A little chitchat around the workplace at the beginning of the week shouldn't be written off as a time waster. Think of it as a relationship-building exercise. These sorts of bonds are valuable, so don't be shy. By wednesday, you could find yourself organizing some of these same coworkers for an important project and possibly welcoming someone new into the group as well. Friday might feel like an uphill battle. The key is to sit down with your schedule and impose some structure on the chaos. And (bonus) the weekend can bring an unanticipated stroke of brilliance.