Someone—not me—is coming out with a book called “Work Less, Do More” in just a few weeks. Rats rats rats rats rats. I so loved that title. Any suggestions? I’m at a loss. Grumble. Grumble. Grumble.
The way I’m thinking about it, the book is me writing to my 5-year-old nephew, giving him lots of tips about life. (Though it’s being written for adults.) Roughly speaking, the book flow is:
- A discussion of productivity and why we should focus on happiness and success, not just productivity.
- The idea that to master happiness and success, we must develop skills about ourselves, people, organizations, and a few other areas.
- Then each major section of the book is a collection of tips for dealing with those areas. One area will be lots of tips about managing relationships and people. Another wil be about dealing with organizations. etc.
Most chapters will be very brief, 2-3 pages. This is very much a book of tips that will improve your life in ways to increase your happiness and your success. And occasionally…help you get organized. Like my podcast, however, many of the tips will cover how to deal with people, effectively lead organizations, say “No” to your kids, stuff like that…
29 responses so far ↓
1 Pip // Aug 19, 2008 at 3:33 pm
“Do More, Work Less”
2 Jennifer // Aug 19, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I’m sorry to hear that! I really liked the title too!
Could you add something in front like Getting It Done-Work Less, Do More so the component you like is there, but it has something to distinguish it from the other?
3 Michael // Aug 19, 2008 at 3:35 pm
MAXIMUM ACHIEVEMENT minimum sweat
Get There From Here in Fewer Steps
4 Krissy // Aug 19, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Less Working, More Doing
5 prcotter // Aug 19, 2008 at 3:36 pm
How about a variation on the theme:
“Work Smart, Not Hard”
“Do More — Without Really Trying”
or maybe, “Smart Ways to Get-it-Done”
6 Michael // Aug 19, 2008 at 3:36 pm
You Don’t Have To Swim The Atlantic [to get there from here]
7 Elise // Aug 19, 2008 at 3:38 pm
There’s nothing that says you can’t use the title, too. I work with catalogers, and we see it all the time. However, if you do use something else, I’d keep that as the subtitle. It’s just too good. Just don’t make it too long, or get “creative” with special characters. Remember, librarians will be cataloging this, and you want to stay on their good side!
8 Adam Zand // Aug 19, 2008 at 3:39 pm
I agree with Jennifer, but a digression:
* The more you tweet, the less intelligent you are
* Thoughts on leaving your Second Life behind
* Email - Killed by death
* The Life and Times of Chris Brogan
* Download this book
9 Michael Banovsky // Aug 19, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Time to do.
M!
10 Doug Fleener // Aug 19, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Live Your Life and Not Your Work?
11 Keith // Aug 19, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Bummer!
These are just quickies without thinking about them too much but:
“Do More, Easier”
“Get More Done by Working Less”
Good luck with the title search!
(Maybe you can publish ahead of them?)
12 Candis // Aug 19, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Don’t get down Stever — you’ll come up with something amazing and we all know it! Here are a couple quick ideas that jump to mind:
Work Less, Live More
Work Less, Play More
Work Less and Have More Fun
Work Less and Love Life
Getting Work Out of the Way So You Can Live
… Not as catchy, I know, but you’ll think of something brilliant soon enough
13 Naomi // Aug 19, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Balancing the Best : How to Work Less, Do More, and Have a Great Life.
Yes, it’s a long subtitle, but those seem to be de rigeur these days, especially for business books.
14 Steve Woodruff // Aug 19, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Work your Life - Live your Work
Less is More: the new new work ethic
Your work: Less is the new More
15 Jennifer Robinson // Aug 19, 2008 at 4:21 pm
You could go for a variation on the same theme. “Guide to Working Less, Doing More”
Incorporate the same phrase in a different way.
16 Chaumette // Aug 19, 2008 at 4:38 pm
I agree with the others who think that you should keep it as a subtitle. Use that with a lead like “21st Century Balance.”
17 DM // Aug 19, 2008 at 5:10 pm
If you haven’t read my comments on twitter, here’s some suggestions:
HOW to GET IT DONE a guide to Work Less and Do More.
GETTING IT DONE: How to….. (work less, do more? organize your life? eat a waffle?)
Hope these help. Catch my messages on Twitter if you can…
18 Stever // Aug 19, 2008 at 5:27 pm
“What they should have told you in school, but taught you trigonometry instead.”
19 Carla // Aug 19, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Get-It-Done Guy’s Guide to Work Less and Do More
You have a brand. Why not use it in your title?
20 Havi Brooks (and duck) // Aug 19, 2008 at 6:11 pm
First of all, argh indeed. That’s no fun. I think you’re definitely allowed to throw a few chairs.
After that: your book is obviously going to be way cooler than the other one. But the people in the bookstores don’t know that because they’re not here.
Which means you don’t want people to a. think you’re just another version of “that guy” or b. get mixed up between the two books.
So I’d advise against using it in the subtitle. You can include the *concept* in the title. For example:
Done! The Get it Done Guy’s Guide to Getting More Done While Doing Less
Aside: when my site launched three years ago this week, the name (for my business, the domain, everything) got snatched 24 hours before the launch. I did a meditation where I basically said: “Hey, inner smartnesses, I need a new name by the time I wake up in the morning” and then went to sleep. Woke up with the name.
You’ll totally find the right thing and it will be full of awesome. But for now, yeah. Argh!
21 Wendy // Aug 19, 2008 at 11:03 pm
In my humble opinion, I agree with Carla! You’re your own brand now. And your appeal to me is the fact that you’re funny and write/speak with plenty of personality and imagery. I’m assuming this is how the tone of the book will be and therefore, it seems out of place to name it a standard, generic title.
I don’t have any ideas at the moment, but I like the way Seth Godin names his books - with abstract, catchy, unique titles which make a lot of sense once you look beneath the surface.
22 Henk // Aug 20, 2008 at 3:02 am
“I have to work harder, is that true?”
“Stay in your own business…”
“10 ideas that serve YOU”
“Let your work work for you”
“Work Zen”
“the naked worker”
“fighting the bore-out”
23 karoline // Aug 20, 2008 at 6:00 am
Get it Done with Glee: Work Less and Do More.
Like someone above said, I see no reason not to keep a variant of the original in the subtitle.
(my sympathies, btw)
24 Naomi // Aug 20, 2008 at 11:11 am
Never mind what I said before, I like Havi’s suggestions.
25 Jonathan Harris // Aug 20, 2008 at 11:58 am
I agree with Carla’s comment - her suggestion includes your brand name in the title, it is catchy, and doesn’t sound confusing with the other titles, and sounds like you might come with a series.
If not, try: “Box your work in - Expand your Life”
26 Christina Ingersoll // Aug 21, 2008 at 12:30 am
I agree that you want to distinguish yourself from “the other guy”. I also agree with the comment that you could do well by incorporating your brand.
How about a simple but distinct:
“The Get it Done Guide to Work Less, Do More”
27 Mike Lee // Aug 21, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I assumed you’d use “Get-It-Done Guy’s Quick and Dirty Tips to Work Less and Do More”—couldn’t you use that, and get a cover done in the style of Grammar Girl’s book?
It would make sense, seeing as your podcast is already a recognised “brand”.
28 Steve Mills // Aug 24, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Get it done whilst having fun!
Get it done - less is more!
29 Marissa Martinez // Aug 25, 2008 at 9:55 pm
More Happiness, Less Work
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