The four-hour workweek is a dream.
And, it’s a mindset.
The original book is an international bestseller in which Tim Ferris (a self-proclaimed hypergraphian) describes the “New Rich.” “The New Rich” is a group of entrepreneurs who have taken the opportunity generated by the Internet and transformed it into assets.
DEAL by Tim Ferris
D for Definition turns misguided common sense upside down and introduces the rules and objectives of the new game. It replaces self-defeating assumptions and explains concepts such as relative wealth and eustress.1 Who are the NR and how do they operate? This section explains the overall lifestyle design recipe—the fundamentals—before we add the three ingredients.
E for Elimination kills the obsolete notion of time management once and for all. It shows exactly how I used the words of an often-forgotten Italian economist to turn 12-hour days into two- hour days…in 48 hours. Increase your per-hour results ten times or more with counterintuitive NR techniques for cultivating selective ignorance, developing a low-information diet, and otherwise ignoring the unimportant. This section provides the first of the three luxury lifestyle design ingredients: time.
A for Automation puts cash flow on autopilot using geographic arbitrage, outsourcing, and rules of nondecision. From bracket- ing to the routines of ultrasuccessful NR, it’s all here. This section provides the second ingredient of luxury lifestyle design: income.
L for Liberation is the mobile manifesto for the globally inclined. The concept of mini-retirements is introduced, as are the means for flawless remote control and escaping the boss. Liberation is not about cheap travel; it is about forever breaking the bonds that confine you to a single location. This section delivers the third and final ingredient for luxury lifestyle design: mobility.
The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferris
The Dream
Ideally, we are to work only 4 hours a week. That work would consist of all the “mundane” tasks related to work, designated by one’s own preferences and skillset. This list would include:
- Emails
- Messages
- Meetings
- Tasks that immediately trigger an avoidance response. 😀
To limit all the above time commitments to four hours a week would require adaptations to:
- Methodology for day-to-day cycles
- Principles and philosophy conducive to workflow
- Outside of the four hours, one would have to engage in deep work.
The Mindset
We’re human. While balancing workflow amongst skill sets, attempt to find time throughout the day when your eye is directly focused on a point. Your hands and thoughts move in unison with your creative process in whatever medium is in front of you. This work will hopefully produce the results you’re after.
Good luck!
The Janitor