If you’ve ever found yourself staring at your to do list thinking, “If I can just get through this week, things will finally calm down…” congratulations. You’ve fallen into the same trap as the rest of us.
According to British writer Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, the whole idea of “getting on top of it all” is a myth. There is no golden future where your inbox is empty, your life admin complete, and your brain as peaceful as a Zen garden. There’s just you, roughly four thousand weeks of existence, and the choice of what really matters.
Burkeman’s work isn’t the usual productivity manual of 5 a.m. alarms and dopamine fuelled hustle. It’s more like philosophical judo, flipping your beliefs about time entirely on their head. And honestly, it’s liberating.
1. You Can’t Do It All, So Stop Trying
Burkeman’s first truth: we are all finite. Once you truly accept you won’t get everything done, life feels lighter. It’s not about cramming more in; it’s about choosing what to neglect.
Try this: write your full to do list, then circle only three things that genuinely matter this week, the ones that, if completed, would actually move life forward. Everything else goes on a “later” list.
You’ve just practised what Burkeman calls creative neglect. It’s not laziness; it’s focus.
2. Pay Yourself First (With Time, Not Money)
Imagine your time like your pay cheque. Most people spend it all before they invest any. Burkeman suggests flipping that: schedule your most important work first, when your attention is sharp, before your day is hijacked by emails, meetings or someone else’s priorities.
Block out 60 to 90 minutes for the thing that matters most, writing, strategy, training, or connecting with your family before the day disappears. Guard that time like a royal flight slot. The rest can fit around it.
3. Procrastination Is Fear Wearing a Fancy Hat
When you find yourself “accidentally” reorganising your inbox instead of starting the big task, ask: what am I avoiding?
Most procrastination isn’t laziness, it’s fear of failure or imperfection. You delay starting because you’d rather not find out you’re not as good as you hope. The antidote? Start badly, on purpose. Do the rough draft, the ugly first rep, the messy brainstorm. Progress beats perfection every single time.
4. The Joy of Missing Out
We’ve been sold FOMO, fear of missing out, as the modern disease. Burkeman says embrace JOMO, the joy of missing out. Every “no” you say to a low value invitation or pointless meeting is a “yes” to something that actually counts.
When you measure success by how aligned your days are with your values, not how full your diary looks, life becomes infinitely calmer and far more productive.
Your Weekly Practice
- Make two lists:
• Open List — everything buzzing around your brain.
• Closed List — the 3 to 5 things you’ll actually do this week.
- Protect your best hour each day for meaningful work.
- Notice what you’re avoiding then do five imperfect minutes of it.
Repeat weekly. Watch the noise drop and the meaningful work rise.
Time management isn’t really about time. It’s about attention, courage and choosing what matters.
See also:
The cure that comes in waves
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