Tuesdays Are the Most Productive Day of the Week

Feeling productive today? It might be because it’s Tuesday. A recent Accountemps poll found that 33 percent of human resources managers pegged Tuesdays as the week’s more productive day.

(Photo Credit: arztsamui/freedigitalphotos.net)

Why are Tuesdays such a good day for getting things done? Well, for one thing, they’re not Mondays, so you’re both less gloomy about saying goodbye to your weekend and less likely to be distracted by other things.

“You’ve got your head focused after the weekend is over; you’ve caught up on everything; and you can do your regular work schedule most effectively,” Accountemps senior staffing manager Vitaly Melnik tells the Toronto Star. “Then, after the hump of the Wednesday, come Thursday, Friday, you’re already thinking about the weekend.”

Wednesdays were the next most productive day, with 23 percent of those surveyed choosing it, followed by Mondays (14 percent), and no particular day (18 percent). The worst days for productivity were Thursdays and Fridays.

If you’re a manager who wants to boost productivity every day, the best thing to do is lead by example, Melnik says.

“It’s all about the manager coming in and motivating by example, being punctual themselves, as well as offering the courtesy and the willingness to do what’s necessary for the whole team to get the job done, even if it means to pitch in and step down a level that they’re usually not operating at.”

His other tips include:

1. Creating a realistic to-do list. Employees should be practical about what they can really accomplish during a day, and managers should be on top of helping workers manage their priorities.

2. Take two half-hour breaks during the day, instead of an hour for lunch.

3. Turn off mobile devices. Smartphones and tablets are time sucks; managers should encourage their reports to turn them off when they’re at work — and do the same themselves.

Tell Us What You Think

What’s the most productive day of the week for you? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.