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How To Escape Work On A Friday Before 5 pm Without Getting Held Back

How to escape work before 5pm on a Friday without getting caught. From dodging Teams calls to avoiding Everest Ed, here’s your ninja guide to making it out alive.

by James Mason

Updated September 16, 2025

Introdution

It’s Friday. The clock is ticking. You’ve cleared your inbox (sort of, apart from emailing Natalie wishing her good luck in her new job), glanced at your to-do list (no regrets), and made peace with the fact that whatever’s left can absolutely wait until Monday.

But escaping the office before 5 pm? That’s the real end-of-week boss level.

Here’s how to sneak out like the corporate ninja you were born to be—without getting roped into just one more thing.

1. Dodge the 4:30 pm “Quick” Teams Meeting

Ah, yes, the classic trap. Some calendar criminal has booked a “15-minute sync” at 4:30pm. They say it’ll be quick. They lie.
Escape Tactic:

Block out your calendar with a fake “Doctor’s Appointment” from 4–5 pm.
Set your Teams status to "Offline" or “In Transit.” Bonus: turn off read receipts (the real MVP).
If questioned on Monday, feign a mild-but-vague illness.

2. Evade the Chatty Coworker That Never Leaves

You know the one. The human time-vortex. You stop for a “quick word,” and suddenly you know their cat’s medical history and the full plot of a Netflix documentary you never asked about.
Escape Tactic:

Keep a prop—a bag, jacket, or takeaway coffee—as your "leaving signal."
Hit them with the ol’ “Oh, I’m late to pick someone up!”
Walk fast. Don’t look back. If they follow, pretend you’re taking a call.

3. Avoid the Boss Who Suddenly Wants to Debrief

They’ve ignored you all day, but now—when you’re halfway out the door—they want to talk about next week.
Escape Tactic:

Time your bathroom break for 4:50 pm and never return.
Leave a sticky note that reads: “Had to dash! Will send thoughts via email Monday morning 😊”

4. Ignore the Dreaded Email You “Should” Open

You see it. Marked High Importance. Sent at 4:47 pm. From that project lead. You already know it’s chaos wrapped in urgency.
Escape Tactic:

Don’t. Open. It.
Convince yourself you’re setting boundaries.
Mondays were literally invented for this sort of nonsense.

5. You Read the Message… And They Know

Curse those read receipts. Now they know you’ve seen the message, and you know they know.
Escape Tactic:

If they chase, claim Teams glitched or "it popped up while I was walking away."
Delay your response until Monday, then reply: “Sorry, I only just saw this properly. Can loop back then.”

6. Fend Off the Leaving Collection Request

Someone from finance is leaving, and suddenly you’re being approached with a card and a collection pot. You haven’t spoken to them since 2019.
Escape Tactic:

Say you’ve already contributed digitally (via a link that mysteriously never existed).
Sign the card with a mysterious “Best wishes – J.”
Walk away briskly with purpose, even if it’s just to hide in the supply cupboard.

7. Charity Guy Climbed Everest (Again)

You once said, “Yeah, I’ll donate!” months ago, and now Everest Ed is back with receipts—literally.
Escape Tactic:

Feign confusion: “Oh, I thought I donated already! I’ll double-check online!”
Then never return from that double-checking session. Classic ghosting with a halo.

8. That Client Who Calls At 5 pm (Every. Single. Week.)

There’s always one. The type who calls right as you’re shutting your laptop and putting your coat on.
Escape Tactic:

Set calls to forward to voicemail at 4:59 pm.
Craft an “Out of Office” auto-response titled: “Stepping Out – Back Monday Morning.”
If it’s really urgent, they’ll call back. If not, it wasn’t your problem to begin with.

Bonus Tip: Master the Ninja Exit

Keep your bag packed by 4:00.
Create a distraction (“Smoke alarm's low battery again!”)
Slip out via the stairwell.
If anyone sees you leave early, confidently say: “Emergency – back in 10,” and then never return.