It's seen as the gateway to a weekend of doing whatever pleases you, and normally is a relaxed version of any other week-day. People seem to see Fridays as floating on clouds to a rainbow world which, in Australia, generally includes your alcohol of choice, food and friends.
I hate f'n Fridays!
Fridays for me are chaotic and stressful and full of people leaving things to the last minute so that they're urgent and therefore become my urgent mess.
I push hard all day to clear whatever is left from the week, and then when I think I can see the light with half an hour to go, and think I'm going to actually accomplish all the necessary parts of my job, 10 people dump their
"broken down machine needs urgent parts from the USA", their
"this person needs that purchase order ASAP so it can get on transport today (oh! didn't I mention it was urgent earlier?)", their
"the washing machine just exploded all over the clean sheets and towels and we need a plumber before the weekend", their
"you know that job number that I asked you for every day this week? I've forgotten what it was", their
"I didn't think I needed that part urgently, but now that the transport company is about to leave our parts supplier, do you think you could ask them to make sure it gets on, even though they've changed their system and can't make anything work properly?".
Each query isn't a problem in itself, but when you squeeze them all into half an hour (or 15 minutes!), it sometimes brings me close to tears.
I can hear you now:
"You can only do so much!"
"Just tell them to sort it out themselves."
"Your in-tray will still be full the day you die."
"If you weren't there, they'd survive."
And you're absolutely right! But, as I'm still alive and my job is an Administration Assistant, and I'm still on the clock until 3pm, it's my charge to get as much prioritised and completed as I can before I go home. That, and I'm a conscientious kind of gal who actually cares about doing a good job.
You know what really bugs me about Fridays?
It's not that machines break down and things that couldn't have been planned for go wrong.
It's not even that the guys need stuff done before they can finish up for the week.
And it's not even the stupid requests for the same stuff I've answered all week!
It's that I turn from a helpful, friendly Assistant, to a task-focussed, grumpy monster.
This afternoon (admittedly it was quarter to home time and I still had a massive list of must-do's) one of the guys who is rarely in the office came in to get a leave form. He came in all friendly and I cut him off and demanded to know what he wanted.
"Red folder, there" was my response to his request.
And when the PCYC called about a raffle they're running (which I've previously supported), as soon as he asked how my day was, I responded with, "I'm really busy at work. Can you get to the point?". To which he suggested he call back another time.
I know. Most of you don't see that as monster-ish behaviour, and I can just hear my mum saying something about being a perfectionist (love you mum!).
But regardless of what else is happening, I actually believe that everyone deserves to be treated respectfully, and my job is to be polite and assisting at all times.
Yes, I'm human. Fridays pretty much prove that most weeks! But I'm always aiming for better.
Ah, Friday, my nemesis! One day I will defeat you!!!!!
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