Having worked as a full-time corporate employee, I've found myself dreading certain days of the week.
Monday, for example, is notorious for being rough. It’s the first day back after the weekend where you're met with a flood of emails, meetings, and to-do lists that pile up the second you log in. But surprisingly, Monday isn't the worst day of the week. In fact, that unfortunate honor belongs to Tuesday.
Allow me to explain why Tuesday is the absolute worst day of the workweek for past and present corporate warriors like us.
The Monday Hangover (No, Not the Fun Kind)
By the time you’ve made it through Monday, you're already mentally exhausted. Monday demands so much energy because you’re re-adjusting to the work routine after a relaxing weekend.
Now it’s Tuesday, and guess what? You’re still tired, but with none of the "I just came off a weekend" excuse. Nope, Tuesday is like a zombie apocalypse where the only things that are alive are your endless meetings and overflowing inbox.
You’re not starting fresh like Monday, nor do you have the novelty of it being the first day back. The adrenaline that got you through Monday has worn off, and now you’re just grinding. Tuesday simply hits you like a second wave of exhaustion. How lovely.
Not Even Close to the Weekend, Yet No One Feels Sorry for You
On Wednesday, we celebrate “Hump Day”—that glorious milestone where you’re halfway through the week where everyone pats each other on the back for making it halfway through the week.
Thursday is practically “Friday Eve,” or a dress rehearsal for Friday. There's finally a sense of relief knowing the weekend is right around the corner.
Friday, of course, is the best because it's the gateway to freedom that practically hands you a cocktail as soon as you clock in.
But Tuesday? It doesn’t offer the same hope. Tuesday is the awkward middle child of the workweek. It’s too far from the weekend to be exciting, but too deep into the week to still be riding the Monday excuse train. It's like being stuck in the middle seat on a long flight, except there’s no arrival time.
The Never-Ending To-Do List
Monday threw a bunch of work at you, but you still had that optimistic, “I’ve got this!” mindset. By Tuesday, though, that optimism has packed its bags and left the building.
Deadlines, tasks, and meetings that couldn’t be completed on Monday get pushed to Tuesday, and since it’s not "hump day" or "Friday Eve," there’s no real motivation to make it special. Your to-do list has doubled, your inbox looks like it’s been hit by a tornado, and your brain is so fried that you’ve been responding to emails with “best regards” and no punctuation because you’ve stopped caring about sentence structure. Tuesday is where the real grind begins, and spoiler alert: it’s boring. Everything about Tuesday feels longer, and without the morale boost of being halfway through the week, its like watching-paint-dry boring.
No Excuse for Your Tuesday Blues
On Monday, you can shuffle into the office (or, more likely, roll out of bed to your desk at home) with bedhead and a case of the “Mondays,” and everyone will understand. You’re supposed to be miserable on Monday! You're allowed to still be shaking off the weekend cobwebs, and there's a shared sense of Monday misery that creates camaraderie among co-workers. But Tuesday? Nope. By Tuesday, everyone expects you to be a fully functioning adult, ready to tackle your tasks like a caffeinated go-getter. No more excuses, no more "Oh, it’s Monday!" Get over it, right? Wrong. You’re not over it, and no one’s giving you a pass for still being tired. The expectations are high, and it’s just business as usual—except you’re still recovering from the Monday workload with no end in sight.
Tuesday: The Day of Zero Social Perks
To make matters worse, Tuesday doesn’t have any of the redeeming qualities that other weekdays offer.
Wednesday is celebrated with Hump Day deals, Thursday is basically the pre-game to the weekend, and Friday is, well, Friday.
But Tuesday? It’s just plain there. Tuesday is like that forgotten corner of the fridge where you find a sad leftover you don’t even remember making. There’s no Taco Tuesday at work (unless you're really lucky), no midweek discounts, and no one is talking about weekend plans yet. It’s just… Tuesday. Bland, uneventful Tuesday. Even your favorite podcast skips releasing new episodes on Tuesdays because they know no one cares.
The Midweek Slump Starts Early
People talk about the “midweek slump” hitting on Wednesday, but honestly, it starts on Tuesday. You’ve already used up all your Monday energy just getting back into the swing of things. Now, Tuesday arrives like a second Monday—but with fewer excuses and less caffeine in your system. It’s like running a marathon and realizing you're only on mile three, with no finish line in sight. You’re not even halfway, and the only thing you’ve achieved so far is surviving a day where nothing exciting happens.
The Verdict
While Monday might get all the blame, Tuesday is the true villain of the week. It doesn’t have the brutal reputation of Monday, but that’s only because it’s sneakier. You’re stuck in the middle of the workweek with no silver lining, no happy hour deals, and absolutely zero excitement.
Sure Monday knocks you down, but Tuesday is the glorious bastard that starts to kick you, making sure you stay down by dragging on without any promise of relief. It's a day where your to-do list seems endless, your motivation is low, and the weekend feels a lifetime away. Tuesday’s just there, lurking, making sure you stay tired, overworked, and counting down the days until Friday.
So yeah, if you're feeling inexplicably drained and unmotivated on a Tuesday, now you know why: Tuesday sucks, and that’s just the way it is.
By: Michael-Chase Strollo
Digital Journalist
Lifestyle
Published: October 1, 2024 1:27 PM ET
United States, Human Interest, Fashion
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