How to Go From OVERWHELMED to Fulfilled | Oliver Burkeman, Being Well Podcast

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, I am joined by bestselling author Oliver Burkeman for an exploration of what’s really at stake in what we call “time management”. You’ll learn why doing things faster only leaves you with more to do, the hidden payoffs of constant busyness, and how we can live a more fulfilling and enjoyable life by embracing its finite nature.
About our Guest: Oliver Burkeman is a bestselling author and journalist. His most recent book is Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, and prior to that wrote The Guardian column titled, “This Column Will Change Your Life.” He writes and publishes a twice monthly email newsletter called “The Imperfectionist.”
Key Topics:
0:00 Introduction
0:50 Oliver’s movement towards “anti-productivity”
2:45 Doing fewer things more purposefully
4:55 Looking at your own experience, and the paradoxical notion of perfect efficiency
10:40 The wheel of craving, secondary gains, and grappling with our mortality
16:15 Procrastination and freedom from an ideal result
21:35 The poignancy of limited choice
24:20 Existential crisis, insight, and fulfillment
31:45 Organizing your daily schedule around your top priority
37:55 Frameworks for working within someone else’s schedule
41:55 The allure of middling priorities
43:45 Identifying our wants and needs, and choices that enlarge and diminish us
48:35 Five questions to ask yourself from Oliver’s book
53:05 Suffering from trying to find a solution, and life not being a ‘prologue’
1:01:25 Recap
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Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.
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🌍 www.forresthanson.com
📸 / f.hanson

[@magorzatajozefapodolecka9035]

There is absolutely nothing I didn’t love about this conversation ❤ Thank you both so much. I’ve been struggling recently to understand myself and there is so much you talked about that deeply resonated with me.

[@emotionalsupportpaintbrush]

I needed this. I’m struggling. I have even less options when I was dx w a chronic illness in my early 30s. I once heard the word decide has to root for die “cide”. So when we make a decision we put all other options to death. Looking at what we don’t want to do and crossing it off really takes a gut punch to our mortality. So thank you for talking about this.

[@avakennedy3519]

This describes my personal philosophy of life more than any other point of view. I spent 35 years of my life as a teacher of Transcendental Meditation TM and my teacher Maharishi emphasized that less is more. “Do less, accomplish more.” This is so foreign to most people, but I’ve lived my life this way. As I’m aging and not able to do as much, it’s really fine, whereas many of my friends see it as a failure. It’s just a perspective on life to enjoy each moment. Now, it may not apply to all situations, but it’s working for me.

[@susancleaver2001]

This enjoyable interview reminds me of a quote: "Dream of an eagle; give birth to a humming bird." I'll add to that, "And a humming bird can do some very awesome things!"

[@nadalia832]

Thank you again Forest for another great interview which you always top off with a splendid summary! Great insight from your guest Oliver whose down to earth way of being soothes and comforts the soul.

[@jeffryabrahamson8735]

Thank you so much Forest and Oliver. It’s right on to the core of how I constrain myself everyday. Couldn’t have come at a better time. I love the discussion I want to get that book and thank you for this episode again.

[@jeangraham5351]

Yes, this book ought to be really cool.

[@LilayM]

This is my favorite episode so far. Thank you.

[@ForrestHanson]

Loved talking to Oliver!

[@ougoah]

Lots of jewels in this conversation!

[@kygo]

Great podcast! I really liked the little recap you did at the end summarizing your main takeaways :)

[@mariapapadopoulou4499]

Love this interview! Many thanks to both of you!! Great summary at the end too!

[@darlafitzpatrick8770]

Great conversation. Reminds me of a phrase from a song lyric by my favorite band, Rush: "... we're only immortal for a limited time."

[@jeangraham5351]

20:55 The REAL tactic of how to get out of perfection limitation in clearing out. Very helpful.

[@jeangraham5351]

Best end, the five questions. ... How we deal in reality...now.

[@mpramd]

talk about the divine comedy by Dante, I think It'll be interesting to be discussed related to psychology thing

[@tonyburton419]

The idea that we are all in the same boat, is misleading. We are more like in a stormy sea, but some of the boats are sturdier than others. In a financial, and social capital/ resources and supportive connections ways.

[@timeismorepreciousthanmoney]

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