Introduction The 4-Hour Workweek Review
The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss, published in 2007, challenged traditional work norms and sparked the digital nomad movement.
According to popular productivity author, Cal Newport, “I find that some of his points are strikingly prescient, such as his identification of remote work as being critical to giving workers more agency and freedom, and his concern that e-mail overload would become a major threat to autonomy [1].”
Others are not so positive about Ferris and call him a fraud [2].
Love it or hate it. The 4-Hour Workweek spent years on the New York Times bestseller list. Read on to determine if you’re the type of person who would enjoy or despise Timothy Ferriss’ ideas.
The Good and the Bad
The 4-Hour Workweek is an eye-opening experience. Alternatively, there’s a lot of outdated and sketchy advice. It’s provocative, and that’s what makes it a fun read.
The Good
The 4-Hour Workweek disputes the growing demand for knowledge workers to be available 24/7. It also rails against time wasters like excessive emails and meetings. Finally, Ferriss popularized several helpful productivity tips. Even the harshest critics recognize Ferriss has some strong points in these areas.
Insightful
Timothy Ferriss challenges the nine-to-five paradigm [3]—work hard, save money, and retire in your sixties. He argues that time and freedom are just as important as money.
His solution, “lifestyle design,” means figuring out how to untangle making money from time and place. Further, he teaches you to prioritize experiences over careers and to stop defining yourself by what you do for a living.
Tim Ferriss Productivity Hacks
The 4-Hour Work Week is full of productivity strategies. His best efficiency-related advice is to eliminate unnecessary work. Often, this is done by utilizing the Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule)—20% of actions cause 80% of results.
Tim also emphasizes other known techniques such as batching tasks and Parkinson’s Law—work expands or contracts to the allotted time.
He was also a pioneer in teaching task automation.
Ferrriss seems to anticipate the implications of smartphones and social media by recommending a “Low-Information Diet,” which is more applicable today than when he wrote the book.
Finally, his goal-setting technique of “dreamlining” provides a method to determine what excites you and then take concrete steps toward those goals.
Engaging Writing Style
Ferriss writes in a conversational and charismatic tone. The stories and real-world examples make the book not just informative, but also enjoyable. His humor keeps the mood light and fun.
Readers also appreciate Ferriss’s relatable writing style, which uses a mix of anecdotes, case studies, and humor.
The Bad
The book is almost twenty years old, and its age shows. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of The 4-Hour Workweek is how it oversimplifies difficult things like starting a business. Finally, if you follow all of the book’s advice, you’ll act like a jerk.
Outdated
The world changed since Ferriss published this book. No longer is it easy to dominate Google AdWords with basic search engine optimization (SEO) knowledge. Nor does his list of recommended services remain relevant.
His idea of muses—low maintenance and high revenue businesses—is a great concept, but there is much more significant competition in the type of market spaces he recommends. Ultimately, readers must adjust The 4-Hour Work Week’s ideas to current technologies and markets.
Simplistic
The book caters to white-collar jobs. Readers in the service industry and those working in blue-collar roles will see little benefit. Additionally, it assumes a certain level of financial stability and a minimum of outside commitments, e.g., childcare, social obligations, and spiritual pursuits.
The idea that you can only work four hours a week and earn a living is as stupid as it sounds. Building a business where you can manage it within four hours per week requires an immense investment of time.
Additionally, the book assumes that once you achieve the four-hour-per-week goal— mission accomplished. No business remains profitable forever, let alone one you spend so little time on.
Next, Ferriss underplays the role of the vast amount of money and resources he had accumulated from a traditional work schedule. It’s easy to trial minimizing work when you already have a fat bank account.
Arrogant and Deceitful
His advice is arrogant and deceitful because he treats people as inputs and outputs, judges those who can’t implement his system, and pretends he only works four hours a week.
According to Ferriss, reducing people to either inputs or outputs of your task list is okay. For example, below is how he answers his phone.
“I only have a minute before my phone dies. What do you need?” (lie)
What a jerk.
Further, he preaches his recommendations as if he’s some religious leader versus just another guy giving productivity and career advice.
Finally, implying he worked four hours a week for more than an extended vacation is nonsense. Ferriss wrote five books, hosted a podcast, and became a household name, working four hours a week. Right.
Here’s where the deception comes in. Upon close examination, you realize he means four hours of work he dislikes, e.g., email and meetings. In Ferriss land, anything you enjoy isn’t working.
Why misleading? Because “The Four-Hour Work You Don’t Like Plus Many Hours On Work You Enjoy Week” wouldn’t sell as many books. Shame on you, Tim.
The Verdict The 4-Hour Workweek
Who Should Read It?
All knowledge workers can find value in this book—especially those who feel stuck in a corporate situation.
Additionally, people aspiring to start a business would benefit. The 4-Hour Workweek may influence the market you choose, and it will inspire you to begin.
Finally, anyone who enjoys reflecting on unique perspectives on existing norms will find the ideas fascinating. It’s such an iconic book that you may want to read it to argue with supporters and critics alike.
Who Should Skip It?
If you work in service or other blue-collar jobs and lack any desire to move into knowledge work, move on.
Also, anyone who seeks meaning and societal contribution in their career will want to pass. The 4-Hour Workweek conveys that work is for money alone.
Moreover, if you are looking for a detailed road map to starting a business, you will find the book outdated and too general.
Lastly, knowledge workers who enjoy their careers as is will want to skip this book.
Conclusion The 4-Hour Workweek Review
The 4-Hour Workweek evokes love and hate. While offering insightful advice, it also contains controversial ideas. Its polarizing nature makes it fascinating. I recommend you read it as you will enjoy loving or hating it all the same.
There’s always more to read on this topic. Explore our full guide on personal productivity. Or you can view more productivity book reviews.
I thrive on recommendations and feedback. Hit me up in the comments section or join me on Reddit at (opens new tab) r/Remove_Work_Advice. I would love to hear from you if you have read The 4-Hour Workweek or if you have any thoughts to share.
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Additional Information
About Timothy Ferriss
Timothy Ferriss was born in 1977 and later graduated from Princeton. He’s best known for his iconic book The 4-Hour Workweek. He has also published several other books and hosted a popular podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show.
He is best known for his counterculture stance on nine-to-five work and productivity hacks. Over time, he became a controversial figure and the debate around his ideas still rages on almost twenty years later.
Timothy Ferriss’s Books
Heads up. If you click on any of the book citations in this post, they will take you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases—think of it as a productivity tip jar. Your support is highly optional but always appreciated.
- Ferriss, T. (2007). The 4-Hour Workweek. United Kingdom: Crown Publishers.
- Ferriss, T. (2017). Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World. United States: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
- Ferriss, T. (2016). Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-class Performers. United Kingdom: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
- Ferriss, T. (2012). The 4-Hour Chef. United States: New Harvest.
- Ferriss, T. (2010). The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman. United States: Harmony/Rodale/Convergent.
Timothy Ferriss Online
Accessibility Note: All links beyond this point open to a new tab.
Website: https://www.tim.blog
Twitter: @tferriss
Podcast: The Tim Ferriss Show
Wikipedia: Tim Ferriss, The Four-Hour Workweek
LinkedIn: Tim Ferriss
Facebook: Tim Ferriss
Instagram: @timferriss
Other Reviews of The 4-Hour Workweek
- Day, Meagan (March 27, 2018). The Fraud and the Four-Hour Workweek. Jacobin.
- Garner, Leslie (May 7, 2008). Tim Ferriss: the clock watcher. The Telegraph.
- Tweney, Dylan (June 15, 2007). Book Review: The 4-Hour Workweek? You Should Be So Lucky. Wired.
- Amazon. (n.d.). The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. From https://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-Escape-Live-Anywhere/dp/0307353133
- Project Life Mastery. (n.d.). Tim Ferriss – The 4-Hour Work Week Book Review. From https://projectlifemastery.com/tim-ferriss-the-4-hour-work-week-book-review/
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Tim Ferriss’s The 4-Hour Workweek states that many people waste time on a traditional career. He calls for focusing on work that maximizes your freedom and mobility. Altering how you earn money liberates you to pursue your passions.
Tim Ferriss recommends building an online business, which he calls a muse. Additionally, it must be a low-maintenance business that generates a steady cash flow. Setting one up is the key to his system.
Mini-retirements are breaks from work taken throughout life, a few months at a time. They let you enjoy new experiences now instead of waiting for traditional retirement.
References
- Newport, C. (2021, October 25). Office space: Revisiting The 4-Hour Workweek. The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com accessed 2/1/2025.
- Day, Meagan (March 27, 2018). The Fraud and the Four-Hour Workweek. Jacobin.
- 4-Hour workweek: How to escape your 9-5 job. MSNBC.com. June 25, 2007.