Another success from Oliver Burkeman. I belong to a translator coaching group and recommended this book to my peers before even having finished. There is no magic process whereby you get to be in full control of your life and career. Burkeman has read widely on the subject of finitude and consolidates some great ideas from psychology, religion and other fields around his theme. This is self-help for smart people who know there's no silver bullet for mastering one's time. You can do incrementally better and accept that that's it.

I found this book very wordy, preachy, & hard to wade through. Not very helpful. #MeditationsforMortals #NetGalley

In MEDITATIONS FOR MORTALS, Oliver Burkeman, the author of FOUR THOUSAND WEEKS: TIME MANAGEMENT FOR MORTALS and the instructor of the BBC MAESTRO class on time management, provides guidance on how to make the most of one’s finite life.

The book, which includes an introduction and an epilogue, is broken down into 28 days and each week has a focus, i.e. Being Finite, Taking Action, Letting Go, and Showing Up. The structure gives the reader ample time to digest the information and decide how best to apply it. In the introduction, Burkeman states that his intention is for the book to be a kind of mental retreat, which can occur alongside regular life. The bite-sized chapters facilitate his intention. Each chapter begins with a quote which sets the tone.

This book is great to dive into anytime, but it may be especially great for when motivation is high, like at the beginning of a month, quarter, or year to take advantage of the 28-day structure.

While there’s a ton of new stuff, there’s a touch of overlap (for example embracing finitude) with some material from this other books, his newsletter, and his Maestro class, but I appreciated the refresher as well as all the new insight this book provides.

The book is great for anyone who wants to work on becoming more present and focusing on the things that matter and for people who wish to create art or write but perfectionism is holding them back from finishing projects. As a big fan of Burkeman’s philosophy and teaching style, I highly recommend this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love this book. I've thought about it at least once a day and reread portions several times. Burkeman makes excellent points for how to live a finite mortal life in our busy world.


Many thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

As a writer and thinker, Oliver Burkeman has carved out the intersection of two hugely popular genres, those of mindfulness and productivity. One would think these are contradictory: mindfulness being about presence in the moment, and productivity being about squeezing the most work out of the moment, yet I suspect that Burkeman and I are not the only inhabitants in that intersection. Most of us attempting to be productive also face questions of meaning and purpose that are best answered by mindful contemplation.

Burkeman's previous book *4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals*, was a masterpiece. Burkeman identified the unique problem of being productive in a lifetime of finite duration, about how one can find purpose and meaning and live a productive life. I read the book multiple times, gave copies to my management team, and recommended it to everyone who would listen.

Burkeman has expanded and developed his ideas since *4000 Weeks*. His newsletter [The Imperfectionist](https://www.oliverburkeman.com/the-imperfectionist) is a regular meditation on these themes. I've also encountered his audio recordings on Sam Harris' [Waking Up](https://www.wakingup.com/) meditation app, where he explores similar territory.

In *Meditations for Mortals*, Burkeman continues his thoughts on how one lives a meaningful life in a busy world that pushes one to produce and consume. The book is developed into 28 chapters, and Burkeman intends for readers to read one chapter per day, making it roughly a month-long "meditation" retreat.
One is tempted to quibble with the title. Nothing in the book rises to the level of actual meditation, but it certainly does concern contemplation and mindfulness, and maybe that's Burkeman's point: mortals, those of us who are neither lamas nor arahats, can't drop everything to join 90-day rains retreats, and often struggle to fit in even 15 minutes of meditation in our busy days. We mortals must live in a world of daily carpools and stand-up meetings, and must define mindfulness in a way that brings meaning to this quotidian existence.

*Meditations for Mortals* is largely successful in this aim. Readers of *4000 Weeks* or *The Imperfectionist* will find similar territory explored here: we must use the mindfulness we have here and now, awaken as imperfect beings in an imperfect world, rather than continue to slog unaware through a distracted life. If this book doesn't have the impact of *4000 Weeks*, it is only because *4000 Weeks*'s focus on [spoiler alert] ones inevitable death after roughly 4000 weeks brought a particular urgency to Burkeman's message. Yet *Meditation for Mortals*'s message is every bit as timely: *what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?*

Fantastic book. I read a galley copy and after reading the introduction, I pre-ordered the hard copy. I have recommended this book to multiple coworkers. It’s not a fix-it-all book and does not pretend to be. It’s just a simple book of 28 days of reading. It’s something I plan to read each year. There’s nothing magical offered in the book but it provides the reader a chance to face (and accept) that our time is running out. There are no general solutions offered because none actually exist and all we are left with is the choice to embrace each moment and do what best serves us. At least that’s what I got from it.

Meditations for Mortals Oliver Burkeman (NetGalley ARC pub date 10/8) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I read this on and off, aiming at first for one chapter a day as suggested but then missing chunks and reading chunks. I am considering purchasing a hard copy as there are sections I’d like to underline or annotate. Despite it being based on some previously published newsletters (to which I subscribe), it was well put together and felt fresh and relevant. I really enjoyed Four Thousand Weeks and similarly enjoyed this book and the change up in format into bite sized concepts.

A pleasant "self-help" book that proclaims it isn't a self-help book. There's not much new here but the author's voice is kindly. With this segment of the market so glutted, this title does not stand out particularly. It isn't a bad book; it is simply not treading any new ground.

Time management books tend to miss the mark but this book was doable and manageable. I found the info to be helpful, encouraging and simple. I will be revisiting this book again and again.

There are few people out there today whose words on time management resonate with me more than Oliver Burkeman. In an age when everyone is sharing tips, tricks, and hacks to do more, and be more productive, Burkeman-rightfully-goes in the complete opposite direction. Pointing out, that not only do these hacks not make us more productive, but actually further entrench us in the endless hamster wheel of productivity that ultimately leads nowhere.

This book offers a refreshing counterpoint to our culture's relentless drive for productivity and control. Instead of constantly trying to figure everything out, Burkeman suggests embracing our limitations and finding meaning in life’s inherent unpredictability. He argues that the chaos and lack of control we often resist are not problems to be solved but fundamental parts of the human experience.

One of the book’s standout concepts that I find is Burkeman’s take on creativity and control. He proposes that focusing less on perfection and more on simply producing can lead to unexpected insights and breakthroughs. By removing the pressure to always get things right, we create more freely and unlock new creative potential.

Fans of Burkeman's previous work, Four Thousand Weeks, will recognize his writing style that uses parenthetical dashes a lot.

A new book by the author of Four Thousand Weeks, one of my favourite non-fiction books of the last few years? Sign me up. Fortunately, this was also great – not quite as excellent (the nature of the book was less focused and more scattered than Four Thousand Weeks), but still well worth reading. Short, snappy, and full of wisdom. Favourite chapter titles include:

- On staying sane when the world's a mess
- On the futility of 'becoming a better person'
- Imperfectly onward

Very much looking forward to recommending this to other readers this autumn. Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

very well written, i love oliver burkemans previous work and this did not disappoint. so bite sized and approachable, will definitely use this as a resource for clients

A great follow up from the author of "Four Thousand Weeks" I really enjoyed the format of this book and I plan to buy/borrow this book later and re-read it much more slowly.

This is another great book from Oliver Burkeman, in which familiar notes are sounded. We're finite. We can't do everything. We need to act on the thigns we find most meaningful. In doing so, there will be challenges to overcome, like fear, the occasional bad day, or the difficult season or painful series of disappointments. Problems are a part of life. There are unhealthy postures to take toward yourself and others; don't take those, and instead learn contentment and self-control. Be consistent, and learn to live a life of generosity. Focus on what counts, and move "imperfectly onward."

This book is filled with simple principles, carefully considered and distilled over time. Integrating these insights is the work of a lifetime. Burkeman admits that it is silly to think they could all be absorbed in about a month. But the book is structured in such a way for slow reading, rumination, and a ponderousness.

I enjoyed reading this book. I'd encountered some of these ideas in Burkeman's newsletter. But they are expanded upon here, and added to, in ways that were profound and profitable. I've already recommended this work. I'll continue to do so.

We are mortal beings—people who die. Our time on earth is absurdly limited. An average person gets only about four thousand weeks. In our culture of overachievement and relentless self-improvement, there is constant pressure to "optimize" every minute of our lives. We operate under the illusion that life will truly begin once we “get on top of everything” or "sort our lives out." But that moment never arrives. Burkeman observes that our modern obsession with control—whether through productivity tools or self-improvement strategies—often makes life feel less, rather than more, fulfilling.

If you’ve read a lot of self-help books, you might be familiar with the "big rocks and the glass bowl" metaphor often used as time management and productivity advice. The metaphor suggests that if you imagine your life as a glass bowl, you should prioritize the "big rocks" (the most important tasks) first. Once the big rocks are in place, you can fill the remaining space with smaller pebbles (less important tasks) and sand (minor activities). The idea is that "you can fit everything in if you prioritize correctly".

Burkeman argues that while this metaphor is initially appealing, it doesn't accurately reflect the reality of life. The metaphor assumes a finite number of rocks; in reality, the influx of tasks and responsibilities is endless. There will always be more "big rocks" than you have space for. The metaphor suggests that you can neatly categorize and schedule everything, but life is unpredictable, and unexpected events will always disrupt your plans.

We are limited beings with limited time, and no amount of efficiency can change that. Much of our anxiety and dissatisfaction stems from our refusal to accept our own finitude. Burkeman suggests that true freedom and contentment come not from overcoming these limits, but from accepting them and learning to live within them. He introduces the concept of "imperfectionism," a counterpoint to the perfectionism that drives many of us to relentless self-criticism and burnout. Imperfectionism about recognizing that life is inherently messy and that our efforts to impose perfect order on it are both futile and counterproductive.

Intended to serve as a "retreat of the mind," Meditations for Mortals is structured as a four-week guide. Each week is dedicated to a specific theme that builds upon the previous one. Burkeman suggests engaging with one chapter per day, allowing the concepts to gradually sink in.

Week One starts with accepting our finitude and our limitations,
then moving towards taking action despite uncertainty and imperfection (Week Two),
letting go of the need for control (Week Three),
and finally, showing up—being present and engaged in the moment, rather than constantly striving for some future ideal (Week Four).

Burkeman's previous book, Four Thousand Weeks, is one of my all-time favorites, and I had been eagerly awaiting this sequel/companion, Meditations For Mortals. And the wait is worth! I'm very grateful to NetGalley and the publisher, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, for an advance reader copy.

Meditations For Mortals is set to be released on October 8, 2024.

Favorite Quote: What is worry, at its core, but the activity of a mind attempting to picture every single bridge that might possibly have to be crossed in future, then trying to figure out how to cross it?

Synopsis: Productivity expert Oliver Burkeman shares helpful new insight into leading a better, more productive life: imperfection.

The author of Four Thousand Weeks is no stranger to productivity and maximizing the time we have on this planet. But not in the way most people think. In Meditations for Mortals, Burkeman embraces doing things imperfectly or not doing things at all. Intended to be read over one month (28 days technically), each five to six-minute chapter touches on a common “first world problem” and gives some insight into embracing it — or not.

Why does this book beguile? Burkeman authored the aforementioned book, Four Thousand Weeks and I was excited to get my hands on this advanced reader copy. Both books focus on an area most people ignore: editing.

In a world driven by consumerism, trends and fads, and two-day shipping, Burkeman takes a bold approach by encouraging readers to do more by doing less. Focus on the things that really matter and what moves the needle in your life. Some of the daily passages are packed with good info, some I felt I could skip. You’ll feel differently based on your life. That’s what makes this book so lovely!

I was such a huge fan of Four Thousand Weeks and this is a perfect companion to that. This title touches on some similar themes to Four Thousand Weeks, but in regard to meditation. I love Burkeman's approach to time management and productivity, so I was really excited to see his ideas put into practice in another application, in this case being meditation. This book is meant to be followed over a 28 day period, with a chapter for each day, the book being divided into four parts. It focuses on: Being Finite, Taking Action, Letting Go, and Showing Up. As with Four Thousands Weeks, Burkeman makes getting into the habit of daily meditation accessible, relatable, and achievable. He stresses that the most important part is just showing up and that it's okay if that doesn't happen every single day. This book is great for those who enjoyed Burkeman's previous titles, as well as though looking for a more forgiving approach to habit building.

My advice: read this book and consider revisiting it every six months or annually. It reminded me of what it truly means to be human—the universal experiences of striving, perfection, productivity, grief... really, all of it!

I cringe at the label "Self Help" because this book is so much more. I tried to follow Burkeman's suggestion of reading a section a day. Some days I missed, and other days I read more than one section. Talk about embracing imperfection! Read it however you like—just make sure you do. You’ll likely want a highlighter handy, as it's packed with wisdom and insight.

Full disclosure: I’m a big fan of Oliver Burkeman’s Four Thousand Weeks, and his email list is definitely worth subscribing to. Thanks to NetGalley for the early copy of this exceptional work!

Great insights into basic meditations — both on life and actual meditation. Loved his last book and this one is decidedly different.