Embracing Summer Fridays + A Productivity Experiment

I’m conducting a summer experiment.

So here's the scoop. Summer in Montana is really special. Summer, no matter where you are, is a season of more fun, activity, and socialization. This is important for creativity, problem-solving, and shifting your perspective. When you can pull yourself out of doing the work for a moment, you give yourself the ability to see the big picture. 

Normally, my summer work schedule follows a similar pattern every year. As May ends and June begins, I feel pretty good about my workload and my pace. My retainer clients are generally moving into a season of more value-based content creation, new projects are layered with their start dates, and I assist business owners in planning and strategizing for the rest of the year. However, by mid-July, I often find myself overwhelmed and disappointed about having to decline social invitations or miss out on hiking dates.

But last year was different. It was the first time I felt like I took agency over my summer season. And I contribute this feeling to having a very clear view of my calendar. For one, my husband and I had a ton of travel obligations, so it was very apparent when and where work was going to happen — the rest was blocked for play. Additionally, I participated in a powerful exercise called Architect Your Summer, led by Karen Lum at our Alinea Collective event in Bozeman last summer.

So this summer, I'm putting this hypothesis into action and giving myself two officially scheduled months of Summer Fridays. My office hours will be Monday - Thursday for July and August. On Fridays, you will find me exploring an awesome hike with Winnie, indulging in some TLC, or enjoying one of the many activities that people from all over the world flock to Whitefish for during our gorgeous summer months.

My hope is that the proof will be in the pudding with this one. According to the authors of The 4 Day Week, "By focusing on productivity and output rather than time spent in a workplace, the four-day week allows for better work-life balance, improved employee satisfaction, retention, and mental health."

At least, that's my summer plan and I'm sticking to it.

Some Fun Facts About Summer Fridays:

• Companies offering Summer Fridays

  Estes Lauder

  Condé Nast

  Shopify

  IBM

  And many, many marketing and media companies in NYC. (In fact, Summer Fridays were originally created by New York media companies in the 1960s!)

• Companies currently offering a 4-day workweek:

  Amazon

  Basecamp

  Kickstarter

  Microsoft

  Patagonia (every other week)

• 4-Day Workweek Stats:

  More than half of North American employers (55%) will allow employees to skip out early or take the whole day off on Fridays this summer. (Gartner poll, 2023)

  40% of U.S. workers would prefer a four-day week. (Workforce Institute at Kronos)

  The average U.S. worker works about 38.6 hours per week. (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development)

• Benefits of Summer Fridays:

  Improved Work Satisfaction: With a boost in morale, employees are more likely to be satisfied with their work, ultimately leading to better engagement and job performance. (Inc.)

  Reduced Stress: Taking a day off during the workweek can help employees stay productive by avoiding burnout and stress from long hours and not having time for themselves. (Harvard Business Review)

  Increased Work Productivity: Studies have shown that offering summer Fridays can give employees a chance to catch their breath, which can then increase their focus and productivity in the workplace. (AMA Quarterly)

  Increased Profits: With higher productivity and a more engaged workforce, companies can expect to see potential increases in their profits. (Forbes)