Buried in techno trash and the four hour workweek
Posted on November 20th, 2007 – 6:01 PMBy Kara McGuire
Last week, a technology recycling event was held outside the Mall of America. There was so much demand for everyone’s cast-offs that the organizers closed it early.
I often feel like I’m buried in the product of technology– pages of emails that I should read and at least acknowledge with a thank you. Invitations to Facebook and Linked In– two social networks that I have no time to maintain (I can barely find time to call my sister).
If much of the working world feels the way I do, no wonder author Timothy Ferriss is scoring the top spot on bestselling lists for his book “The Four-Hour Workweek.”
The New York Times wrote a good story about Ferriss this weekend. He runs a sports nutrition supplement company yet manages to check email just once per day and do little work. Much of his life is outsourced and he spends most of his time espousing his philosophy.
Hopefully many of you like your jobs. But my guess is most of you wouldn’t mind having a bit more time to do something else– even if that something is doing nothing at all.
But most of us need to earn money. And I can’t imagine most bosses responding fondly to the idea of working 30 hours a week, let alone four.
Ferriss insists that money should not hold us back. Instead of thinking about our annual incomes, we should be calculating our Target Daily Income and has a calculator to show us how we can live our dreams. I’m doubtful about his assertion that I could afford a fancy car if I wanted one. But could I do my work in less time? Probably.
Do you think you could be just as productive in less time on the clock? Do you have strategies for managing email more effectively? What about your finances?
One response to "Buried in techno trash and the four hour workweek"
I find it useful, when shopping, to think of how much time I would have to work to earn products I would consume. Sometimes, money itself is an abstraction that clouds our judgment. We all need to eat, of course, but few of us are struggling to meet only our needs.
If you earn $15 per hour after taxes, is a $1000 television worth over 1.5 weeks of full time work? Is there some alternative that you would find more valuable?
In general, some don’t seem to understand that there is a continuum between consuming and having more free time. If having more time is important to you, consume less. If consumption is important, understand that you are giving up your time away from work to do that.
My opinion is, many people would be happier if they more consciously chose where on the continuum they would like to live.
