No, this is not a proposal for a 2 hour work week.
This is one of the 17 questions that changed Tim Ferriss’s life. It’s also a powerful thought exercise that can serve you well in the pursuit of effectiveness.
Here’s the quick excerpt:
“After reading The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber and The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch, I decided that extreme questions were the forcing function I needed. The question I found most helpful was, “If I could only work 2 hours per week on my business, what would I do?” Honestly speaking, it was more like, “Yes, I know it’s impossible, but if you had a gun to your head or contracted some horrible disease, and you had to limit work to 2 hours per week, what would you do to keep things afloat?”
17 questions that changed my life by Tim Ferriss
So what exactly makes this a useful thought exercise?
Well, like Tim said, it’s a forcing function. While it’s unlikely impossible to produce much of anything in just 2 hours per week, the simple question forces you to consider a very interesting ‘what if’ scenario.
It’s a highly effective simulation for making difficult decisions.
Remember, being effective is about doing the right things. So if you only had 2 hours to work each week, you’d have no choice but to be ruthlessly selective. You’d be forced to cut back on almost everything – everything but the right things. The important things. The needle-moving things.
So what would you cut?
What meetings and appointments would you cancel?
What marginal initiatives would you cut out?
What projects would you stop immediately?
What recurring activities would you pause?
What new initiatives would you reconsider?
Most importantly, what would be the handful of things that remain?
“The 80/20 principle, also known as Pareto’s law, is the primary tool. It dictates that 80% (or more) of your desired outcomes are the result of 20% (or less) of your activities and inputs.”
17 questions that changed my life by Tim Ferriss
What remains is your 20%. These are your highest leverage activities that have the greatest potential to move you closer to your desired objective. These are the activities you want to build your day around and dedicate sufficient time, focus, and energy towards.
This is the power of a simple thought exercise. When you’re forced to cut out everything but what truly matters, you gain a new sense of clarity.
So go ahead, ask yourself.
What would you do if you could only work 2 hours per week? The answers may very well help you unlock a new level of effectiveness.
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