This time around, we have a bit of a different format, featuring the book that started it all for me, The 4-Hour Workweek. Readers and listeners often ask me what I would change or update, but an equally interesting question is: what wouldn’t I change? What stands the test of time and hasn’t lost any potency? This episode features one of the most important chapters from the audiobook of The 4-Hour Workweek. It includes tools and frameworks that I use to this day, including Pareto’s Law and Parkinson’s Law. 

The chapter is narrated by the great voice actor Ray Porter. If you are interested in checking out the rest of the audiobook, which is produced and copyrighted by Blackstone Publishing, you can find it on Audible, Apple, Google, Spotify, Downpour.com, or wherever you find your favorite audiobooks.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This episode is brought to you by ExpressVPN high-speed, secure, and anonymous VPN service; Momentous high-quality supplements; and Helix Sleep premium mattresses.

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This episode is brought to you by ExpressVPN. I’ve been using ExpressVPN to make sure that my data is secure and encrypted, without slowing my Internet speed. If you ever use public Wi-Fi at, say, a hotel or a coffee shop, where I often work and as many of my listeners do, you’re often sending data over an open network, meaning no encryption at all.

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This episode is brought to you by Momentous high-quality supplements! Momentous offers high-quality supplements and products across a broad spectrum of categories, and I’ve been testing their products for months now. I’ve been using their magnesium threonate, apigenin, and L-theanine daily, all of which have helped me improve the onset, quality, and duration of my sleep. I’ve also been using Momentous creatine, and while it certainly helps physical performance, including poundage or wattage in sports, I use it primarily for mental performance (short-term memory, etc.).

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Want to hear another episode that features content straight from The 4-Hour Workweek? Listen here for the three chapters preceding this one that cover how to get uncommon results by doing the opposite, aiming with precision, and aiming for the unrealistic.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

SHOW NOTES

• [00:05:27] E is for Elimination.
• [00:05:46] The end of time management.
• [00:07:57] How you will use productivity.
• [00:10:36] Being effective vs. being efficient.
• [00:12:12] Pareto and his garden: 80/20 and freedom from futility.
• [00:24:01] The 9-5 Illusion and Parkinson’s Law.
• [00:31:41] A dozen cupcakes and one question.
• [00:34:47] Questions and actions.
• [00:35:05] Define a to-do list and a not-to-do list.
• [00:35:41] If you had a heart attack and had to work two hours per day, what would you do?
• [00:36:33] If you had a second heart attack and had to work two hours per week, what would you do?
• [00:36:42] If you had a gun to your head and had to stop doing 4/5 of different time-consuming activities, what would you remove?
• [00:37:21] What are the top-three activities that you use to fill time to feel as though you’ve been productive?
• [00:37:45] Who are the 20% of people who produce 80% of your enjoyment and propel you forward, and which 20% cause 80% of your depression, anger, and second-guessing?
• [00:40:16] If this is the only thing you accomplish today, will you be satisfied with your day?
• [00:41:47] Are you inventing things to do to avoid the important?
• [00:42:25] Do not multitask.
• [00:43:17] Use Parkinson’s Law on a macro and micro level.
• [00:44:45] Comfort challenge: Learn to propose.
• [00:45:39] Lifestyle design in action.

PEOPLE MENTIONED

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