Have you read the 4-hour work week?

[riverwed070707]

I'm just starting it. What did you think? Did you find the info useful? What is your take on lifestyle design and living more than you work, even if its not to the extreme of 4 hours a week? Below is the overview. Also read a review on getrichslowly.org (anyone else read that blog??) that assured me it wasn't a get-rich-quick scheme type book so I thought I'd give it a shot.

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Forget the old concept of retirement and the rest of the deferred-life plan–there is no need to wait and every reason not to, especially in unpredictable economic times. Whether your dream is escaping the rat race, experiencing high-end world travel, earning a monthly five-figure income with zero management, or just living more and working less, The 4-Hour Workweek is the blueprint.

This step-by-step guide to luxury lifestyle design teaches:
•How Tim went from $40,000 per year and 80 hours per week to $40,000 per month and 4 hours per week
•How to outsource your life to overseas virtual assistants for $5 per hour and do whatever you want
•How blue-chip escape artists travel the world without quitting their jobs
•How to eliminate 50% of your work in 48 hours using the principles of a forgotten Italian economist
•How to trade a long-haul career for short work bursts and frequent “mini-retirements”

The new expanded edition of Tim Ferriss’ The 4-Hour Workweek includes:
•More than 50 practical tips and case studies from readers (including families) who have doubled income, overcome common sticking points, and reinvented themselves using the original book as a starting point
•Real-world templates you can copy for eliminating e-mail, negotiating with bosses and clients, or getting a private chef for less than $8 a meal
•How Lifestyle Design principles can be suited to unpredictable economic times
•The latest tools and tricks, as well as high-tech shortcuts, for living like a diplomat or millionaire without being either

[Blessed]

I tried to read it a few years back. I just couldn't get into it. Maybe I need to try reading it again.

[ua_guy]

Never heard of it. Some of the talking points above leave me groaning a little bit.

It might be appealing to pick up if it discusses how to live a more even-keeled life.

[Gailete]

I thought it was a joke. He runs his own 4 hour work week on the backs of others that he hires to do his work and I'm sure THEY are working more than 4 hours a week. He seems to assume an awful lot about how people earn money, so that apparently to have this lifestyle you do all your work on line which isn't going to work with constructions workers, burger flippers, nurses or doctors, etc. It just isn't doable for most people in the majority of careers.

There are some ideas that might be usable by people that all they need for work is a laptop or tablet so that they can accomplish more in the time they have.

[greenskeeper]

Well, I generally come in at least fifteen minutes late, ah, I use the side door - that way Lumbergh can't see me, heh heh - and, uh, after that I just sorta space out for about an hour. Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

[Gailete]

I've never heard of it before, I'm going to read it.

I think I read somewhere that he has revised or expanded the book somewhat so you would probably want to read that copy if possible.

[rennigade]

This book was mentioned in the tv show "the profit." Im guessing that is why we are seeing it in this thread. It was on the other day. Dumb concept, it didnt work for the fool on the show who took the 4 hour work week approach. Welcome to a dream world.

[Gailete]

Dumb concept,

I agree. As long as you have a business on line that has no products but brings in a bunch of cash, you can hire a bunch of people to do your work for you (none of them getting a 4 hour week)so that it can work for you. But the question is how many people can find that kind of way to earn their living???? He depends heavily, at least in his first book, on people in India to do his research, send his letters, etc. and what I saw with the examples is the same reason most of us hate calling customer service reps anymore. Most seem to be located in India and even though we both speak English it is difficult to communicate clearly. A couple of months ago I had to write to Amazon's customer service reps about something I was trying to list. My response came by way of someone with an Indian name that started with the sentence, "I understand what your problem is..." and then went on to prove he had NO clue as to what my question/problem was. I don't really think I would like someone like that handling the majority of my business and personal correspondence. Nothing against those living and working in India, but there IS a communication problem.