This fortnight on the Dumbo Feather podcast, we speak with British journalist and writer Oliver Burkeman, who’s recent book is, “4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals.” It’s a book about confronting how little time we have in a life, and how we can embrace those limitations and finally get around to what counts.
Here are five key takeaways from his chat with Dumbo Feather editor-in-chief, Berry Liberman.
1. The meaning and value of life is located in the present. Yes, we should have long-term thinking, but not to the extent that we’re only ever productive with the lens of cashing-out in the long run. Meaningful productivity is connected to outcomes in the here and now.
2. The more efficient you get, the more inputs you attract. If you get really good at processing email, you’ll get more email because you get a reputation for being responsive on email. The same idea applies elsewhere: If your reputation in the office is that you’re good at getting through work fast, you’re given more things to do.
3. Walk towards the things that make you cringe. Figure out which bits of a conversation make you feel like, “I don’t want to go there.” That’s a good sign that it’s precisely the thing you need to lean into.
4. If you really take seriously how little time you have, and admit defeat that you won’t do everything you want to do and experience all the things the world has to offer in your short life, it’s not stressful anymore. Because it enables you to more intensely and in a more friendly way strive for a few things. Let go of the definition of value that says you need to do everything.
5. The true art of saying no is realising you’re going to have to say no to things you do want to do, and that feel like a valuable use of time.
Listen to the entire episode here.
