The 4 Hour Work Week Rocks

The Book 4 Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss is loaded with value.  I’m going to take a moment today and share his “Not to Do List” something that will boost your productivity.  Read on to learn how this list of 9 habits is sure to increase your performance.  For it is in what you decide not to do that determines what you can do.  Enjoy!

There are 9 habits that Timothy shares that cause stress for entrepreneurs and workers and with a plan to eliminate these 9 a few at a time you’ll be thankful you did.

1-  Stop taking calls from numbers that are not recognized…it’s ok for you to surprise others with a call but don’t be surprised yourself.  Let unknown numbers go to voice mail taking away unwanted interruption and poor negotiating positions.

2-  Stay out of your e-mail first thing in the morning and later at night.  The first part of the day gets scrambled if you check it and the latter part of the day you could suffer insomnia by reading your mail.  E-mail can wait til mid morning once you’ve completed at least one of your top priority tasks for the day.

3-  Don’t make meetings or calls that have no specific agenda or time limit.  Clearly define the objectives and agenda and don’t let meetings take any longer than 30 minutes.

4-  Cut off those that ramble…best way is to not start with How’s it going? Start with What’s up or I’m in the middle of something but what’s going on?  A large part of getting things done is getting to the point.

5-  Stop checking e-mail all day long…check at set times only.  Set-up an auto-responder and check 2-3 times a day at specific times as your daily routine.

6-  Don’t spend all of your time communicating with low-profit, high maintenance customers.  The sure path to failure is to try and please everyone.  Take a snapshot of your customer base and apply the 80/20 rule .  You’ll find that 20% of your customers are creating 80% of your profits.  Then make a plan that will  put the 80% which most times will be the most demanding on auto-pilot.  If they are not happy with your new procedures and policies you can point them to other providers.

7-  Avoid working more to fix overwhelm…instead prioritize.  If you’re not prioritizing everything will seem urgent.  If you define the single most important thing of each day almost nothing seems urgent.  Oftentimes, it will be just a matter of letting little things go and happen (such as returning a phone call late, pay a small late fee or let an unreasonable customer go) to get the bigger more important and impactful things done.

8-  Stop hanging on to your cell or crackberry 24/7.  Take at least 1 day off of the digital highway per week.  Turn the technology off.  Better yet, leave them at home when you’re out or lock them in the car when you’re at home.  Get creative and unplug yourself.  You’re not the president of the U.S. and no one should expect you to be available 24/7.

9-  Do not expect that your work will fill the void that non-work relationship activities should.  Work is not your life.  Your co-workers shouldn’t be your only friends.  Schedule your personal time and defend it as if it were an important business meeting.  Stop saying to yourself that you’ll get it done over the weekend.  Working all weekend is no way to spend the little time you have on this planet.

It’s cool to get things done, but it’s only feasible once we remove the constant noise and distraction.  If you have trouble deciding what to do the just focus on your not to do list.  You’ll be better off for it.  If you haven’t picked up a  copy of The 4 Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss then put it on your priority list now and get it done.  Enjoy the journey.

Enjoy your new found freedom with a not to do list-  Sharon Ann Irwin