We are all extremely busy.

Many of us have an Internet business that we are trying to grow. Many of us have a full time job and a website that we are trying to expand. Others are just struggling to balance our career, our health, our family, our friends and our finances.

I personally am trying to grow my website, SelfGrowth.com, help my wife raise 3 young children, have a healthy marriage, take care of my health, have a personal life, travel, learn and the list goes on and on.

** THE GOOD NEWS **
I just finished reading a fascinating life adventure called the 4 Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferris, and I believe that this book has some valuable lessons for all of us.

** PREMISE OF THE BOOK **
I think the premise of the book is simple: Most of us are stuck in the rat race, working hard and long trying to make a lot of money so that we can eventually retire.

Tim believes that we can escape this 9-5, live anywhere and join what he calls the New Rich. We can develop a lifestyle that is literally built around a 4 hour work week.

** THE POWER OF THE BOOK FOR ME **
But I think the book's affect on me was very different from what Tim intended. The book reminded me of several very important lessons that can make all of us more productive, more effective and more focused on doing the truly important things in life.

Here are 3 lessons that I learned (or in many cases relearned).

1) Keep applying the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 Rule. The principle states that for many events, 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. For example, 80% of a company’s revenue would come from 20% of their customers. I don’t believe this rule hold true for everything in life, but I believe it carries with it a critical message. Spend your time, effort and focus on the areas of your life that really matter. We all tend to spend a large part of our time on trivial tasks that don’t help us achieve our goals.

2) Outsource and delegate. The message is simple. You should find other people and resources to complete any of your tasks that could be done more effectively and less expensively by others. This will free up your time to focus on the areas of your life that will give you the best return. Tim Ferris and I are both big fans of Elance.com, a great resource to find people to outsource your work to.

3) Automate. The internet and email are extremely powerful tools to automate everything that we do. Two examples that Tim discusses are the concepts of Autoresponders and FAQ’s. He recommends using an automated message for your email with suggestions to help people find answers quickly instead of requiring your time. The second suggestion was setting up FAQ pages (Frequently Asked Questions) on your website. This is also a great time saver.

I hope some of these ideas are helpful, and help you with your life and your business.

To get more information on Tim Ferris and the 4 Hour Work Week, visit http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/

Thanks again for being a part of SelfGrowth.com.

Sincerely,

David Riklan
Founder - http://www.SelfGrowth.com

Author's Bio: 

When David Riklan started building SelfGrowth.com over 10 years ago, he had a simple mission: to provide quality information about great resources for people to improve their lives.

His goal was to provide the widest array of information on topics that people cared about, including health, finances, relationships, spirituality and personal success. He studied the experts and was determined to bring the best information available to the widest range of people.

His philosophy was simple. There is no “one secret” to success. What works for one person may not particularly work for the next. With that philosophy in mind, he built the # 1 self improvement website on the internet, published 5 books and, through his speaking and seminars, teaches countless people how to match their needs and background to the philosophy, the system, the product and the expert that will work best for them.