Fishing is best where few go (Tim Ferriss)- Work Post COVID: Excitement or Entrapment? you decide?

Since COVID made its entrance, I have spent loads of time trying to figure this mess out, consider all viewpoints, consider the outliers. Add to this the successful sale of my business in September, I have had precious time to pause, observe and experiment with new ways of working to enhance my life by design. 

Whether COVID was as a result of infected meat from bats in a Chinese food market or artificially manufactured in some lab somewhere - what I have come to realize is that I don't care. What matters is that it may be the single biggest opportunity we will ever have for us to awaken - question what serves us and use all that we have learned during this time to achieve true enlightenment. Change so profound that it helps us to move forward with a renewed sense of excitement rather than entrapment. 

The “4 hour work week” philosophy 

One key theme that keeps cropping up in speaking to countless people and supporting them in their well-being this year, is that the concept of the “machine” (which we have all bought into to varying extent) is not serving us too well. Long hours, constant deadlines and the increased blurred boundaries between work and life is playing havoc with our mental health, stress and overall well-being. Add to this the COVID pandemic and resulting work restrictions, many of us who used to work at home now and again have for the last 9 months “lived at work”. 

I can honestly say that since losing the day to day burden of owning a business (despite my deep sense of pride for what I and the team built), working significantly less hours, and doing everything on my terms, I have never felt more rested, peaceful, energetic and optimistic. I have since the acquisition been practicing much of the principles outlined by Jim Ferriss in his New York Times Best selling book “The 4 hour work week" and his book "Tools of Titans". As much as I am not working 4 hours a week yet (and not counting either), I have definitely worked a huge amount less in the last 3 months (circa 15 hours per week).  I make the point about counting as I think culturally we are too obssessed with the number of hours we work. I have seen people commit many hours to their job and been relatievely ineffective. Likewise, I have seen people do less hours and smash the task out the park. Hours does not equal productivity.

I have been on a journey of, consciously and deliberately eliminating everything that either a) I didn’t like b) where the downside outweighed the benefit or c) doesn’t align to my values. Instead, I have focused on increasing the 20% of actions which give me 80% of my results. Good old Pareto’s Law, I knew he would come in handy at some point. The most enjoyable part of this experience so far is the immense feeling of liberation. The freedom and control in deciding what, when, where and who I chose to do “stuff” with has made me realise I was not selective enough in the past. Yes sometimes you can indeed by too keen, too accommodating and too helpful. Implementing these actions is scary, yes it involves many challenges and obstacles, but you can overcome them if you decide to full commit and choose to start small. Remember the only way you can change your lifestyle is to embrace uncomfortable. The worse case fall out may be bad but I promise you the upside potential is huge.

I can hear you saying “that it is highly unrealistic for me as I am employed”, “I couldn’t possibly do something so bold with all my commitments” and "who is she kidding, I can't let people down, what will people think of me?". Hold those thoughts...Whilst I agree that there are many heavily ingrained psychological belief systems to navigate and that a 4 hour week is unrealistic for many, I think COVID has taught us all that there is another way. COVID has shown us that we can be given the toughest of challenges and pass them with flying colours. My own experience has shown me that all of us, self-employed or employed can work towards achieving the liberation that brings excitement and reduces entrapment that Jim Ferriss so passionately recommends. 

The problem with assumptions 

COVID has forced all of us to question in-built assumptions. In many ways its been a slap in the face with reference to so much of what we thought we knew. For example, the impressive agility of physical businesses moving instantly online, the rapid technological advancement in all sectors to give the consumer a different but nonetheless beneficial experience and the forced pivot to at-home working strategies demonstrate that when left with no choice and no time, serious shit gets done... 

My experimentation with my new way of being rather than doing since September, has made me realize more and more that many of the assumptions we hold so dear are not so robust after all. We have universally accepted the philosophy that working an 80 hour week for 45 years to enjoy 10-15 years (if lucky) is a good idea and one to pursue with gusto. That we work our ass off for years and years to enjoy our lives on our terms just as our bodies are telling us that the Fijian holiday, the writing of that book or the learning to sky dive are just a bit too strenuous at the ripe old age of 67. This needs to change and change now.

We have also tolerated mediocrity at the expense of true purpose. The idea that we should stay in a boring job or a job that doesn’t serve us because it pays well, is a doctrine which is so fundamentally become a part of our DNA that we do not dare to question it. We happily go with the status quo as we have attached too much worth to job status and wealth. We are also taught to "be smart - be like Claire" as opposed to just being "me". We are at times not great at teaching our children to question, to look for a better way, to dare to be different. Yes a well paid job may help us to buy the next Mulberry handbag or expensive watch but all that happens here is that we move the goal posts further down a slippery slope of no return- "if I just get that next promotion I will be happy", "if I just get that bigger house" and so on. I have been there stuck in the achievement trap, but where does it end and what are the consequences of this relentless pursuit of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Retirement is no different. We are endlessly grafting in the hope we are rewarded but what if the pot of gold doesn't end up being there after all? What then? Do we live with severe regret? The reality is that many of us are dying a slow spiritual death rather than living our best life NOW. 

Despite only 3 months post-sale of my business, I have already come to value my freedom, my time and my lifestyle above all else. That a smaller salary but more free time is more valuable and certainly more life enriching. That more time with my family rather than with work colleagues is priceless. That waking up when I wake rather than the alarm forcing me out of bed is a choice I am better off having.

Fishing is best where few go

I know the idea of change, especially major change to how you view your work is incredibly scary - its not an easy move. Any of my family and friends would tell you I was the stereo-typical workaholic. I attached so much of my identity to my job and it has demanded a whole mindset shift to come to terms with the fact that the narrative I bought into for so long was utter bullshit! Life goes on with or without a job, your work moves on from you as soon as you go no matter what you did for the business or the employees and you know what? That is perfectly normal and okay! What it taught me is this. We often attach too much of our soul to our work and not enough to our life. It is common sense that we should spend more time on what really really matters so why don't we? Why do too many of us accept what isn't working?

As Ferriss says and I have so quickly found out  “Fishing is best where few go". I understand why so few people do not dare to step out of the norm but having done so, I am a better person for it. For me the worst mistake we can make it to refuse to do something out of fear or because you think it’s too late. There is nothing stopping you from making good decisions now regardless of the past. The biggest results happen when you are out with your circle of comfort so maybe then its time that we start to engage in fear setting rather than goal setting? 

Liberation from the office - 5 Steps

I genuinely think if one is committed to embracing a greater work life balance (it doesn't need to be a 4 hour work week) it has to start with liberation from the office, and removal of the corporate shackles. This is the huge opportunity given to us by the experience of COVID. The Global pandemic has gifted us a unique experiment that few organisation's would have readily bought into or participated in without their hand being forced. It has tested the hypothesis on a global scale that the productivity of businesses and people does not deteriorate significantly due to working from home or from employees working less hours. So far the data looks really promising. What it has raised is that some organisation's do not trust their employees to get the job done without having someone physically cracking the whip so to speak. If there was ever a more opportune time to make this work for you this is it. This is the first move in giving you the momentum to becoming the pilot rather than the passenger, to set the agenda rather than be given the timetable, to become the outlier rather than the norm.

So for anyone who is interested in stepping into this new but rich lifestyle whilst still working the corporate 9/5 job, you need to remove the obligation you have to do certain things. This will increase your options and increase your freedom. You need to be strong in your will and resolve to do this and it involves 5 key steps: 

Investment - leverage 

Get your company to invest in you - so the loss is great if you quit. If they invest in for example a £20,000 specialist course for you and you are a really good employee, you have more leverage to ask for flexible working and get it. Make yourself as irreplaceable as possible.

Offset output 

Use Parkinson’s law and Pareto’s law to full effect. The next day you work from home get a full 2 days work done in 2 hours - that’s right get in a hell of a lot of work and work that has real impact. Show that when you work at home you get more done than in the office due to less interruptions, more focus etc. Prove that you can do it and that it works. 

Quantify 

Show and tell is key to gaining buy in from your employer. Measure what you are doing at home versus in the office and show your line manager that the business does not lose productivity by you being at home or working less hours. You need to demonstrate that productivity is a constant. The more you can do this the more you build trust. 

Trial period 

Propose a revocable short term trial period. Explain the learning's from your COVID experience, what your aspirations are post pandemic and how you feel working from home or with more work life balance will enhance your performance and how it can work. Now demonstrate it in practice. 

Extend the time

If going well, extend the remote time or reduction in hours (honestly no one should need to work 80 hours a week unless you are not effective) until you are at a point where you feel the arrangement gives you the desired liberation and sense of freedom. Continue to do a great job, don’t drop any balls and show your workplace that it is a win win for both parties. Once liberated from the office ask for this to become a permanent feature of your contract. 

Please remember none of these steps are instant. This is not an overnight process and may take you 6 to 12 months. Patience is a virtue here as well as good planning. 

Finally

Be prepared that for some people unfortunately your job may be beyond repair. It may actually be time to kill and fire your job... Tim Ferriss said “Some people are not lucky enough to get fired”.  I now fully understand his point here. Too many of us have too many perceived barriers to make the change we so desperately need. When the band aid is ripped off its amazing what growth lies there - COVID has shown us this in spades. 

I would be a hypocrite to say that I won’t be looking for my next work related opportunity. I can't also say with any conviction that I ready to stop at only 4 hours a week - I have too much left to give. But what I can confirm is that it will be based on something which values not just me and what I can bring but also values my life by design choices where balance freedom is everything. It is so easy to resist reverting to type - I done this myself a few weeks ago. Looking at options that would lead me back down that all too weary path. Avoid the temptation to fall back into the salary trap and keep going back to your vision for the future.

I ask you this? 

1. Are you going to continue to run your life by your alarm clock ?
2. Are you going to continue to with mundane unhappy situation? 

Or... 

1. Are you going to embrace excitement towards happiness? 
2. Are you ready to make the change ? 

Excitement or Entrapment - you decide...

If you want to discuss any of this content, please PM me.