A One Minute Workweek???

The One Minute Workweek blog, this blog, is generating some interest.  Some of the interest has been centered on the look of the title.  For those of you who wondered who I hired to create the title/header at the top of the page - the answer is I created the title/header using my personal copies of PaintShop Pro and Powerpoint and I am not certain I picked the best of the five different headers that I created.  I am flattered by the compliments - thanks.  Almost as many questions have centered around the basic question: "One Minute Workweek, you can't be serious can you?". The answer to that question and many like it is: "nope, I think it is truly a ridiculous idea but, I reserve the right to take credit for being ahead of the times in my thinking should this silly concept somehow become a reality."  I also will reserve the right to occasionally attempt to make some serious points but, honestly, a "one minute workweek" - it is a parody.

On the questions about how I came up with this masterful synthesis:  I am a big fan of Spencer Johnson, who co-authored "The One Minute Manager", and Tim Ferriss, the author of "The 4-Hour Workweek".  If you have not read "The One Minute Manager" or "The 4-Hour Workweek" stop what you are doing, scroll down to the bottom of the page and check out the links to the books in the carousel Amazon ad at the bottom of the page.  I also have some of Michael Gerber's (the E-Myth guy's) work in the same ad at the bottom of the page.  And by the way, my very favorite work by Spencer Johnson is "Who Moved My Cheese". I have another blog dedicated to examining online business opportunities and I have such respect for Spencer's book that the site is called "Cheese Finders".  Google "Cheese Finders" and you are likely to find that blog at the top of the page.

Marrying the "One Minute" the "Workweek"  happen when my brother and I were thinking about what kind of Tshirts we could create that might be popular enough to make money.  We both kind of like those Tshirts that use recognizable brands like Coke or Hershey's and add a little good natured humor. I think combining "One Minute" with "Workweek" is probably one of those things that might sell Tshirts.  Even if it is an impossible dream.

What about The One Minute Manager as a silly concept?  If you just take both titles on face, it would seem to confirm the fact that being a manager is much easier than being the worker.  Look at the titles: "The One Minute Manager" and "The 4-Hour Workweek". Evidently, managers can hope to complete their "work" in just one minute while we workers at best can dream of completing our work in 4-Hours.  Doing the simple math, workers can only hope to work 240 minutes for each single minute that a manager can dream of working. Maybe in his next book Tim Ferriss should recommend to workers that they first become managers in a traditional work environment before they even consider trying to create a more independent 4-hour workweek. Going straight to Ferriss' 4-hour workweek is pretty intimidating.  When I have read through his books I get the feeling that Ferriss is saying "drop out of the traditional work world right now and start creating all the income you need to live the life you have always wanted".  That's pretty bold stuff especially for my friends that have tried to sell their wives on the concept. There is no doubt that lots of people have follow Ferriss' "4-Hour Workweek" prescription and have achieved real life style change that has added freedom of choice and freedom from traditional worries.  Still, from my perspective it looks like one giant step.  Those of us that remember the 1980s can't help but sort of admire a guy with the name Ferriss.  We all wanted to have just one day like Ferris Bueller had in the movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off".

I like this idea of a coming together of two great things combining to become something even better - like peanut butter and chocolate becoming Reese's peanut butter cups.  The One Minute (Manager) and (The 4-Hour) Workweek may be one of those great examples of the power of synthesis.  Maybe for my next blog I can combine this blog with my Cheese Finders blog to create "The One Minute Finders" or "The Cheese Workweek".  Creating content posts/articles for either of those new blogs might really push the envelope of creativity.  For now I will keep the blogs developing independently and see what happens.  Hope you enjoy the tongue and cheek stuff and the more serious stuff of this blog and I hope that you can tell the difference between the two.