Today was a company holiday, but I went to work (for the first half of the day anyway). I didn't do so out of an extra sense of duty or dedication. I did so to stay ahead of the game and ensure a good night's sleep.

I woke up at three this morning with thoughts of work floating across my mind. I tossed and turned for an hour before falling back asleep. Not exactly what I consider a fun or productive use of time. I'm hoping a few hours at the office today will prevent a repeat of that tonight.

While I wouldn't make a habit of it, working on a holiday proved to have some perks and revealed a few good reasons to work on the days when everybody else is gone. Here are my Top 5.

1. Less Traffic/Better Parking: It seemed like fewer cars were on the road (a likely combination of the holiday and Monday light). It made the drive more pleasant. I would have taken the bus, but I wanted to be able to leave early if I finished early. Also, when everybody else is gone, there are plenty of places to park. I'm not usually one who tries to grab the spot closest to the building, but I felt obligated to do so today.
2. Peace and Quiet: It was amazing how quiet the office was with only two or three of us there. I had gotten so accustomed to the constant chatter and racket, the silence was noticeable (and wonderful). It was also extremely conducive to getting tasks done.
3. No Interruptions: I didn't receive a single phone call or email and not a single soul stopped by my cubicle to ask questions or give me a fire to put out, which meant I could actually focus on the tasks at hand. It's almost miraculous how productive one can be when one's concentration is unbroken.
4. No Dress Code: Instead of dressing for work, I was able to dress to work. There was no need to worry about wearing slacks or dress shirts or ties. Nobody was around to judge what was proper attire or not, which meant I could wear muddy boots, comfortable jeans, and a long-sleeved t-shirt without feeling like a slacker. Today wasn't about appearance or pretense, it was about functionality.
5. No Hall Monitors: In every office, there are those who keeps tabs on when others arrive, take lunch, take coffee/bathroom breaks, and leave. I call them hall monitors. Luckily, on holidays and weekends, hall monitors aren't around to watch the clock, so if one wants to work through lunch, run across the street for a much-needed cafe au lait, or leave "early" because everything on the to-do list is crossed off, one can do so without being marked down.