FRIDAYS SHOULD BE A WORK-FREE DAY

Yet again, I wonder how life would be if we were constrained to four working days when already, I work round the clock, Monday to Friday, with a job schedule of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and yeah, you read right. I know of a lady that works as a sales executive, and her work hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and from Monday to Saturday. That to me is totally crazy, as she has been constrained to life at her workplace with little time for herself or personal development. Work life can be demanding, and even though some act like life is all about work, the body deserves some rest. In fact, rest is the first treatment in medicine. Stress can reduce the quality of one's life, predispose to infection and mental breakdown, and eventually reduce life expectancy.

Monday to Friday is considered the weekday, and it is fair to say that the weekend begins from Friday and through Sunday. And when Sunday knocks, we feel as though the weekend had just begun and we are being hurried out of it. This only implies that the body has not fully recuperated and desires more rest. But Monday knocks again as usual, and we continue the work oftentimes with a weekend hangover and a grumbling attitude at work. With seven days in a week, five days are dedicated to work and oftentimes between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., except for some special set of workers like the unifomed public servants and medical practitioners who have shifts in addition to their work hours.

Surviving and living in Nigeria, where the basic amenities are either lacking or inadequate, deserves much praise as the citizens endure a harsh economic environment. Personally, my productive hours during the weekdays terminate at 1 p.m., and hours after that come with some level of laxity or laziness towards work. By late afternoon, especially when I have not eaten, my body becomes weak and my morale is often dampened. Staying till 5 p.m. feels like suffocation that I have to endure, and it's only Friday that gives me some relief and hope, probably because work is scanty and it's the beginning of the weekend; that's 'THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY-TGIF.

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Extending the work hours to 6 p.m. for me would not make much of a difference to me based on my existing work hours and also, my profession. But having Friday as a day off would be a great blessing for me. Fridays often give the impression of a half-day already, and most times, I feel reluctant to even come to work. Perhaps the extended weekend would give me a less toxic feeling for Monday, where I usually have weekend hangovers. More than ever before, I have begun to appreciate times of rest. My mom keeps reminding me that the body demands rest, and when I deny it that luxury, breakdown is imminent. Sleep is good for the body; it helps to reset body functionality, regains one's stamina, and helps in the retention of memories. Wonder why you seem disorganized and disorderly when you haven't had enough rest?

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Working five extra hours for me, or perhaps ten hours for others, just to enjoy a full day's rest is something I look forward to. The thought alone that the day is mine to rest or do as I wish other than engage in religious activities, ceremonies, etc. would bring much pleasant satiety.

Thank you for reading. I would love to have your comments and contributions.