Episode 104: Oliver Burkeman - Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals

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Oliver Burkeman is a journalist and an author of multiple books, including his bestseller, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. During our conversation, Oliver talks about being an insecure overachiever, his historic obsession with productivity, learning to say no to things you want to do, the 80/20 principle, and how modern life rewards winners with an unending, lifetime supply of intense work.

He also discusses getting clear on what matters to you in life, the work and ideas of James Hollis, and, when facing a big life decision, asking the question, "does this choice diminish or englargen me?"

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00:00 Intro

00:49 Oliver's struggles with time management

03:58 "The mistaken belief that it can be cured"

06:53 How Oliver has addressed his productivity addiction

12:29 The importance of saying no

16:57 Insecure overachievers and people pleasers

21:52 Today, the reward for winning is a lifetime of intense work

28:25 Human's concept of time over time

32:15 Time management in other cultures

37:33 When deciding, ask: "Does this choice englargen or diminish me?"

45:03 Quotes from James Hollis and Carl Jung

51:14 Closing comments about "Four Thousand Weeks"