Three Days is SO Much Better Than Nine Days

It's a strange paradox for me, but I find that shorter times off are more refreshing than longer times off. I usually get more of a sense of renewal and rest with my three day weekends during the summer than the nine days that I had at the beginning of the summer session. I'm not sure how that is, but it works for me, and makes me look forward to the summer session every single year.

I usually work six days per week. On Sundays, I have a part-time job directing a choir and leading worship music, so it is not a day off. It is a day of work. The other five days per week are my regular work schedule days, so I tend to be busy lots of the time. During summer, my part-time job goes on hiatus because they don't want to have to pay me. I get my Sundays back during June, July, and most of August. I also have a four day work week because our residential program can function better with more consistent days in school than long breaks between sessions, so we get a longer amount of weeks, but the same amount of work time. Hence, the four day per week schedule.

I now have three day weekends every week, and this schedule is wonderful! I get SO bored on day three. My own company is not all that thrilling, so I am ready to go back into the world of interaction and therapy by Mondays. Three days is enough time to complete some chores and still get bored.

I tried really hard, several years back, to turn my regular schedule into a four day work week, but the school district wouldn't go for it. It's pretty sad, because I could get used to this schedule.

Anyway, my current schedule gives me the opportunity to do lots of things around the house - on Friday alone, I had a new washer/dryer delivered, a pet sitting introduction, Mexican food delivered, a package delivered, and a freaked out cat to deal with. I went out to get enough cat food for the next two months, and I was exhausted by the end of the day. Yesterday, I had the car gone over - lots of filter changes and new oil and the like. That was enough for me - two hours of sitting at the local Firestone location was enough human interaction. I went home, had two more packages delivered, did some laundry, did some dishes, and took a nap! Today's schedule only has cleaning and grocery shopping on the list. I'll fold the laundry and try to clean out more of the closet as well. I will also work a bit on my current projects for my website. I also have some Teachers Pay Teachers files that I downloaded that I am going to fully explore today - I'll start making them as I have time next week.

For some reason, I feel as though I get so much more accomplished during these mini breaks than I do during the longer breaks. I bet it's all in my expectations for myself. I always set very lofty and specific goals for myself during long breaks. That habit needs to change. Maybe if I start to think about the breaks as a series of long weekends, I will be more productive. Hm. That's an idea, I guess. I do less formal planning for these three day weekends, but I still get lots done around the house. I'll try that strategy during the next break in July/August. 

Have you ever had the luxury of a four day work week? Did it work well for you?? I'm curious.