Saturday 12 May 2012

The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris



I have been put off reading this book for quite a while because someone told me that Tim Ferris is not a particularly nice guy.  Well, it doesn't take long reading his book to realise that indeed he is not a particularly nice guy.  Early on he tells us a story about how he ruined some martial arts contest by gaming the rules.  It turned out that the framers of the rules of Chinese Kick Boxing had not taken into account someone like Tim Ferris.  By a bit of radical dehydration prior to the contest he managed to get into the wrong weight category, and so was able to literally punch above his weight.  Bully for Tim, who was doing it for a bet, rough on the enthusiasts who had trained properly for the big event in their sport.

Thursday 3 May 2012

How Planning Undermines What You Are Trying To Do



Planning is a great way to use your time more efficiently and enable you to get more done.  There is no doubt about that.  Dick Tracey says you save ten times the time you spend on planning.  (I am not sure where he gets that precise figure from, but it certainly fits in with my personal experience.)  But there is one huge drawback to planning that you absolutely have to be aware of, because if you aren't you will find that your planning will keep you busy but won't get much that matters done.

Tuesday 1 May 2012

Time Management - Do not read blogs and above all do not write them.



Some serious time management advice from a blog post by Professor Serious.  The big thing with time management is to distinguish between what is important and what is urgent.  This is one of those things like walking a tight rope.  There is nothing conceptually difficult about it.  Actually doing it yourself though?  That is a different question.