Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals

Written by Oliver Burkeman

Narrated by Oliver Burkeman

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

This program is read by the author.

"Burkeman and his irresistible British accent shifted my paradigm a couple centimeters . . . 'The day will never arrive when you have everything under control,' he calmly whispered in my ear, and I think I believed him." - Vulture

"The philosophical tone of his delivery is perfect for [Burkeman's] thoughtful message: We can enjoy life more if we appreciate the present moment, stay in touch with our deeper selves, and nurture our connections with people and the natural world." - AudioFile Magazine

"Provocative and appealing . . . well worth your extremely limited time." —Barbara Spindel, The Wall Street Journal

The average human lifespan is absurdly, insultingly brief. Assuming you live to be eighty, you have just over four thousand weeks.

Nobody needs telling there isn’t enough time. We’re obsessed with our lengthening to-do lists, our overfilled inboxes, work-life balance, and the ceaseless battle against distraction; and we’re deluged with advice on becoming more productive and efficient, and “life hacks” to optimize our days. But such techniques often end up making things worse. The sense of anxious hurry grows more intense, and still the most meaningful parts of life seem to lie just beyond the horizon. Still, we rarely make the connection between our daily struggles with time and the ultimate time management problem: the challenge of how best to use our four thousand weeks.

Drawing on the insights of both ancient and contemporary philosophers, psychologists, and spiritual teachers, Oliver Burkeman delivers an entertaining, humorous, practical, and ultimately profound guide to time and time management. Rejecting the futile modern fixation on “getting everything done,” Four Thousand Weeks introduces readers to tools for constructing a meaningful life by embracing finitude, showing how many of the unhelpful ways we’ve come to think about time aren’t inescapable, unchanging truths, but choices we’ve made as individuals and as a society—and that we could do things differently.
A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Aug 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9781250834386

Oliver Burkeman

Oliver Burkeman is a feature writer for The Guardian. He is a winner of the Foreign Press Association's Young Journalist of the Year Award and has been short-listed for the Orwell Prize. He wrote a popular weekly column on psychology, "This Column Will Change Your Life," and has reported from New York, London, and Washington, D.C. His books include Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals and The Antidote: Happiness for People who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking. He lives in New York City.

Reviews for Four Thousand Weeks

[John Isaiah Edward Hill · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An honest takedown
of our misplaced urgency
to outrun the sun

[Den · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Exhilarating and a bit depressing, but in a good “get your head out of your butt and live better” way

Philosophy, psychology and the author’s dry wit lay out why not getting everything done, just the right things, make life better. The five questions at the end of the book are alone worth the price

[michael6weinraub · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am deeply, deeply moved. One of the best books I have read in a long time.

Burkeman's writing is lovely. The fascinating thing about the book is that while he does not give specific advice exactly, in the course of the week that it took me to listen to the book (which I highly recommend; his voice gives such texture to the text!) I made concrete changes in my routine and response to daily events. I was remarkably less attached to social media, for one.

Anyway, for recovering productivity geeks like myself (and Burkeman), this treatment may be transformative. Time will tell but I think I will think of this book for many years, and will read it again.

[janiscrisch · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is a beautifully written reflection on what it means to be alive. It's probably tye last book I'll ever read on organizing my time, life, stuff, etc. I'm ready to fully embrace the"finitude" and inevitable imperfection of my life, not to mention the brokenness of the world, and get on with living my remaining moments, however many weeks that may be.

[BC Realty · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lots of known concepts that I read from other books such as Subtle Art but a good summary. I liked the language used

[Warrior Peace · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was okay , just okay I wish I could do 2 1/2 stars

[Maria Grzywacz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My first book of 2022, and it also might be the year's best - I just don't know what other book would measure up with its poignancy, sober wit and accuracy. Rather than "time management for mortals" this book felt like "life advice for mortals." I needed that! Maybe I was only receptive to it because it did not come from a "preacher", but from one of us - a person who's tried it all in terms of trying to tame time and master productivity. It came from a person who can see own flaws, embraces own limitations and isn't shy to share with the readers, what worked, and what did not.
I'd recommend this book to anyone for whom time and expectations have ever been a challenge. So, yes - it's a book for everyone. To me, Burkeman pointed the obvious, but obscured, and for that, I am very grateful.

[Francisca Yolin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Una perspectiva reflexiva, filosófica y práctica sobre cómo ser conscientes sobre la finitud de nuestra existencia es el mejor camino para una productividad con sentido y sostenible. Es digerible y fácil de escuchar sin caer en lugares comunes. Muy recomendable.

[David DeCorte · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The only book about productivity and time management that's actually worth reading.

[Michael Neeper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a great book! A realistic way for our time and how it really can be used.

[Renee Farmer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A different perspective. We need a reality check sometimes and this is it. We all cant be optimization junkies.

[Sable Stevens · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent read! Not at all what I thought it was going to be, but in a good way. Much needed in todays world of over achieving.

[Tim Yee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Insightful . Practical. Potentially life changing. Liked it especially when he offered questions for reflection.

[Maura Charles · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Life-changing perspective on how we think about time and productivity.

[kmbrwhit · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My favorite parts are the subtly hilarious one-liners woven neatly into the prose of this fairly serious non-serious book. Yes, that IS the point.

[Prab Randhawa · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic book. I highly recommend it to anyone trying to optimize their lifestyle and life choices.

[Tim Davis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Paradigm shift in the way you look at life. The author interjected more politics than I would have preferred so for that it looses points in my opinion

[Farren · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent insights. The book gives great detail on why we are constantly overwhelmed overworked and will never get off the hedonic treadmill of life. Adding more will not make this go away but will only add more to do's. The goal should be in reducing to the bare minimum to live a fulfilled life ?

[Greg Staton · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A very enlightening book. Totally changed the way I look at things. Most likely will be listening to it again to see what I missed.

[Craig · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great read, fun narration and highly recommend for anyone who is too busy all the time.

[bryan watson · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The last chapter and ending was the best part. The rest of the book felt like a pretty average self help/ life book sort of thing. Overall it was fine but had to trudge through the middle a lot

[Nicolas Ramirez · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting perspective on time management and productivity. It made me rethink several concepts I had about trying to do more in an already crammed life.

[andy evans · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Outstanding perspective. This type of thinking is the antidote to the modern condition of bustling from thing to thing. Going to be intentional about doing nothing sometimes now.

[Stephen Revere · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

More philosophy than time management, this is a tremendous treatise on how to live a well-lived life.

[Jose Chin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It gives you a real sense of time and how pointless it can be to worry about time.

[Little Arcia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love listening to the author narrate his own book! This book has refreshing, unspoken truth that people tend to deny. It may be hard getting into it but I tried listening to the audiobook and it was amazing! I've never read anything quite like it! It's a revelation!

[Donna Sava · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was an interesting read that left me pensive about how I spend my time! I recommend it for those who are tired of setting too many goals and feeling like life is passing them by anyway!

[Nitin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Superb perspective on time management , one if the best books listened recently. Thanks

[quint · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Unexpectedly good and glad i went in blind. Totally Recommend

[Gabriela Sanchez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book. Funny, engaging and a more philosophical approach to our time.