Would you like to work less but still earn enough to have a terrific lifestyle? The answer to that for many of us is going to be yes. I say “many” not “all” because there are plenty of people who are fortunate enough to love what they do and how they live and have no desire to change it.

The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich works on the basis of setting up a business than you can manage in – yep, you’ve guessed – around four hours per week. There are a few ideas on how to achieve this, many needing a smattering of technological know-how for finding your way around online-based business and services, and a readiness to outsource as many tasks as you can think of.

So can it work for property? Many would say yes. With a damn good letting and managing agent, a sourcer if you are still buying, and a virtual PA, you will be well on the way. It will, however, involve serious negotiation with your inner control freak. If you like being hands-on, or being close enough to see, feel and touch your bricks and mortar, you may not be as comfortable with the concepts.

I have mixed feelings about this book, and whether the principles are practical for those who have family responsibilities – particularly if you have elderly parents as well as children. It’s not so easy to relocate when you have ties. That said, it is worth reading to discover some alternative ideas and ways of thinking. It could prompt you to package up some of your knowledge, or distribute products in a different way, or even up sticks and live life in another corner of the world for a while. I know of at least one investor who is regularly on the move in this way, and The Other Half and myself even tried it out a few years ago. Hmm … perhaps it’s time to read the book again.