Episode 18: Creating a Four-Day Work Week With Matt Baird
As the name of our podcast suggests, we’re always on the lookout for new smart habits that can be helpful in our work and personal life. We have been long-time admirers of the approach that today's guest takes to create work/life clarity and find freedom in freelancing. Our friend and colleague, Matt Baird, is joining us to share how he transitioned to a four-day work week.
A necessary caveat: Like most of us, Matt’s reality is quite different these days (during the COVID-19 pandemic). However, his goal is to return to a four-day work week as soon as possible, as it helps him find some much-needed time for himself and his family.
About our guest:
Matt Baird is an ATA-certified German-to-English translator, editor, and copywriter specializing in marketing and communications. He is also an active member of the American Translators Association, currently serving as an ATA PR writer and host of the ATA Podcast.
Matt has a BA in German and International Affairs from the University of Colorado at Boulder. After studying at Georgetown University and working in Washington, DC, Matt broke out of the Beltway and fled back to Colorado, where he traded his suit for sweatpants and launched a successful freelance translation business. Now based in Germany near the banks of the Rhine River, Matt is at his best crafting copy in his quiet office, but happiest playing with his wife and two kids in the great outdoors.
Here is a summary of our conversation with Matt:
How and when he started his freelance translator career
How his typical workday looked before the COVID-19 pandemic, how it looks now, and how his daily routine has changed and evolved over the years
When and why he made the switch to a four-day work week and how he made that transition
What habits and strategies he had to adopt to make it happen
How he set reasonable expectations and boundaries for his work and volunteer commitments
How he typically organizes his work week
What smart habits he recommends to colleagues who would like to have a successful week
Books and resources we mentioned in this episode:
Susie Jackson’s four-week group mentoring program: Charge with Confidence
The Four-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss
The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh
Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content by Ann Handley
Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo
Headspace app
Tips on how to use Siri as a virtual assistant: using notes and shortcuts
“Work to live, don’t live to work.”
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