Rich Minx

This is part two of a four-part review of Timothy Ferriss’s new book The 4-Hour Work Week, which aims to help people live their dreams while still earning a strong income. Click here for Part 1. Summary first, my reactions at the bottom.

Section II: E is For Elimination

5. The End of Time Management

• The goal is to decrease your workload while increasing your revenue (there should be a 20% input: 80% output ratio.)
• Lack of time is actually a lack of priorities; looking busy and multi-tasking just disguise poor time management.
• Focus on a select few tasks each day (planned the night before) and complete those with short, clear deadlines and no distractions.

6. The Low-Information Diet

• Learn how to become selectively ignorant and take in only the important stuff; target the top few sources in any area (top headlines, top role models etc).
• Learn how to not finish something if it is not worth your time (eg. a bad movie) and to recognize pointless information.
• Learn to speed-read (tip: run your finger along the page as you read to stay focused and keep your speed up.)

7. Interrupting Interruption and The Art of Refusal

• Learn how to be assertive in your workplace to be interrupted less often and work more independently.
• Set up systems: check email twice a day at 12 and 4. Set up an automated response so people are aware of your system. Put your phone line on voicemail and save the cell for emergencies. Train colleagues, clients etc to use email first and the phone/in person for emergencies.
• Keep interaction focused and brief. Avoid meetings. If you must attend, keep them short or plan to speak first, set an end time or leave early.
• Ask for more autonomy to minimize manager interruptions and also give others more responsibility to lighten your workload.
• Work in ‘batches’ if you can. Try and do a single task for a focused period at a fixed time (eg. all laundry every second Sunday) instead of bits here and there.

Reactions to Step II:
This was a meaty section. Ideas on working more effectively and training others to interrupt less often are great. The tips on speed-reading were helpful. Giving others the credit to handle more responsibility is something I really need to work on. I also need to cut down on ‘checking’ things unnecessarily at regular intervals (emails, stats, Technorati…). Writing down my top priorities the night before is a good tip to focus on.

However, his tips on minimizing information and interaction are all a bit clinical and not for everyone. I enjoy reading the news; I am not going to supplement it with word of mouth for years at a time, as he has. I also enjoy checking email and being in touch with people so I would never cut it all down to one hour a week, as he has. And his Comfort Challenge on Page 89 about asking two random attractive strangers for their phone numbers is terrible! Granted, asking someone for a phone number is a good confidence booster but couldn’t he keep it professional? (”If you’re in a relationship,” he adds, “just toss the numbers if you get them.” Oh dear.)

Next: Step III: A is for Automation

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