Rework: Change the Way You Work Forever by 37signals www.canny.com.sg Looking for SEO in Singapore, or any digital marketing services? Contact us.

1. REWORK
THE CHEAT SHEET
37 signals.

2. 01. Ignore the Real World
It’s a place where new ideas, foreign concepts and
unfamiliar approaches always loose.
The Real World isn’t a place – It’s an
excuse/justification for not trying.
02. FAILURE IS NOT A RITE OF PASSAGE
Learn from your successes not your failures.
This is how nature works – evolution
doesn’t linger on past failures, it’s always
building on what works.
03. PLANNING IS GUESSING
Plans let the past drive the future.
You have the most information when you
are doing something, not before you have
done it.
Figure out the most important thing this
day, week, year and DO IT!

3. 04. why grow?
Small is not just a stepping stone – It is a
destination in itself.
05. Workaholism
Workaholics aren’t heroes – They don’t save
the day. They just use it up.
The real hero is already at home – because she
figured out a faster way to get things done.
06. Be a Starter
No more “Entrepreneurs”
Anyone who creates a new business
is a starter.

4. 07. Make a Dent in the Universe
Make a difference and be part of something that’s
important.
If you are going to do something – do something that
matters.
08. Scratch your own Itch
Make something that you want to use – when you
solve your own problem you know exactly what the
right answer is.
Plus you’ll know the problem and the value of the
solution immediately.
09. Start Making Something
What you DO is what matters.
Not what you think or say or plan. Ideas are
cheap and plentiful. The real question is how
well you execute.

5. 10. No Time is No Excuse
There’s always enough time if you spend it right. If you
constantly fear about timing things perfectly. They will
never happen.
It is your responsibility to make your dreams come true.
11. Draw a Line in the Sand
When you don’t know what you believe,
everything becomes an argument. Everything is
debatable. But when you stand for something –
decisions are obvious.
12. Live it or Leave it
Standing for something is not about
writing it down – it is about
believing and living it.

6. 13. You Need Less than You Think
Great companies start in garages all the
time.
Yours can too.
14. Start a Business – Not a Startup
A business without a path to profit
isn’t a business – It’s a hobby.
15. You Need a Commitment
Strategy – Not an Exit Strategy
If your whole strategy is about leaving, chances are
you’re not getting far in the first place. You are
emphasizing the wrong things if you just build a
company to get acquired.

7. 16. Less Mass
Huge organizations can take years to pivot.
They talk instead of act. Meet instead of do.
The more expensive it is to make a change – the less
likely you are to make it.
17. Embrace Constraints
Constraints are advantages in
disguise – forcing you to be
creative.
18. ½ Products vs. ½ Assed
Product
Cut your ambition in half – you are better off
with a kick-ass half than half-ass whole. Lots of
things gets better by getting smaller.

8. 19. Start at the Epicenter
If I took this away from the product – would the value
that I’m selling still exist?
The stuff that you HAVE to do is where you should
begin.
20. Ignore the Details Early On
Nail the basics first. The big picture is all
you should be worrying about at the
beginning.
21. Making the Call is Making
Progress
Swap “Let’s think about it” with “Let’s
decide on it”.
It will bring motivation and momentum.

9. 22. Be a Curator
Stick to what is truly essential. Constantly
work to remove, simplify and streamline.
It is all about quality.
23. Throw Less at the Problem
When things aren’t working: Cut
back, trim down and then polish
what is left.
24. Focus on What Won’t
Change
The core of your business should be build around
things that won’t change. Fashion fades – focus on
permanent features that will never go out of style.

10. 25. Tone is in Your Fingers
Fancy gear can help, but the truth is that
the tone comes from you. Content is what
matters.
26. Launch Now
Once your product does what it needs to do, get
it out there.
Stop imagining what’s going to work. Find out
for real.
27. Reasons to Quit
Ensure you are doing work that matters: Why are you
doing this? Is this actually useful? Are you adding value?
Will this change behaviour? Is there an easier way? What
could you be doing instead? Is it really worth it?
Don’t throw good time at bad work.

11. 28. Meetings are Toxic
Set a timer, when it rings – the meeting is over. Invite as few
people as possible. Have a clear agenda. Begin with a specific
problem. Meet at the site of the problem. End with a solution
and a person responsible for implementing it.
29. Good Enough is Fine
Find a Judo solution: A fix that delivers
maximum impact with minimum effort.
Remember you can usually turn Good Enough
into Great later.
30. Quick Wins
Momentum fuels motivation – get in the habit of
accomplishing small victories.
The longer something takes, the less likely you are
going to finish it.

12. 31. Don’t be a Hero
If you already spent to much time on something that wasn’t
worth it. Walk away.
You can’t get that time back. The worst you can do now is to
waste more time.
32. Go to Sleep
Forgoing sleep means you destroy your
creativity, morale and attitude. It will come
back and bite you in the ass.
33. Your Estimates Suck
We’re terrible estimators – break the big thinks
into smaller things. The smaller it is, the easier it is
to estimate. Instead of one twelve-week project,
structure it as twelve one-week projects.

13. 34. Long Lists Don’t Get Done
Long lists collects dust and are guilt trips. Break
it down into smaller lists. Prioritize visually by
putting the most important things at the top.
35. Don’t Copy
It’s a formula for failure. It skips understanding.
Understanding is how you grow. A copier will never
be able to keep up and remains in a passive position.
Be influenced – but don’t steal.
36. Decommoditise Your Product
Inject what is unique about the way you think into
what your sell.
Make it something than no one else can offer.
Competitors can’t copy the YOU in your product.

14. 37. Pick a Fight
Having an enemy gives you a great story to tell your customers.
Taking a stand always stands out.
People takes sides. Passion are ignited. People take notice.
38. Underdo Your Competition
Solve the simple problems and leave the heavy, nasty,
problems to the competition.
Sell the fact that your problem does less aggressively
as competitors sell their extensive feature list.
39. Who Cares What They Are Doing
Worrying about the competition quickly turns into
an obsession.
If you merely replicate there is no point to your
existence.

15. 40. Say No by Default
Use the power of NO to set your priorities straight.
Be polite about it though. Your goal is to make sure that your
product stays right for you. That way you can say “ I think
you’ll love it, because I love it”
41. Let Your Customers Outgrow You
Make sure it’s easy for people to get on board.
That is where continuous growth potential lies.
You can’t be everything to everyone.
42. Don’t Confuse Enthusiasm with
Priority
The enthusiasm you have for a new idea is
not an accurate indicator of it’s true worth.

16. 43. Be At-Home Good
Smart companies create something that is at-home good
– when you get the product home you’re actually more
impressed with it.
44. Don’t Write It Down
If there’s a request you keep forgetting, it’s a
sign it isn’t very important. Your customers will
be your memory – showing you which things
you truly need to worry about.
45. Welcome Obscurity
Make mistakes without the whole world hears about
them. Keep tweaking. Test random ideas. Try new things.
Obscurity helps you protect your ego and preserve your
confidence.

17. 46. Nobody Likes Plastic Flowers
Don’t be afraid to show your flaws – there is a beauty to
imperfection. When something becomes to polished it
looses it’s soul.
47. Press Releases Are Spam
If you want to someone’s attention it’s silly to do the
same as everyone else. Do something meaningful. Be
rememberable. Stand out. Be unforgettable. That is
how you get the best coverage.
48. Forget About the Wall Street
Journal
Focus on getting your story into a trade journal or
picked up by a niche blogger. The barrier is much
lower.

18. 49. Drug Dealers Get it Right
Emulate drug dealers. Make your product so addictive,
that giving your customers a small free taste makes
them come back with cash in hand.
50. Marketing isn’t a Department
Accounting is a department.
Everything that you DO is Marketing.
Answering the phone –It’s marketing.
Sending the bill – It’s marketing.
51. The Myth of Overnight Success
Trade the dream for overnight success with slow
measured growth. It is hard, but you have to be
patient and grind it out.

19. 52. Do It Youself First
You might feel like you suck. That’s all right.
A) You can hire yourself out of it or B) Learn out of it.
Try learning first.
53. Hire When It Hurts
When there is more work than you can handle
for a sustained period of time and the quality
level is slipping.
That is when it is hurting.
54. Pass on Great People
You’ll be doing your company more than good if
you bring in talented people who have nothing
important to do.

20. 55. Strangers at a Cocktail Party
A small intimate dinner party among old friends
is what you should aim for.
56. Resumes are Ridiculous
Anyone can create a decent-enough resume.
You want a specific candidate who cares
specifically about your company, your
products, your customers and you job.
57. Years of Irrelevance
How long someone’s being doing it is overrated.
What matters is how WELL they have been doing
it

21. 58. Forget About Formal Education
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you need
someone from one of the “best” schools in order
to get results.
59. Everybody Works
Everyone’s got to be producing – avoid hiring
delegators. Those people who love telling
others what to do.
60. Hire Managers of One
They do what managers would do – set the tone,
assign items, determine what needs to be done etc.
– But they do it by themselves and for themselves.

22. 61. Hire Great Writers
Clear writing is a sign of clear thinking. Great
writers know how to communicate. Writing is
today’s currency for good ideas.
62. The Best are Everywhere
Geography just doesn’t matter anymore
– hire the best talent, regardless of where
they are.
63. Test Drive Employees
Some people sound like pro’s, but don’t work like
pro’s. You need to evaluate the work they can do
now. Not the work they did in the past.

23. 64. Own Your Bad News
When something bad happens. Tell your customers. “No
Comments” is not an option. Apologize the way a real person
would, explain why it happens in detail, spread the message far
and wide.
65. Speed Changes Everything
Getting back to people quickly is probably the
most important thing you can do when it comes
to customer service. Differentiate yourself by
answering thoughtfully and showing that you are
listening.
66. How to Say that You are Sorry
Use the appropriate tone and language to show that you
understand the severity of what happened. Also, the
person in charge should take responsibility. An “I”
apology is a lot stronger than a “we” apology.

24. 67. Put Everyone on the Front
LinesListening to customers is the best way to get in tune with
a product’s strengths and weaknesses. No one should be
shielded from direct criticism and/or customer
feedback.
68 Take a Deep Breath
People are creatures of habit. That’s why they
react to change in such a negative way. Let
people know that you are listening, but explain
that you are going to let it go for a while and see
what happens.
69. Decisions are Temporary
The ability to change course is one of the big
advantages of being small. Pay attention to today
and worry about later when it gets here.

25. 70. skip the Rockstars
Instead of thinking about how you can land a room full of
rockstars. Think about the room instead. Cut the crap and you
will find that people are waiting to do great work. Rockstar
environments develop out of trust, autonomy and
responsibility.
71. They are not Thirteen
When you treat people like children, you
get children’s work. When everything
constantly needs approval, you create a
culture on non-thinkers.
72. Send People Home at 17:00
When people have something to do at home –
they get down to business. You don’t need more
hours – you need better hours.

26. 73. Don’t Scar on the First Cut
Don’t create a policy because ONE person did
something wrong once. Policies are only for situations
that come up over and over again.
74. Sound Like You
Being hones about who you are is smart in any
business. That applies to the language that you use
everywhere: in email, packaging, presentations etc.
Talk to your customers the way you would do to
friends.
75. Four Letter Words
Need, Must, Can’t, Easy, Just, Only, Fast.
These words get in the way of healthy
communication. They create black & white
situations (which are rare).

27. 76. ASAP is Poison
Reserve your use of emergency language to true
emergency situations. The kind where there are direct,
measurable consequences to inaction.
For everything else: Just chill out.
77. Inspiration is Perishable
Ideas are immortal. They last forever.
Inspiration is like fruit or milk. It has an expiration
date. When you’re high on inspiration you can get two
weeks of work done in 24h. Inspiration is a time
machine in that way.
78. Emulate Chefs
Share everything you know. A recipe is much easier
to copy than a business.
What can you tell the world about how you operate
that’s informative, educational and promotional?
What are your “recipes”?

28. 79. GO BEHIND THE SCENES
People are curious about how things are
made. Letting people in behind the
curtain changes your relationship with
them. Creating a bond, as they see you as
human beings instead of a faceless
company.