Weekend Wednesday: Is It Worth It?

Our world is constantly changing, yet you may or may not realize that it is. One of these changes is the pandemic of 2020. It is a clear example of a massive life-changing event for everyone, but there are also minor ones, like the continental plates moving or the city of Venice sinking. Most of our academic and work lives depend on schedules, even when the world around us does not. The only times when you can relax are on vacation, when you are very young or retired, or on the weekends… or are they? Our mental, physical, and emotional health depend on these large or small breaks. Many of us use them to recharge or make the most of it. But what if I told you that there is no need?

Weekend Wednesday is when the weekend is switched from Saturday and Sunday to Wednesday and Sunday. People claim that it improves productivity and gives you a sense of relaxation at the middle and end of the week, which many of us desperately need. However, it may also bring unbalance. CGP Grey’s video, David G. Myers’s psychology book, and a survey will help us understand if Weekend Wednesday could be your new reality or “just an idea”. Having a Wednesday weekend can be either beneficial or harmful to you.

To begin, having the weekend on Wednesday is scientifically proven as beneficial. In a video by CGP Grey, who is a former science teacher and current science and technology YouTuber, he states, “The days off are more relaxing, and the days on, more concentrated.” This statement is true because if you take consistent breaks, your mind and body will more than likely respond well to any task presented to them. Look no further than psychology book author David G. Myers, who tells readers about studies conducted that will help make the subject more understandable. “For example, dozens of studies have found that relaxation procedures can help alleviate headaches, hypertension, anxiety, and insomnia.” This is a piece of very crucial evidence because all of the problems stated in the quote are caused by having an average week.  In this case, the relaxation procedure is having a Wednesday off. Another reason why Weekend Wednesday isn’t such a terrible idea is because of the benefits that come with it. CGP Grey states in his video, “having a free day while everyone else is working makes so many things easier, faster, and crowd-less. Meaning less crowd for many activities that normally would/would have long and slow lines.” And so, Weekend Wednesday could be the work/academic relief anyone should have. However, not everything will always be on the bright side.

Weekend Wednesday may bring positive effects to your life, but it might lead to negative ones too. It may cause an unbalance and many morning misunderstandings. According to a mother and former truck driver who had experience with having a Weekend Wednesday, “It didn’t work out well for me; I got nothing done on my days off since I like to sleep on my first day off, but there was never a second day off to take care of my business. And I never felt like I was ready to go back to work after only the one day off.” Although a day off is always appreciated, if you are submerged in school and other important activities, it is hard to continue a schedule where you are usually used to a two-day break. After the one day off, you might feel a loss of motivation. It is the same feeling when you forget there is school tomorrow. This brings me to my next point: how the human mind works. Our minds work in spectacular ways and make us thrive. CGP Grey used in his video many metaphors to illustrate Weekend Wednesday as a battery recharge. Our internal motivation is trying to finish the week, but there is always a disappointment at the end of each break. Your body and mind will want more and will think of the next day as a break. This can cause you to miss important dates or be late in general. According to David G. Myer’s book states, “Drive reduction theory focuses on how our inner pushes and external pulls interact” (Myers 328). What this quote is trying to say is that your mind will say yes, but your body will say no to the idea of having to go to school on a Saturday. To conclude, Weekend Wednesday has both positive and negative aspects.

In conclusion, everybody is different. Your life might be slightly or astronomically different than mine. Weekend Wednesday may be what you need, or it might be just another idea ending up being forgotten or laughed at by you. If Stephen Hawking’s theory about many worlds being parallel to ours, the “multiverse,” is true, there is a high chance that in one of those worlds there is a world with Weekend Wednesday. Where everything is better or way worse than ours. Right now, enjoy having the traditional weekend, and if the Weekend Wednesday sounds like something you would try, try it when you can choose your classes or if you are self-employed or an employer. Do you think it would work for you?

Works Cited

CGPGrey. “Weekend Wednesday.” YouTube. YouTube, 25 Aug. 2020. Web.

Myers, David. Myers’ Psychology for AP*. Google Books. Google. Web.

“What Do You Think of Weekend Wednesday, Taking off Wednesday Instead of Sunday, so You Never Work More than 2 or 3 Days at a Time?” Quora. Web.

Title Image Credit: CGP Grey