This eBook "7 Steps to your 4-Hour Workweek" was written by Traci Wheeler, Managing Director at Red Moon Solutions and based off the book written by Timothy Ferris

1. “7 Steps to Creating Your
4-Hour Workweek”

2. Corporate Tax Departments -
Stretched Thin
Today’s corporate tax departments face
many challenges:
o Timely information
o Tighter deadlines
o More transparency
o Increased scrutiny
o Limited resources

3. For the corporate tax professional, this
translates into:
• Long hours
• High stress
• Rework
• Inefficiencies
• Decreased job satisfaction
Corporate Tax Professionals -
Overwhelmed

4. Who wouldn’t want to work a
4-Hour Workweek?
What corporate tax professional today
wouldn’t love to work a 4-hour
workweek?
In 2007, Timothy Ferriss wrote his #1 New York
Times bestseller, The 4-Hour Workweek,
claiming to provide a blueprint for “escaping the
9-5, living anywhere and joining the new rich”.
As busy tax professionals in a dynamic and
constantly changing environment, I know what
you are thinking right now:
“Is she crazy? There is no way any tax
professional today could work a 4-hour
workweek!!”

5. Who wouldn’t want to work a
4-Hour Workweek?
Having read this book several years
ago, I agree that I don’t think it is
possible for any tax professional to
work a 4-hour workweek. In fact, I
think most tax professionals today
would jump at the chance to work
from 9-5.
There are, however, some takeaways
from this book that tax departments
can apply to everyday work.

6. Data &
Information
Technology
& Systems
Process &
Policy
People &
Organization
The four primary enablers that are critical
to a high-performing tax function.
Source: Tax Management Consulting: Building the tax department of the future, Deloitte, 2010.
The following 7 quotes are
from Ferris’ book and
include my questions for
today’s tax department.
Focus on using the
questions to look at each
of the four primary areas
critical to a high-
performing tax function as
preparation for 2011 tax
season begins.
Create Your Own 4 Hour
Workweek.

7. Step #1:
“Each path begins with the same
first step: replacing assumptions.”
How do I get there?
 What assumptions did you
make about the work,
about your colleagues,
about the process, about
the software that were
incorrect?
 Did they hinder your ability
to be successful?

8. Step #2:
“Less is not laziness.
Focus on being
productive instead of
busy.”
How do I get there?
 Is there a way to streamline
the work that you did?
 Can you change a process
or implement a new solution
to make you more efficient
next time?

9. Step #3:
“Ask for forgiveness, not permission.”
How do I get there?
 Were there things you
wanted to try but
didn’t?
 How would things
have been different if
you had forged
ahead?

10. Step #4:
Inaction is the
greatest
risk of all.”
How do I get there?
 Are there things you know
you should have done but
didn’t?
 What stopped you?
 What was the impact of
inaction?
 Is there something you
can start today?

11. Step #5:
“Do not work harder
when the solution is
working smarter.”
How do I get there?
 What can you and your team do to
work smarter next year?
 What would make a difference?
 Training for your team?
 New software?
 A different process?

12. Step #6:
Practice the art of
nonfinishing. Stopping
something is often 10 times
better than finishing it.”
How do I get there?
 What are the things that you
and your team should stop
doing?
 Are there things that have
been done for years that just
don’t make sense anymore?
 Is there work you should not
have taken on?

13. Step #7:
“It isn’t enough to think outside
the box. Thinking is passive. Get
used to acting outside the box.”
How do I get there?
 What are the innovative
solutions you and your team
have that have never been
tried?
 How can you get started on
acting on one or more of those
today?
 What was the impact of doing
nothing?

14. Thank you for reading!
For more information, contact me at:
Traci Wheeler
traci.wheeler@redmoonsolutions.com
941-379-7106
www.redmoonsolutions.com
blog.redmoonsolutions.com
www.twitter.com/redmoonsolution

15. Image Credits (in order of use):
Abi Skipp
Sasha W
@boetter
Motiqua
Orcmid
Cameraworx
Sacks08
The Cleveland Kid
Dawnzy
Laszlo-photo