Write a Book — Lock Yourself in the Office
By: Samet Faruque
Tags: Project Management, Project Manager, Podcast, Muslim, Islam

Some thoughts and Takeaways from Project Management For the Masses Podcast — Episode 1: Accomplish More While Doing Less with Peter Taylor

Notepad, pencils, yellow background

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the name of the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful Allah

اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ * الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ * عَلَّمَ الْإِنسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ

Read: And your Lord is The Most Honorable, Who taught by the pen. He taught man what he did not know. (Al Qur’an, The Clot, 96:3–5)

Episode 1 was an interview with Peter Taylor, the Author of “The lazy project manager: How to be twice as productive and still leave the office early”.

He also wrote the book: The Lazy Winner

Some takeaways for me was:

1. Write a Book

A book is the best business card. Write a book :)

Lock yourself in the officer (for some time). Write a book.

This is such a beautiful idea. Yes we should all write a book. It will give us credibility inshaAllah that we can utilize for the benefit of Islam and Muslims.

You can start with blog. Then write a book.

Writing a book will uplift your profile. Uplift your profile to help others, not for personal fame or glory.

Furthermore, it will be leaving behind beneficial knowledge that will reap in rewards after we pass away.

The Prophet ﷺ said, as narrated by Abu Huraira:

إِذَا مَاتَ الإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ ثَلاَثَةٍ إِلاَّ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ ‏

When a man dies, his action is cut off (discontinued, comes to an end), but three, continuing charity, or knowledge (by which people) benefit, or a pious son (or daughter) who prays for him (Muslim, 1631)

2. Work smarter, not harder.

Actually, let us modify this statement to say “work smarter and harder.” Thus goals can be achieved and success can be won inshaAllah. Allah says:

وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا

And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly won a magnificent success. (Al Qur’an, The Combined Forces, 33:71)

وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ

And strive for Allah with the striving due to Him. (Al Qur’an, The Pilgrimage, 22:78)

وَسَارِعُوا إِلَىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ

And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the pious. (Al Qur’an, Family of Imran, 3:133)

3. Prioritize. What is more important.

20% of what you do may impact 80% of results. What is those 20%.

Yes, we need to prioritize. On a grand scale, we need to put our Lord and the hereafter over other things and this worldly life. In a smaller scale we need to prioritize our actions and goals.

Allah says:

أَرَضِيتُم بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ ۚ فَمَا مَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ

Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a [very] little. (Al Qur’an, The Repentance, 9:38)

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ

But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah. (Al Qur’an, the Cow, 2:165)

4. Make the Foundation Good

Yes it is important to make the foundation strong.

When the Qur’an first started being revealed, Allah did not forbid alcohol, prescribe punishment for fornication, and bring down inheritance laws. All of that came later.

But He, glorified and exalted, mentioned about the Oneness of God, messengers and the afterlife, so a strong foundation and faith was built in the Muslims. Later when legal injunctions were revealed, it was easy for the Muslims to submit, as they had strong foundations in faith.

5. Leave off some room

Try to not operate at 100% capacity. If you are, you won’t have time for important opportunities that can come up.

The Prophet ﷺ said, as narrated by Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her:

أَحَبُّ الأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى أَدْوَمُهَا وَإِنْ قَلَّ

The most beloved of acts to Allah are those which are done continuously, even if they are small. (Muslim, 783b)

6. Spend less than what you make.

This is the secret of wealth. Allah says:

وَلَا تَجْعَلْ يَدَكَ مَغْلُولَةً إِلَىٰ عُنُقِكَ وَلَا تَبْسُطْهَا كُلَّ الْبَسْطِ فَتَقْعُدَ مَلُومًا مَّحْسُورًا

And do not make your hand [as] chained to your neck or extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed, regretful. (Al Qur’an, The Night Journey, 17:29)

7. Network.

Use LinkedIn. After speaking, ask people to connect to you.

And these are some reflections from the podcast. And all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Resources:

2. Sunnah.com — Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, www.sunnah.com

3. Download the Qur’an www.honoredquran.com

4. Project Management For the Masses Podcast — Episode 1: Accomplish More While Doing Less with Peter Taylor, https://pmforthemasses.com/1

5. The lazy project manager: How to be twice as productive and still leave the office early, https://play.google.com/store/books/details?pcampaignid=books_read_action&id=cleaAgAAQBAJ

6. The Lazy Winner, https://www.amazon.com/The-Lazy-Winner/dp/B0075MF6AK