“The average human lifespan is absurdly, terrifyingly, insultingly short.” So begins Oliver Burkeman’s new book, “Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals.” Make it to 80, and you’ll get about 4,000 weeks. And so, as the poet asked, “What will you do with your one wild and precious life?” For most of us, the answer is obvious: Get busy. Why squander ... Show More
Sep 10
A Storytelling Masterclass with Will Storr (NBI Vault)
Will Storr is the author of the dazzling books The Science of Storytelling and A Story Is a Deal, and in this episode, he tells us everything he knows about humanity’s greatest invention: story. More than just entertainment, Will argues, story is what we do and who we are. It’s h ... Show More
1h 34m
Sep 7
What Can Henry David Thoreau Teach Us About Work?
Henry David Thoreau was a philosopher, poet, and pencil-maker. He was a great resigner and, above all, a superb writer whose masterpiece, "Walden," is considered by many to be America's first environmentalist manifesto. But John Kaag has a different view. "Thoreau's attempt to 'g ... Show More
45m 33s
Feb 2025
How to make the most of a finite life (w/ Oliver Burkeman)
There’s only so much you can do in a week – or, according to Oliver Burkeman, in the roughly 4,000 weeks the average human lives. Oliver is a journalist and author of the books Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, Meditations for Mortals, and the newsletter “The Impe ... Show More
40m 22s
Oct 2021
How To Rethink What You Spend Your Time — And Life — Doing
You've only got 4,000 weeks to live — give or take. While that may come as a brutal dose of reality, it's also an opportunity to think about how you're spending that time.In this episode, we talk to Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, abou ... Show More
19m 38s
Jul 2021
Time & Truth About Its Use
<p>Guest Oliver Burkeman states in his new book, <em>Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals</em>, that “outrageous brevity is life’s defining problem.” At age 80, you’ll have had a paltry 4,000 weeks. Such brevity is breathtaking, so we create defenses against the reali ... Show More
1h 30m
Jun 2023
Time Management for Mortals with Oliver Burkeman
The average human will live for roughly 4000 weeks. Foregrounding this can be a source of stress, leading us to constantly run from one task to another. Or, it can be a source of meaning and purpose, nudging us to focus on what really matters. In this episode, Forrest is joined b ... Show More
1h 8m
Jan 2024
Four Thousand ADHD Weeks • A Book Talk Episode!
In his provocative book Four Thousand Weeks, author Oliver Burkeman confronts our culture's obsession with productivity and efficiency. He makes the case that with a limited lifespan of around 4,000 weeks, our pursuit of packed schedules and perfect work-life balance is ultimatel ... Show More
35m 7s