Battling Midweek Burnout: Strategies to Stay Productive
Feeling drained by Friday? Learn how to sustain energy and focus throughout the week with practical strategies and real-world insights.
This article was originally published in 2014, and has been updated in 2025.
When I started this blog, I never imagined it would reach 1,000 views—especially since I haven’t exactly been promoting it. But here we are, and I’m grateful for everyone who’s taken the time to read my thoughts. Today, I want to share a struggle that’s been weighing on me lately: the fight to stay productive through the end of the workweek.
A few weeks ago, I began tracking my time in Excel. My goal was twofold: first, to reflect on what I was accomplishing each day; and second, to analyze my work and life patterns so I could make adjustments where needed. What I discovered wasn’t exactly encouraging.
Every Monday, I’m a powerhouse—8 to 10 hours of focused, productive work, knocking tasks off my to-do list like a pro. By Tuesday, my energy dips slightly; I manage 6 to 8 hours and find myself reaching for that second cup of coffee. By Wednesday, things take a sharper turn—barely squeezing out 6 hours of work and fully reliant on caffeine to function. Thursday? Let’s just say it’s a struggle to get anything meaningful done. And by Friday? Forget about it. My productivity is practically nonexistent.
It’s frustrating because the pattern is so predictable: from superstar on Monday to barely scraping by on Friday.
The Experimentation Phase
I’ve tried tackling this issue in multiple ways—some more successful than others:
Adjusting sleep schedules: Going to bed earlier helped a little but didn’t solve the deeper problem of mental fatigue.
Redistributing work hours: Spreading tasks evenly across the week seemed logical but didn’t account for my natural energy peaks and valleys.
Switching environments: Changing my workspace gave me a temporary boost in creativity but didn’t sustain my energy long-term.
Taking breaks and naps: While refreshing in the moment, these didn’t address the root cause of burnout either.
Experimenting with caffeine (and without): Let’s just say caffeine is a double-edged sword—it helps initially but often leaves me crashing harder later in the week.
Despite all these efforts, I still find myself burned out by Thursday or Friday, unable to maintain the momentum I start with on Monday.
A Different Approach: The Four-Day Workweek
One idea that keeps coming back to me is switching to a four-day workweek—a concept that’s gaining traction in workplaces around the world. By condensing my work into fewer days, I’d have an extra day to fully unplug and recharge without guilt or pressure. Instead of fighting against myself and expending energy feeling frustrated about slowing down, I could embrace rest as part of my productivity strategy.
Research supports this idea too: studies have shown that shorter workweeks can lead to higher productivity, better focus, and improved mental health. For example, Microsoft Japan reported a 40% increase in productivity when they implemented a four-day workweek trial. It’s not just about working less; it’s about working smarter and aligning your schedule with your natural rhythms.
The Bigger Question
Of course, this is still an experiment for me—I haven’t fully committed to any one solution yet. But it raises an important question: how do we keep going through the end of the week without running ourselves into the ground?
For now, I’m continuing to test different strategies while being kinder to myself when things don’t go as planned. After all, productivity isn’t just about how much you accomplish—it’s also about how sustainable your efforts are over time.
So here’s where I turn it over to you: How do you maintain your energy and focus through the end of the week? What strategies have worked for you? Let’s figure this out together because if there’s one thing I’ve learned from tracking my time, it’s that we’re all works in progress—and that’s okay.