For the benefit of non-it folks, I want to explain first.  Friday evenings are party (rather were) times in most of the Software companies.  Everybody gets casual on Friday evenings considering the next 2 days of relief.  (Now I dont want to tell the actual fate in many companies that force employes to work on Saturdays and in certain cases Sundays as well).

 

But in a realistic software company model, fridays are parties.  People try and leave early, some people try and work from home to avoid the hassle of driving forth and back.  Others try taking off and do a myriad of things to extend the bit of the day to the weekend mode.

 

Also, most of the team dinners (team building activities) happen on Friday evenings since its a time to chill out given that most of these end up being drinking party and the folks dont have to come to work the next day, being Saturday.  

 

However, in my 10 years of career, I have always found that some how or other, I screw up on Friday evenings that I can't leave early.   Either it would be a demanding work or something that is a burning issue or in certain cases, an installation/uninstallation I started which seems never ending.

 

Also, the anxiety that the next 2 days, I might be totally off from system, makes me dig up and complete everything in my task lisk ending up having to do the extra bit.  Now, I am not trying to show that I am the hardest working guy.  It is just that, I suck when it comes to time management and efficiently planning work so that this doesnt happen.  Also, that nerdiness in me, asks me to check that extra bit of everything before I feel comfortable.

 

Believe me, I have done this when I started my career - initial 2 years, became experienced did the same, got married - still did the same and after four years of getting married, I am still the same (while I type this I am at office trying to install a new product and that took hell a lot of time and is continuing).  The only difference is that, before marriage, people dont bother to call me and ask where I am since they know for granted that this guy comes late home.  The recent (rather 4 years) is that my wife calls up and asks when I would come.  Invariably I would say in another 15 minutes I am starting and end up spending one more hour. 

 

The reason for this post is that, today I got the infamous call from my wife who said that "I know its Friday evening so you end up at home only after 9pm" and kept the phone without waiting for me to react.

 

For all those out there envying Software professions and their huge pay checks (imaginary)  these are some of the things which you can find in most of the folks.  We have seldom seen sunsets and had very rare occasions to come home in the evening and then going out for shopping / functions etc.,

 

Cheers !!!