Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 5,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trial
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work summary
Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
Reclaim your work-life balance
Listen to the first key idea
Key idea 1 of 7
4.1 (155 ratings)
21 mins
7 key ideas
Audio & text
What is It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work about?
It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work (2019) is a refreshing antidote to dysfunctional work culture. Drawing on real-world examples from the authors’ successful software company, these blinks shine a light on how we can say goodbye to habitual workplace stress and become calm, focused and efficient.
About the Author
David Heinemeier Hansson is a co-founder of the software company Basecamp and the New York Times best-selling co-author of Rework and Remote. Hansson is also the creator of Ruby on Rails, the software program that powers sites such as Twitter and Airbnb. Jason Fried is a co-founder and president of Basecamp.
Key idea 1 of 7
To scale back the crazy at work, start thinking of your company as a product.
How many times have you burst through your front door after a long day, collapsed on the sofa and exclaimed, “It’s so crazy at work!” Unfortunately, in our modern era of long hours, early starts and weekend work sessions, this scenario can be a nightly occurrence. Welcome to the workaholic world, in which 70 to 80-hour weeks have somehow become the norm. What’s the end result of this crazy working culture?
Unfortunately, it’s not higher productivity. More often than not, all the extra hours you spend at your desk aren’t spent on work that’s vital. Instead, they’re frittered away in a haze of anxiety and distractions brought about by the demands of new technologies and endless meetings.
In fact, the real outcome of long and hectic work days is added stress. This stress originates in the culture of our workplaces. Unhealthy workplace culture starts from the top and is handed down to managers, their subordinates and even the company’s customers. So, what’s the solution? How can organizations stop stress, change their culture and still maintain profitability?
Well, the authors believe it all begins with changing the way you view your company. To begin with, you should start looking at it like a product, and treating it accordingly. Though this might seem like a crazy idea, look at it this way: If your company produces products, the company itself is also a tool - one that is used to make those products.
Bearing that in mind, there are certain questions any good product manager should ask himself. Is your company simple for employees to use, or is it complicated? Where is it fast, and where is it slow? Does your company have any bugs that need fixing? Just as the best companies never stop trying to make their products as good as possible, a product manager with a curious mindset is continually searching for places to make improvements in company culture.
And once you start searching, brace yourself - there will definitely be room for improvement.
Indeed, organizations often share one very important trait with software. That trait? They both tend to have areas in which they crash, due to either faulty design or oversights on the part of the developer. Luckily, you’re about to discover how you can phase out the crazy and usher in an atmosphere of lasting calm in your company.
Want to see all full key ideas from It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work?
Key ideas in It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
Who should read It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work
- High achievers longing for a better work-life balance
- Managers looking for a fresh perspective
- Entrepreneurs trying to de-stress
Categories with It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work
Books like It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work
What our members say
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
Start growing with Blinkist now
25 Million
Downloads on all platforms
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
91%
Of Blinkist members create a better reading habit*
*Based on survey data from Blinkist customers