The holiday is officially over, and workers are now flocking back to work with either with full energy or a desperate need for more vacation time. Most workers are already feeling the stress of looming Mondays once again. For hybrid employees, some tend to practice the “midweek mountain.”
WorkLife has defined midweek mountain as “the tendency for hybrid employees to go into their physical office Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and work from home on Mondays and Fridays.” This practice may be beneficial to workers who want to avoid resorting to practicing Bare Minimum Monday.
Is it better to travel midweek?
Mondays and Fridays also have terrible traffic congestion, especially during rush hour. Fridays, in particular, often see most traffic on the road as people go for a weekend getaway or visit their home provinces. Mondays see an increase in traffic since workers return from their chosen destination.
By midweek, commuting could be less of a hassle, resulting in a better mood for employees on the way to work. Even if that is some preference, the difference may only be minimal since traffic condition still depends on various factors such as location, weather, and road conditions. Accidents and force majeure could also affect travel time. Some workers consider midweek mountain a helpful approach to avoid the anxiety Mondays could cause them.
Conclusion
Like all workplace practices, the midweek mountain depends on an employee’s preference. Some workers may hate going to work on Mondays, while others could be the opposite. Some prefer to get all the daunting workload done on Mondays and gradually do the remaining easier tasks as the week progresses. It will ultimately depend on what works for an individual and what will be the most productive working system for each of us.
Photo credit: The feature image is symbolic and was done by Marvin Meyer.
