November 2009 Archives

Video Link

A web series about dressing like a grownup

Don’t think this is about dressing like a fifty plus year old in a three piece suit, it’s not.

Original Article

You’re welcome.

Almost a month old article, but now that I have been using Facebook Lite for the past month, I can say that I never plan on switching back to the cluttered mess that is the current state of Facebook.

Original Article

I usually get to work between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Of the 16 people at the company, eight of us live here in Chicago. Employees come to the office if and when they feel like it, or else they work from home. I don’t believe in the 40-hour workweek, so we cut all that BS about being somewhere for a certain number of hours. I have no idea how many hours my employees work — I just know they get the work done.

Jason Fried is one of the founders of 37signals, a business I would easily label as a minimalist company. The ideas and way of business that would make anyone over the age of fifty cringe, but anyone under the age of forty strive to be a part of. Those forty to fifty typically side either with the belief alongside the fifty plus mentality or lack clear direction on the subject for various reasons.

The 40 hour workweek is a dated method that no longer applies to today’s ability to do business, but one in which most of us are still forced to follow. Looking at the absolute least amount of time most eight hour a day workers would have centered around a work schedule.

• 6:30 - Alarm sounds
• 7:00 - Out of bed
• 7:30 - Leave for work
• 8:00 - Arrive at work
• 5:00 - Leave for home
• 5:30 - Arrive at home
• 6:30 - Clothes changed, relaxed

In this scenario, allow one hour for lunch. Adding up the number of hours shows that the day consists of twelve hours dedicated or revolved around work, not eight. If the minimum of five to six hours meant for sleep actually happens, then only six to seven hours can be considered personal time.

Unfortunately, this is the bare minimum schedule for a typical eight hour day. It is more common for people to spend more time getting ready in the morning, more time in their commute and easily over eight hours dedicated to work itself dwindling personal time down to a measly three to five hours.

Factoring in two weekend days that are completely personal time, the personal time throughout the week, and taking out time spent around work and sleep, only forty percent of the average person’s life in a bare minimum work week truly belongs to them.

Although many start ups are taking similar paths as 37signals, it is time for bigger, existing companies to adopt the same.