are making enough money that, with good money management, you can pay your bills and have at least a bit left over, be very, very grateful. Make each workday a day of thanks for your good fortune.
Shannon and I were thrilled to be able to come home, relax and have fun on the weekends, even though often my “weekend” was not a Saturday and Sunday. However, we made a purposeful decision and commitment to not live for only two days a week, while dreading the other five. Every day is a good day. Have a good day at work!
