The cover of April’s Inc. magazine showed the uber successful Tim Ferriss on the cover. In case you don’t follow overnight success stories, Ferris authored The 4-Hour Workweek which turned into a mega-best-seller (then he rode on its coattails with two additional ‘4-Hour’ themed books).
The premise involved how to maximize results while minimizing time spent either to make money or acquire skills. In it, Ferriss profiled his experiences of putting his company on autopilot while he chose to self-promote—a decision that has earned him quite a comfortable lifestyle and the nickname, “The Productivity Guru.”
Arrogance or substance?
Ferriss wrote a new set of rules about how to get things done, rules meant to disrupt how people think about productivity. Perhaps it was his arrogance in self-promotion that convinced people his ideas had substance.
Key is the 80/20 rule: Urge people to maximize the outcome and not the amount of work. He claims to have applied this and other ideas to his own life.
A benefit of his system is better work/life balance and reduced stress. He ‘fired’ a customer in order to maintain healthier relationships with the remainder then noticed his stress level diminished.
Ferriss merely redefined his work habits
Honing skills and habits is nothing new, and even Ferriss is finding he must adapt to the flow of business. But here are six tips he offers for avoiding distractions and time-wasting activities.
Check email twice daily and request people not copy you on endless threads.
Curtail instant messaging
Avoid meetings, and when you have them, be punctual with start and end times
Avoid mind-clutter. Read only the news headlines.
Develop template responses to repeat inquiries and use them.
Outsource tasks to others who are specialists in what they do.
Primarily, Ferriss outsourced specified tasks to experienced professionals
Ferriss chose to spend his time where he could be most valuable. He chose to foster those relationships that mattered, the ones that helped him stay productive.
Outsourcing your staffing firm’s marketing can help you focus on what is most valuable to you, help you redefine your work habits, improve your work/life balance and help keep your staffing firm competitive.
Contact us today and learn how ASJ Partners can hep you get more done. Call 610-930-5300.
