Want to see what other books SEJ has covered? Read our other reviews in the SEJ Book Club archive.
When I say that FHWW changed my life, I’m not being hyperbolic. Before I read it, I was stuck and unknowingly miserable in my salaried job at an agency that was so Old Boys’ Club, they took clients to strip clubs. FHWW made me realize that it’s okay to not like where you work. Then, it takes a step further by giving you the inspiration to actually do it.
One of the main tenets of FHWW is that it convinces you that not only can anyone be their own boss (no matter the industry or occupation), but it also shows you practical ways to make it happen. And, that is just what I ended up doing.
Some of my favorite quotes from Tim in The 4-Hour Work Week (affiliate link) include:
“It’s lonely at the top. Ninety-nine percent of people in the world are convinced they are incapable of achieving great things, so they aim for the mediocre. The level of competition is thus fiercest for ‘realistic’ goals, paradoxically making them the most time and energy-consuming.”
I also enjoyed this one:
“I’ll repeat something you might consider tattooing on your forehead: What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do.”
Here’s the most important aspects of the book that have made the biggest difference in my life.
Email Management
Tim strongly suggests the use of auto-responders to let those who send you email know that you only check your email at specific periods throughout the day or week. He also offers specific details on what to say, so you can set new expectations for those that regularly email you. After all, you control how others treat you, so telling them what works for you is key.
Once you’ve established boundaries and a set email schedule, it’s time to move onto outsourcing.
Outsourcing Non-Essential Tasks
Another major component of The 4-Hour Work Week is outsourcing. Tim gives resources for where to find good outsourced employees (which is a topic that is covered in my last book club review on Virtual Freedom by Chris Ducker). Tim tells us to outsource any tasks that anyone else (besides you) can do, and to outsource any tasks or work that you don’t particularly enjoy doing.
By forcing me to evaluate my non-essential tasks, as well as how I handled email on a regular basis, The 4-Hour Work Week has been instrumental in helping me continuously evolve and make sure I’m only working on essential tasks that I enjoy doing. I encourage everyone (even if you are in a ‘regular’ office job) to pick up a copy!
Next Month’s Book
Next month, former SEJ Social Media Manager Debbie Miller will be discussing Pam Didner’s Global Content Marketing (affiliate link).
Feel free to pick a copy from Amazon (affiliate link) or your local library and read along with us – we’re looking forward to a great discussion!
Want to see what the SEJ Book Club has read or is planning on reading next? Check out our GoodReads profile.
This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
Book covers via Amazon.
