Join Andrew Barnes, entrepreneur and philanthropist behind the Four Day Work Week, as he reveals secrets to condensing five days of work into four. He shares his innovative strategies for setting boundaries and creating a productive work environment. Learn how eliminating desk lunches and rethinking meetings can enhance efficiency. Andrew discusses the positive impact of a shorter workweek on creativity and employee engagement, making a compelling case for modernizing work practices while maintaining well-being.
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Email-Free Weekend Ritual
Andrew Barnes removed email from his iPad to enforce a no-email weekend policy.
He uses poor mobile signal on an island to help disconnect and protect downtime.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Phone Lockers Reduce Distractions
Use phone lockers at work to reduce distractions and build phone-free focus time.
This eliminates the need for willpower in managing phone interruptions and gives employees an excuse to disconnect.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Limit Meetings to 30 Minutes
Cap meeting duration to 30 minutes and allow opt-out if meeting is irrelevant for the individual.
Stop meeting overload and enforce clear agendas to boost productivity.
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The Four-Day Week explores the concept of reducing the workweek to four days while maintaining productivity and employee well-being. Andrew Barnes shares his experience of implementing this model at Perpetual Guardian, highlighting the positive impacts on staff engagement, work-life balance, and overall business outcomes. The book delves into the strategies and challenges involved in transitioning to a shorter workweek, providing practical guidance for organizations looking to adopt similar practices. It covers key aspects such as time management, meeting efficiency, and fostering a culture of productivity and empowerment. Ultimately, the book argues that a four-day workweek is not only possible but also beneficial for both employees and employers, leading to a more sustainable and fulfilling work environment.
My guest today is entrepreneur and philanthropist Andrew Barnes. What you might know Andrew for is the person behind creating the Four Day Work Week, where as the founder of Perpetual Guardian, he trialled having his 200+ staff do a four day work week - that is, fit five days worth of work into four. Andrew now consults to companies around the world, helping them do what he did at Perpetual Guardian.
Andrew also wrote a book about his experience with implementing the four day work week, called, The Four Day Week, which looks at the results the firm has achieved and how you can create a shorter week at your organisation.
We cover:
How Andrew sets boundaries between work and non-work life
Andrew’s morning routine
Andrews strategies for staying off email on his weekends
How Andrew helps his staff stay off their mobile phones at work
Andrew’s rules for making meetings more efficient
Why Andrew has banned people from eating lunch at their desk
How Andrew links meetings to individual productivity outcomes
How Andrew transformed his office environment to make it more conducive to productivity
Why Andrew’s down time is when he does his best creative and strategic thinking
How Andrew’s staff are maintaining connectedness during COVID
If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work, I write a short monthly newsletter that contains three cool things that I have discovered that help me work better, which range from interesting research findings through to gadgets I am loving. You can sign up for that at http://howiwork.co
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