The Ingredients of a Rewarding Friday

Zero Meetings

The joy of a clear calendar allows for focused work, coding, or finalizing projects without distractions. Unfortunately, in my current role, the policy of meeting-free Fridays often leads to more meetings since everyone believes it's the best time to gather.

Asynchronous Communication

Utilizing tools and methods that facilitate updates and teamwork without disrupting the flow—goodbye to disruptive real-time messages. While meetings have their place, I’ve found that my brief performance reviews lack professionalism when they are done without face-to-face interaction.

Smooth Merges

There’s a unique satisfaction that comes from a pull request merging without issues, indicating that significant efforts have come together seamlessly. However, in my current workplace, simultaneous edits on the same files can complicate this joy.

Successful Automated Testing

Seeing all tests pass offers developers peace of mind for the weekend, knowing they aren’t leaving unresolved issues behind. Personally, I find that my sleep improves significantly when I can wrap up the week with everything in order.

Constructive Code Reviews

Receiving timely and positive feedback creates a sense of collaboration rather than mere criticism, leaving the week on a positive note. Unfortunately, such experiences are rare.

Dedicated Learning Time

Setting aside time on Fridays for personal development, whether by exploring new tools, staying updated on trends, or working on side projects. Yet, I often find myself submitting trivial pull requests just to appear productive.

Quick Wins

Completing several small pull requests can foster a sense of achievement, paving the way for a more relaxed day. However, lengthy continuous integration processes that often fail can undermine this effort.

End-of-Week Maintenance

Taking time to clean up the codebase, update documentation, and establish goals for the following week acts as a reset. Yet, when you’re the only one engaged in this task, it can feel thankless.

Social Connections

Engaging in virtual coffee breaks or team check-ins at the week’s end is meant to foster camaraderie rather than focus solely on work. I must admit, I often find myself working alone, both physically and online.

Relaxation Ritual

Concluding the day with a non-work-related activity signals to the mind that it’s time to unwind. I sometimes wonder if a little alcohol might help me cope better on Fridays, but I’m trying to maintain my current balance.