I finally figured out why my clients always push deadlines after 4 PM

For like 6 months straight, every single time a client would email me to move a deadline up, it was always between 4 and 5 PM on a Friday. I started paying attention and realized they're probably just trying to clear their plate before the weekend without thinking about how it screws up my whole schedule. Has anyone else noticed a specific time of day when clients drop these bombshells?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_lucas14d ago

4:47 PM on a Friday is exactly the sweet spot I've noticed too. Best thing I ever did was set a hard cutoff at 3 PM for any new requests that need a same-day turnaround. If it comes in after that, it goes on Monday's list and that's that. Also started using a shared calendar where clients can see my availability for after-hours work. Funny how they suddenly find time during normal hours when they realize you'll charge rush fees for anything past 4.

matthewking13d ago

Wait, a FULL rewrite at 4:47 PM on a Friday? That's insane, @ben_fisher.

ben_fisher14d ago

Man I feel this so hard. It's like they wait until the absolute last minute on a Friday afternoon and then expect you to drop everything. I had a client once email me at 4:47 PM asking for a full rewrite of a report that was due Monday morning. They said "just a few small tweaks" but it was basically a whole new document. I'm pretty sure they were just trying to get their inbox to zero before the weekend and didn't care that I'd be working all night. It's like they think our time is just... less important somehow?