'4-Hour Workweek' a Silicon Valley Siren Song

Marc Andreessen, others lured by call to ignore influx of email and IMs

By Wesley Oliver, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 10, 2007 2:27 PM CST

(Newser) – Tim Ferriss is an ex-kickboxer and tango champ, but he's ensnared the attention of some in Silicon Valley with a simple message: pull the plug. Techies like Netscape founder Marc Andreessen—ironically, an investor in attention-sapping chat service Twitter—have found solace in “The 4-Hour Workweek,” Ferriss’ tome extolling the virtues of a simpler, less-connected lifestyle, the NY Times reports.

The Princeton alum advises workers to avoid multi-tasking, cut down on email, and cut out instant messaging. “All of a sudden, Monday doesn’t feel so overwhelming,” says one devotee. Ferriss suggests people use the mounds of extra time he's created for them to travel the world, like he does: the sports supplement salesman says he's visited Scotland, Sardinia, Vienna, and Japan, all in the last two months.

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'4-Hour Workweek' a Silicon Valley Siren Song