E.8 4000 Weeks with Oliver Burkeman

Today, we revisit a thought-provoking conversation with Oliver Burkeman, originally recorded for my Changing Conversations podcast. Oliver is well known for his best-selling book 4000 Weeks, in which encourages us to embrace our limitations and let go of perfectionism. 

Why 4000 Weeks? Well, if you live to be 80, you will have lived 4000 weeks although, technically it’s 4160 but that’s a far less snappy and engaging book title.

Every time I share this concept, it’s met with a mix of surprise and unease. 'Is that really all we get?' people ask. Honestly, I feel the same way, 4000 weeks really doesn’t seem enough.

Life events often bring the reality of our finite time into focus. The passing of seasons, new moons, solstices, a new week, a new month, a new year, and birthdays all prompt us to reflect on how we spend our time. 4000 Weeks is a book about making the most of this limited resource. As a recovering productivity addict, Burkeman 'gets it.' He knows the satisfaction of an empty inbox or a completed to-do list. But the reality is, the inbox will fill up again, and the to-do list will grow. There will always be more to do and more we want to do than our finite time allows.

The challenge we all face is this: we are born finite but with the ability to imagine infinite possibilities. Doing things creates the potential for even more things to do. We’ve been conditioned to believe that we can, and should, do it all—and do it well. This has become our popular, modern measure of self-worth.

The truth is, you can't do everything and that’s okay. Your worth is not determined by how much you accomplish. So, as you ponder the idea of 4000 weeks, consider what truly matters to you, and how you want to embrace your own finitude.

Up next (tomorrow in fact): A Retreat for the Mind with Oliver Burkeman

Thanks for listening to Space to Think, a podcast where I create space to think through conversations with guests exploring their knowledge, insights and stories.

Each conversation holds the potential for ideas to grow wild.