The 4-Hour Work Week

Sound like a dream? Nope, it’s a book by Timothy Ferriss. And a pretty inspiring one at that.

“Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich” it promises. I know what you’re thinking — just another cheesy motivational book. But this one’s a little different. One of my favourite, cheesy, motivational business books, in fact.
Here’s why:

* It’s practical, very practical. He outlines the problems with the way we work today, and gives step-by-step solutions, for the employee and the self-employed.

* I’ve read many of the success books on the market at the moment and what irritates me most about them is that they all speak about making huge amounts of money, but the only reason they’re making all this money is because people are buying their books. They don’t actually have a profession. Tim Ferriss sells things and shows his readers how they can find something to sell that will free them from having to work eight hour days.

* The book is broken up into a few sections, and even if you’re not interested in the selling part (or ‘finding your muse’ as he calls it), the section on productivity is excellent. Things like only checking email twice a day, avoiding meetings as much as possible and cutting down on media consumption. Again, very practical.

* It just makes sense. The ‘New Rich’, as he calls them, are people who have decided that working your whole life to retire and only then spend your money isn’t the best way to do things. Ferriss recommends taking mini-retirements: one month breaks every three to four months. On these retirements, he encourages you to travel to a different country, live in a foreign city for a month, and learn something new.

* Although the emphasis is on working less (he claims that for most people the ideal job is the one that takes up the least amount of time), it’s not on lazing about. It’s all about filling your life with new knowledge, exciting experiences and sought-after skills.

* Despite it’s cheesiness, it is inspiring. And who doesn’t need a bit of inspiration, now and again?
For more about the book and the lifestyle, check out www.fourhourworkweek.com