--- title: "Casual Fridays: Slack or Shine?" description: "Casual Fridays: Slack or Shine?" --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2011/07/08/casual-friday-slack-or-shine#) # Casual Fridays: Slack or Shine? Jul 8, 2011 3:00:13 PM  |  by [Lisa M. Hendey](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-m-hendey) ![](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/cf_messy.jpg?width=297&height=300&name=cf_messy.jpg "cf_messy")It's hot in my office these days, so hot that I sometimes retreat to cooler parts of the home I also call "work" in search of a more bearable temperature to combat the heat put off by the laptop that is my most productive co-worker. This summer I've worked at the kitchen table, in the living room, on the couch and in the backyard. While I've been galavanting around the house in search of cool, my home office has been falling into a pit of disrepair. It's been easy to put up with the stacks since I haven't been here this much, preferring instead to smash work into compact chunks and instead go play with my family. Summer's slightly slower pace has afforded me the luxury of cutting back a bit on work hours, and since I'm my own boss it's a blessing I've taken for granted. I find that those I communicate with in my work are also a bit more casual during summer, and that the pace of things is generally slower. Today, I'm thinking about how to best maximize upon that less frenetic tone of summer, and just how to take advantage of the roughly six weeks my calendar holds before things begin to get crazy again in late August. I have a few options: 1. Continue the way things have been going. Work enough to get by, but preserve the bulk of my time for family and fun. 2. Take advantage of the quieter pace to get organized and get ahead. Plan now for those crazy Fall months I know lie ahead of me. Get my office organized, get ahead on some financial records that need straightening, and stockpile some projects up front so that my pace will be more bearable in September. I'm still pondering my answer, but I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject. *Does your work or family life slow down during summer months, or are things as crazy in July as they feel in April? Is this a productive time for you, or would you prefer to go curl up on the beach with a novel? And do you find yourself struggling to balance family life and work this summer?* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F07%2F08%2Fcasual-friday-slack-or-shine%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F07%2F08%2Fcasual-friday-slack-or-shine%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F07%2F08%2Fcasual-friday-slack-or-shine%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Casual%20Fridays%3A%20Slack%20or%20Shine%3F) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F07%2F08%2Fcasual-friday-slack-or-shine%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2011%2F07%2F08%2Fcasual-friday-slack-or-shine%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Lisa M. Hendey](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Lisa%20M%20Hendey%202024.png) ### [Lisa M. Hendey](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-m-hendey) Lisa M. Hendey is the founder of CatholicMom.com, a bestselling author and an international speaker. A frequent radio and television guest, Hendey travels internationally giving workshops on faith, family, and communications. Visit Lisa at [LisaHendey.com](http://lisahendey.com), on her Substack at [LisaHendey.Substack.com](http://lisahendey.substack.com/), or on social media @LisaHendey for information on her speaking schedule or to invite her to visit your group, parish, school or organization. [Find Lisa’s books on her Amazon author page](https://www.amazon.com/Lisa-M-Hendey/e/B002ZM9FH0). [**](http://facebook.com/lisamhendey) [**](http://twitter.com/lisahendey) ## Related Blog Articles [ Slimming Summer Screen Time for Our Families Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/06/11/slimming-summer-screen-time-families) [ SacredVerse.com Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2010/06/22/sacredverse-com) [ Greg Walton wins Songdoor International Songwriting Competition in the Alternative Song Division Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2009/03/02/greg-walton-wins-songdoor-international-songwriting-competition-in-the-alternative-song-division) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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