We recommend: Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson — 'Rework'

How to work smart

Rework, by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson is one of our most favorite books of all time. It contains the answer to what it means to work smart instead of working hard.

Our Thoughts

Rework is a collection of ideas and observations made by the two founders during their time building up 37signals. As you read the book, you will have a reaction to all of the bold statements being made. With some you will think “nonsense! this can never work” whilst for others you will have the feeling that you knew it all along but just didn’t have the words to express your feelings clearly.

The book contains many controversial (according to the industry norms) ideas. Ranging from how useless long term plans are where they compare plans to guesses, all the way up to explaining how counterproductive it is to over work.

A lot of emphasis is put on the importance of having a good work-life balance, focussing on quality instead of quantity, the minimization of meetings, and the essentials of simplicity.

Call to Action

When you get back to work, just open up your agenda. Have a look at all the meetings you have planned for the rest of the week, and think of those which are not meaningful to the success of the company you’re working for. Go ahead and remove yourself from those meetings. And not just for this week, but also for all the following weeks.

Once you’ve decluttered your week, you will now have more time to focus on what really matters, and do it right! Try to find the solution which is the simplest and yet, most elegant. At the end of the day, you will realize that you have managed to achieve your goal before it’s time to head back home to your family/friends/pets so you will not have to work over time.