The 4-Hour Workweek Tools That Still Work — The Art of Refusal and The Low-Information Diet (#809)

This episode features two of the most important chapters from the audiobook of The 4-Hour Workweek. The post The 4-Hour Workweek Tools That Still Work — The Art of Refusal and The Low-Information Diet (#809) appeared first on The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss.

May 1, 2025 - 15:23

The 4-Hour Workweek Tools That Still Work — The Art of Refusal and The Low-Information Diet (#809)

This time around, we have a bit of a different format, featuring the book that started it all for me, The 4-Hour Workweek. Readers and listeners often ask me what I would change or update, but an equally interesting question is: what wouldn’t I change? What stands the test of time and hasn’t lost any potency? This episode features two of the most important chapters from the audiobook of The 4-Hour Workweek. The chapters push you to defend your scarce attention—one by saying no to people, the other by saying no to excess information.

The chapter is narrated by the great voice actor Ray Porter. If you are interested in checking out the rest of the audiobook, which is produced and copyrighted by Blackstone Publishing, you can find it on Audible, Apple, Google, Spotify, Downpour.com, or wherever you find your favorite audiobooks.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.

This episode is brought to you by David Protein Bars 28g of protein, 150 calories, and 0g of sugar; Our Place’s Titanium Always Pan® Pro using nonstick technology that’s coating-free and made without PFAS, otherwise known as “Forever Chemicals”; and AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement.

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The 4-Hour Workweek Tools That Still Work — The Art of Refusal and The Low-Information Diet

This episode is brought to you by David Protein Bars! I’m always on the hunt for protein sources that don’t require sacrifices in taste or nutrition. That’s why I love the protein bars from this episode’s sponsor, David. With David protein bars, you get the fewest calories for the most protein, ever. David has 28g of protein, 150 calories, and 0g of sugar. I was first introduced to David by my friend Peter Attia, MD, who is their Chief Science Officer. Many of you know of Peter, and he does his due diligence. And David tastes great. Their bars come in six delicious flavors, all worth trying, and I’ll often throw them in my bag for protein on the go. And now, listeners of The Tim Ferriss Show who buy four boxes get a fifth box for free. Try them for yourself at DavidProtein.com/Tim.

This episode is brought to you by Our Place’s Titanium Always Pan® Pro. Many nonstick pans can release harmful “forever chemicals”—PFAS—into your food, your home, and, ultimately, your body. Teflon is a prime example—it *is* the forever chemical that most companies are still using. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to major health issues like gut microbiome disruption, testosterone dysregulation, and more, which have been correlated to chronic disease in the long term. This is why I use the Titanium Always Pan Pro from today’s sponsor, Our Place. It’s the first nonstick pan with zero coating. This means zero “forever chemicals” and a durability that will last a lifetime. That’s right—no degradation over time like traditional nonstick pans.

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Want to hear another episode that features content straight from The 4-Hour Workweek? Listen here for the chapter preceding this one that includes tools and frameworks that I use to this day, including Pareto’s Law and Parkinson’s Law.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Books, Publications, and Movies

Tools Mentioned

Firefox Browser
LeechBlock
Skype
Evernote
Fujitsu ScanSnap S300M Mobile Scanner
Dialpad
GrandCentral (Now Google Voice)
YouMail
Doodle
TimeDriver (Defunct) Alternatives: Calendly | Acuity Scheduling | Engageware
Xobni (Defunct) Alternatives: Lookeen | Clearbit Connect | Contactually
Jott (Defunct) Alternatives: Otter.ai | Google Assistant / Google Keep + Voice Input
Copytalk
Freedom

Relevant Resources

People

Show Notes

[00:00:00] Start.
[00:07:24] The low-information diet.
[00:09:45] Cultivating selective ignorance.
[00:14:32] How to read 200% faster in 10 minutes.
[00:17:09] Questions and actions: Go on an immediate one-week media fast.
[00:21:05] Develop the habit of asking yourself, “Will I definitely use this information for something immediate and important?”
[00:22:03] Practice the art of nonfinishing.
[00:22:49] Comfort challenge: Get phone numbers.
[00:25:14] Interrupting interruption and the art of refusal.
[00:28:16] Not all evils are created equal.
[00:29:36] Time wasters: Become an ignoramus.
[00:30:09] Limit email consumption and production.
[00:33:05] Screen incoming and limit outgoing phone calls.
[00:36:10] Master the art of refusal and avoiding meetings.
[00:38:33] In order of preference, steer people toward email, phone, and in-person meetings.
[00:38:59] Respond to voicemail via email whenever possible.
[00:40:50] Meetings should only be held to make decisions about a predefined situation, not to define the problem.
[00:41:53] If you absolutely cannot stop a meeting or call from happening, define the end time.
[00:43:00] The cubicle is your temple — don’t permit casual visitors.
[00:44:24] Use the Puppy Dog Close to help your superiors and others develop the no-meeting habit.
[00:46:48] Time consumers: Batch and do not falter.
[00:50:05] How much is your time worth?
[00:50:45] Estimate the amount of time you will save by grouping similar tasks and batching them.
[00:51:14] Determine how much problems cost to fix in each period.
[00:53:02] Empowerment failure: Rules and readjustment.
[00:59:44] Questions and actions: Create systems to limit your availability.
[01:01:55] Batch activities to limit setup cost and provide more time for dreamline milestones.
[01:02:25] Set or request autonomous rules and guidelines with occasional review of results.
[01:03:18] Tools for eliminating paper distractions, capturing everything.
[01:05:28] Tools for screening and avoiding unwanted calls.
[01:07:12] Tools for scheduling without back-and-forth.
[01:08:23] Tools for choosing the best email batching times.
[01:09:13] Tools for emailing without entering the inbox black hole.
[01:10:20] Tools for preventing web browsing/internet use.
[01:11:10] Comfort challenge: revisit the terrible twos.
[01:12:07] Lifestyle design in action.

The post The 4-Hour Workweek Tools That Still Work — The Art of Refusal and The Low-Information Diet (#809) appeared first on The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss.