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Meditations for Mortals

Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts

Oliver Burkeman

About the book

Working backwards from the realization that we only have so much time, and will never get everything done, turns out to be empowering. One short chapter a day, four weeks. Either the book or the audiobook (narrated by the author) worked for the discussion.

Prerequisites

Anyone who finds the premise interesting and can commit about half an hour daily to reading a chapter. A reading of Four Thousand Weeks is not necessary; this book holds up standalone.

Sessions

24 of 30 sessions were recorded. Dates are IST.

  1. 26 Mar Day One: It's worse than you think On the liberation of defeat ▶ 42 min
  2. 27 Mar Day Two: Kayaks and superyachts On actually doing things ▶ 43 min
  3. 28 Mar Day Three: You need only face the consequences On paying the price ▶ 39 min
  4. 29 Mar Day Four: Against productivity debt On the power of a 'done list' ▶ 46 min
  5. 31 Mar Day Six: You can't care about everything On staying sane when the world's a mess ▶ 47 min
  6. 1 Apr Day Seven: Let the future be the future On crossing bridges when you come to them ▶ 43 min
  7. 2 Apr Day Eight: Decision-hunting On choosing a path through the woods ▶ 44 min
  8. 3 Apr Day Nine: Finish things On the magic of completion ▶ 44 min
  9. 4 Apr Day Ten: Look for the life task On what reality wants ▶ 27 min
  10. 6 Apr Day Twelve: Rules that serve life On doing things dailyish ▶ 1 h 14 min
  11. 7 Apr Day Thirteen: Three hours On finding focus in the chaos ▶ 49 min
  12. 9 Apr Day Fifteen: What if this were easy? On the false allure of effort ▶ 60 min
  13. 10 Apr Day Sixteen: The reverse golden rule On not being your own worst enemy ▶ 56 min
  14. 11 Apr Day Seventeen: Don't stand in generosity's way On the futility of 'becoming a better person' ▶ 1 h 05 min
  15. 12 Apr Day Eighteen: Allow other people their problems On minding your own business ▶ 36 min
  16. 13 Apr Day Nineteen: A good time or a good story On the upsides of unpredictability ▶ 33 min
  17. 15 Apr Day Twenty-One: What's an interruption, anyway? On the importance of staying distractible ▶ 60 min
  18. 16 Apr Day Twenty-Two: Stop being so kind to Future You On entering time and space completely ▶ 40 min
  19. 17 Apr Day Twenty-Three: How to start from sanity On paying yourself first ▶ 1 h 20 min
  20. 19 Apr Day Twenty-Five: You can't hoard life On letting the moments pass ▶ 51 min
  21. 21 Apr Day Twenty-Seven: C'est fait par du monde On giving it a shot ▶ 29 min
  22. 22 Apr Day Twenty-Eight: What matters On finding your way ▶ 56 min
  23. 25 Apr Discussion ▶ 34 min
  24. 26 Apr Discussion ▶ 1 h 11 min