The Four Hour Workweek (4HWW) by Tim Ferriss is an eye-opening read, especially for those like me interested in personal productivity, and running internet-based business models.
Here are the best, no-nonsense takeaways from the book:
- If you’re spending 12 hours a day at your desk, and still not finishing your work, it’s time to make a change.
- Interest, energy and ability go up and down all the time. Trying to work through it when you’re miserable is unproductive.
- Doing less is not being lazy. Don’t give in to a culture that values personal sacrifice over personal productivity.
- Stop putting hard choices off because of timing. It kills productivity.
- Ask people for forgiveness instead of for permission.
- Emphasize what you’re good at rather than trying to correct weaknesses.
- Figure out how to use stress rather than letting it make you less able and confident.
- Don’t choose unhappiness over uncertainty. Define the worst case scenario to change this.
- Watch out for fear disguised as optimism.
- Give yourself less time to do everything.
- Most problems solve themselves. Stop making an emergency out of everything and “cultivate selective ignorance.”
- Master the art of not finishing things and interrupting people.
- Some things are just time consuming and repetitive. Do them all at the same time.
- Don’t make people ask you for permission. Clearly delineate when you absolutely need to and avoid otherwise.
- Consider a remote personal assistant. Outsourcing isn’t just for companies.
- Set unrealistic and hugely ambitious goals.
- Forget about time management and the “results by volume” approach. – the real focus should be on doing less.
- Use the 80/20 rule: 80 percent of the results come from 20 percent of the time and effort.
You can by the book here: The 4 Hour Work Week
And follow Tim Ferriss on his blog here: Tim Ferriss Blog
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