THE ONE THING

1. The 4-Day Week: Evidence is Getting Harder to Ignore

The largest multi-country trial to date (2,800+ individuals at 140+ companies in six countries) found a four-day or 32-hour workweek reduced burnout and improved mental and physical health while maintaining performance

Here’s an interesting fact:

Lead researcher Wen Fan, a sociologist at Boston College, initially worried that condensing the work week would backfire: "When workers want to deliver the same productivity, they might work very rapidly to get the job done, and their well-being might actually worsen."

Instead, stress levels actually fell.

The secret wasn't in working harder. It was in working smarter. Before making the shift, companies spent eight weeks restructuring workflows and purging time-wasting activities such as unnecessary meetings.

The proof is in the results: More than 90% of companies decided to keep the four-day work week after the trial, indicating that they weren't worried about a drop in profits.

Even more impressive? The benefits didn't wear off. After workers had spent 12 months in the new system, well-being stayed high.

The takeaway

The four-day work week isn't really about time. It's about focus.

By forcing your team or organization to eliminate low-value activities (the 80% that produces only 20% of results), you could maintain productivity while dramatically improving employee wellbeing.

QUICK TACTIC

2. A Two-Word Decision Framework

Derek Sivers has a simple two-word rule for making decisions: It’s called “Hell Yeah.”

(He even wrote a book about it).

With every decision, if it's not a "Hell Yeah!", it's a "No."

Most leaders struggle with decision fatigue—too many choices, too many meetings, too many opportunities pulling them in different directions.

The "Hell Yeah" rule simplifies things.

When evaluating an opportunity, ask yourself:

• Am I genuinely excited about this?

• Does this align with my team’s biggest goals?

For the big, important decisions, if the answer isn't an instant and obvious "Hell Yeah!" then it’s a clear "No."

This framework applies to hiring, partnerships, projects, and even your personal commitments.

The takeaway

As a leader, your time is your most valuable asset. Protect it. Only commit to what excites you, moves the needle, and aligns with your bigger vision.

WORDS I LIKE

3. On Listening vs. Speaking

THE 80/20

4. An 80/20 Tip You Can Apply Today

Here’s a low-effort, high-impact tip you can use with your team today:

• What: Set clear deadlines for your team’s tasks to increase the chance that they’ll get done

• Why: Tasks that have specific deadlines associated with them develop a sense of urgency and avoid Parkinson’s Law

• Example: “Please send this to me by Thu, Jan 4 at 3 pm US ET” is more effective than “Please send this to me in the next few days.”