The Magic Hour: 11:33 Tuesday

Forget about Ruby Tuesday -- it should probably be called Diamond, Gold or even Platinum Tuesday, as far as your boss is concerned. A recent study conducted by a British research firm shows that the most productive time of the week for workers is at exactly 11:33 a.m. Tuesday.

It makes perfect sense: Mondays are spent recovering from the weekend, catching up, and organizing the week to come. By Tuesday you're ready to dig in and get things done, before you start losing steam. Believe it or not, the majority of the workers surveyed said that energy and enthusiasm begin to flag as soon as Wednesday.

A poll of 3,000 employees revealed that on Tuesday, 93 percent of workers mean business: They're at their peak, organized and rarin' to go. Efficiency and communications skills are at their apex, and workers feel fresh, competent and confident. That's the best day to schedule productivity evaluations and important pitches with clients; not only do employees give their best presentations, but clients are more enthusiastic and receptive.

Tuesday is also the best day for staff meetings, as the energy and focus of that day bring up the best ideas. Four of 10 people said they schedule Tuesday meetings for this very reason.

On Monday, workers are busy revving themselves up, battling hangovers or exhaustion from an active weekend, catching up on gossip, answering emails and preparing for all those Tuesday meetings and presentations.

It seems a bit odd that things start to take a dip by Wednesday, but that's what more than half of those surveyed admitted. While they take shorter breaks, including lunch, on Monday and Tuesday, by Wednesday they start lengthening their break periods. Twenty-four percent admitted that they're already looking forward to and planning for weekend activities by hump day.

The majority of workers surveyed say they purposely plan a lighter workload for Thursday and Friday. Some say it's because they don't want to leave things hanging over the weekend, while others admit that they lack professional focus at the end of the week. Thirty percent of the workers surveyed say that Friday is the worst day of the week for them.

Overall, Tuesday, seems to be the favorite of both employers and employees, with performance peaking just prior to lunch. Just watch: Slackers will use this information to goof around even more during the rest of the week, but the savvy employee will use it to get a leg up on everyone else on the other days. What's your first impulse?

Next: The Keys to Improving Productivity >>