Productivity: 9 Habits To Quit Now
I like to-do lists, but do you know what I like better? NOT-to-do lists! The less to do the better, so I’ll take this advice from 4-Hour Workweek author Tim Ferriss.
9 things you can check off your list that do nothing but impede your business progress, productivity and pleasure in your personal life.
8. Do not carry a cellphone or Crackberry 24/7, seven days a week
Take at least one day off of digital leashes per week. Turn them off or, better still, leave them in the garage or in the car. I do this on at least Saturday, and I recommend you leave the phone at home if you go out for dinner. So what if you return a phone call an hour later or the next morning? As one reader put it to a miffed co-worker who worked 24/7 and expected the same: “I’m not the president of the US. No one should need me at 8pm at night. OK—you didn’t get a hold of me. But what bad happened?” The answer? Nothing.
I particularly agree with this one. Must I be available 24/7 just because technology allows me to? What have you been removing from your lists lately?
The Not-To-Do List: 9 Habits to Stop Now - [TimFerriss]
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Comments
Wolfger says on August 17th, 2007 at 9:01 am
#10: Quit being redundant. For example, “24/7, 7 days a week” is pointless. What does the author imagine the “7″ in “24/7″ stands for?
bwd says on August 17th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Am I the only person who read Ferriss’ book and thought it was the biggest load of snake-oil nonsense I’d ever read? Sure, the idea of unplugging and working 4 hours a week sounds great, but are any of his “solutions” remotely possible for 99% of his readers?
judyofthewoods says on August 17th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Admittedly, I have not read the book* by Tim Ferris, but from what I have read about it so far (including his own excerpts), I get the impression that it is somewhat like a pyramid sceeme. The first few to follow it may well be able to benefit, but there comes a point, when so much work has been outsourced to foreign lands, that the large number of unemployed will be such a drain on the few who still work (the four hours) that the whole thing will self-destruct. And that’s not counting the damage of the carbon footprint of the jet-setting lifestyle. There may be a few ideas to use, but I have a very uncomfortable feeling about adopting the methods as a way of life.
What I do agree with is the need to re-think the whole idea about work, employment and money, and question the accepted standards of what a working life should be. There are ways of reducing work time (money-earning?), e.g. by reducing our need for money by consuming less and being a little more self-reliant. And by doing more meaningful or enjoyable work, we would not care so much about the hours we do work.
*and I won’t buy a copy to support his carbon-heavy lifestyle
Craig Childs says on August 18th, 2007 at 8:32 pm
Judy, very interesting point of view. The two of you would have very different lifestyles, no doubt.
I posted the article more for the ideas of not being ‘connected’ 24/7 [7days]. I was reading that a huge percentage of Americans check their emails constantly and even every day whilst on holiday.
This really bugged me out. I am actually glad to hear some opposing opinions on Tim’s book - since everyone has been so into what he’s written.
I’ll admit I haven’t read it.