The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
The 4-Hour Workweek
Author: Tim Ferriss
Genre: Non-fiction
Format: Digital (Kindle purchase)
Publish Date: December 2009
Read: December 2022
Favorite Quote: The commonsense rules of the “real world” are a fragile collection of socially reinforced illusions.
Synopsis: The 4-Hour Workweek is one of those perennial sellers. It was hugely popular when it came out, and it remains popular. Ferriss’ book describes life as the “new rich (NR)” - a group of people who eschew the traditional work experience. Those who don’t fall into the New Rich are people who are beholden to their work for 40 years only to retire too old and too tired to do the things they put off in their younger days. The 4-Hour Workweek shares tactics and strategies to get you out of the rat race and in control of your life.
Thoughts & Feelings: I read The 4-Hour Workweek in 2011 (ish), which shaped many of my philosophies about working I hold today. Ferriss provides links to websites to build efficiencies in your life, along with scripts to help you convince your employer to work remotely. It’s quite interesting to re-read this book since the Covid-19 pandemic changed so much about remote work and remote learning. However, many people are still working for work’s sake instead of optimizing. One of the mantras I loved from this book is, “Am I inventing work to avoid doing what’s important?”
The 4-Hour Workweek is inspiring, straightforward, and well-written. You’ll either love it and want to implement changes immediately to improve your life… or call it nonsense and resign yourself to the status quo.
Rating: 5/5