Several studies and surveys have examined which days of the week office workers tend to be the busiest or most productive.
Findings vary, with results suggesting that many factors influence when people feel most productive or overwhelmed with work.
The majority of studies, both in the United States and in the Philippines, point to Monday and Tuesday as the busiest and most productive days for office employees.
While this may be true in many workplaces here and abroad, in our case at DA-RFO 8, I humbly observe that productivity depends not only on the day of the week but also on individual work habits, as well as the quality of relations and partnership between management and employees.
Ultimately, our personal productivity depends on our natural tendencies, workload, the type of job we do, and how we plan our day.
For example, the multiple activities that AMAD has handled over the past weeks could easily overwhelm us. Nonetheless, our ability to remain flexible—getting things done while still having time and energy to enjoy life—reflects the work habits and leadership culture we strive to cultivate.
There are days when we work longer hours so that later in the week we can carve out time for other activities. But since the onset of the “Ber months,” our work schedule has been totally different.
At AMAD, I oversee three sections: the Agribusiness Promotion Section, the Agribusiness Industry Support Section, and the Marketing Development Section. Each has its own targets as indicated in our Annual Work and Financial Plan, which must align with our Division Performance Commitment and Review (DPCR). This serves as our ultimate guide in delivering services. Nothing should go beyond this, except for intervening activities specified in advance. Otherwise, efforts outside the DPCR will go unaccounted for.
Thus, we all need to support one another and work doubly hard to meet targets and deadlines. Simply put, everything we do must be in line with our Office Performance Commitment and Review (OPCR) and reflected in our submitted reports, supported by documents such as the Client Satisfaction Survey (CSF).
As I write this piece, it is a Friday—yet we are as busy as ever at DA-RFO 8. AMAD oversees the Kadiwa ng Pangulo sa Carpark, some of us are attending Agrilink—one of the biggest agricultural exhibitions and seminars at the World Trade Center—and others are focused on gathering requirements from our partner LGUs and FCAs applying for Kadiwa and AECEA (under Sagip Saka) financial grants. These efforts are necessary to ensure that our agency’s financial obligations and disbursements are met, as every DA-RFO is expected to fully and efficiently utilize its allocated funds.
To those who claim that government workers operate at a “turtle’s pace,” I invite you to observe how we work up close. From Monday to Friday, and often even on weekends, we are always on the go. Every day is tension-filled as we work to meet approved targets and plans that must be accomplished on time.
Clearly, the busiest days are not only Mondays and Tuesdays. In reality, work schedules are full from Monday through Friday—and sometimes beyond—depending on urgent needs.
We do not complain, nor do we boast about the work we accomplish. We simply strive to be flexible and do our best with passion, compassion, and professionalism, while still making time to enjoy personal life.
Yes, there are days when we work longer hours. But there are also days when we find time to enjoy other pursuits. This balance is the culture we at DA, through the support of our regional management and employees, continue to uphold.
Thank God, we manage to fulfill our responsibilities through prayer, perseverance, and by maintaining a no-nonsense balance between work and leisure—preserving both our individual and collective sanity.
