How to achieve much more in much less time, giving you more time to enjoy the other things you love with the other people you love.
Conventional wisdom tells us that working hard is the proven path to success. What conventional wisdom doesn’t tell us is the cost of conventional success: our health, our relationships, our happiness, our life.
This begs the question, is financial success really worth all of that? Many would say yes, and these are mostly people who have lots of money, and much of the fame and fortune, yet are ironically also some of the most unhappy and most unfulfilled individuals.
Does it always have to be one or the other? Happiness or money? Success or health? Career or relationships? If we take a step back and look at the bigger picture, the answer might surprise you. There is a better way. We can have our cake and eat it too. Success, wealth, health, happiness, time freedom and strong relationships.
How? By WORKING SMART instead of working hard.
At first glance, it sounds almost utopian. However, when we examine the data, we find that working smart is worth looking into .
This page is packed with studies, articles and real-world results of implementing unconventional yet highly effective strategies to increase productivity and time-freedom. It is an opportunity to pivot your thinking and stretch your imagination into a world of working smarter.
Firstly, let’s explore the belief that working longer hours allows you and your Team to get more done.
You wouldn’t be alone if you thought that a 4 day work week is counterproductive, impossible or even borderline absurd. A few centuries ago, everyone thought the exact same way, when Henry Ford first proposed a five day work week. Something we all take for granted in the present time.
Work, and our perspective on it, has shifted considerably in recent years. The pandemic brought on an unavoidable rise of remote and flexible working for office workers; simultaneously, it has highlighted the strain of overwork, stress and burnout. And in looking for solutions to this world of problems, the four-day working week has a stronger and stronger case. Read more here.
Companies and countries are initiating ‘4 day work week’ trials with some having already made 4 day weeks their standard work week. With most work hours are reduced and the pay remains the same. Instead of productivity plummeting, companies like Microsoft are actually finding that their employees are not only happier but are also significantly more productive. Read about Microsoft's 4 day work week trials in its offices in Japan here.
Unilever New Zealand also began a 4 day work week trial in the hopes of boosting productivity and improving their employees’ work-life balance. Read more here.
Norwegians enjoy the shortest work week in the world at around 27 hours yet they are some of the most productive people. Read more here and here.
Check out Media's Sue Papadoulis story and how she’s implemented a nine-day fortnight for her employees. Read more here.
Finally, we have Iceland, which conducted the largest and most successful, 4 day work week trials in the world. Read more here. A deeper dive into why Iceland’s 4 day work week trial succeeded can be found in this report and seen in the video below.
4-Day Work Week A 'Huge Success' In Iceland - Data compiled by U.K. think-tank Autonomy alongside Iceland's Association for Sustainable Democracy, shows that Iceland's 4-day work week trial is a massive success for both employees and employers.
Here are two videos explaining why employees become healthier, happier and more productive in a 4 day work week.
The Four-Day Week | Andrew Barnes | TEDxAuckland - The 4 day week is the future of work. When Andrew Barnes trialled this groundbreaking flexibility model at the company he founded in New Zealand, he discovered productivity, engagement, job satisfaction, work-life balance and employee wellbeing had never been better - so the business adopted it full-time.
Four Day Work Week: The Future of Work? - The idea of a four day work week has been floated a few times by the Labour Party and originally by the Greens. To some, the idea sounds laughable, but others see it as the natural extension of how work trends and automation are headed. In this video we discuss how working less could be more productive and why some support this radical idea.
Closer to home
This 7 news article describes how more than a dozen companies in Australia and New Zealand are set to take part in a four-day working week trial. This was shortly after an identical trial began in the UK, including thousands of workers across 70 companies.
And this article from the Sydney Morning Herald gives important practical tips on how to consult your team and navigate the practicalities of implementing a 4 day work week in your business.
Let’s look at the argument that it’s a matter of necessity and right now you just have to do the extra hours - after all, if not you, then who?
Axios: How Tesla Nearly Died - Elon Musk talks about how close Tesla came to shutting down and shares "No one should put this many hours into work. This is not good. People should not work this hard".
In this article, we find tips and techniques to support those who are ready to be more productive and reduce their hours.
In this article, we find an easy read which will make us think differently about letting the longer work hours creep in.
A Forbes article which quotes a Stanford study showing that there’s no point working more than 55 hours a week, as productivity declines sharply. People who work as much as 70 hours (or more) per week actually get the same amount done as people who work 55 hours.
In the past five years, the business world has seen the birth of a new breed of company-the Exponential Organization - that has revolutionised how a company can accelerate its growth by using technology. An ExO can eliminate the incremental, linear way traditional companies get bigger, leveraging assets like community, big data, algorithms, and new technology into achieving performance benchmarks ten times better than its peers. Access the book here.
Ray Dalio, one of the world’s most successful investors and entrepreneurs, shares the unconventional principles that he’s developed, refined, and used over the past forty years to create unique results in both life and business - and which any person or organization can adopt to help achieve their goals. Get the book ‘Principles’ here.
Are you ready to make the changes to your week to support your personal happiness, health and harmony, leading to more productivity?
At the end of the day, when people are well rested, less stressed, happy and healthy, they are more productive and more inclined to give their best for the business to succeed. The same is true for you as a business leader.
When would be the best time to get started on being more productive and enjoying more time freedom? Start with the Week Template for Magic Wand Batching to streamline your week and significantly increase efficiency, productivity and enjoyment.
To approach your time freedom in a much more granular way and take batching further, access the LEEDAA Priority Management System. Follow this Proven, Effective Method and Spend More Time Living The Life You REALLY Love. In the sidebar there are a list of other Resources which will support you in working smarter.
Once you've batched your week and re-managed your priorities you'll be ready to teach your team. You'll learn more about the strategies involved and become better at it in the process.
Having problems finding staff or team members? Become an 'Employer of Choice' by paying your staff or team for five days of work, and only require them to work four. As you've learnt from the information above, countries and companies are discovering more productivity, increased team member fulfilment and higher staff retention by implementing this model.
What are you waiting for?
Below the Resources in the sidebar are fellow Members who have taken the necessary steps to work less, make more, and enjoy their lives more than they previously imagined was possible.
We're only as busy as we commit ourselves to being - Leigh Eggins
Members Working Smarter Testimonials
“I have been working with Leigh for over 12 months now, and he has built a fantastic community of like-minded business owners. His approach continues to change my perspective on business and life. When we first met, I was working 60 + hours a week, stressed and rundown. 12 months on, my workload is under control, stress levels are way down and we still continue to grow team and revenues.”
ANDREW ROMEO
Director, Aerion Technologies – Melbourne
"I employed the coaching services of Leigh Eggins after receiving a referral from a supplier to my businesses. Little did I know the impact this would have, not only on my businesses but also on me personally.
The idea of having a leadership coach hadn't crossed my mind in the past, but now, with an unknown road ahead, and wanting to re-evaluate my priorities, I wondered why I hadn't looked for this type of support in the past.
Within three months of working with Leigh we decreased my weekly working hours from 55 hours a week to 35 hours (20 hours less a week!) which improved my work/life balance significantly, while achieving new levels of flow within our businesses.
I’ve found his regular contact invaluable to keep me accountable for my goals and he helps me see that there are always new possibilities.
I highly recommend Leigh to anyone who is ready to take their business and personal growth to the next level, even if you don't think you're ready, you will be pleasantly surprised with what can be achieved."
DEAN REID
CEO, The Leather Doctor (100+ Franchisees) – Gold Coast