My Take on Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman: Live Your Life (Not Someone Else’s)
I bought it because the title is perfect and the premise is strong. You have a relatively short life, so manage your time well. Live your life, not someone else’s.
I want this as an option for all pages about time management, ageing, passing time and high performance.
An option for investing in you that goes beyond mind and body to the spiritual purpose of life. Enjoying the journey and taking control of your life. You can make the same decisions, but do them to fit your story. Write and live your life, not someone else’s. This book is a simple way to explore that notion and take a step towards implementing it.
It’s a great book. I just glanced through it, really… All the way through it follows my philosophy and sets people up to enjoy their time living their life. Just use summaries and my general synopsis. It’s focused on time management and letting go. The non-sciency side of things for workaholics and learning how not to try too hard.
I bought Four Thousand Weeks because the title is perfect — and the premise is strong.
You have a relatively short life, so manage your time well.
But not in the frantic, hustle-y way.
More in the quiet, grounding way that helps you live your life… not someone else’s.
Prefer to watch instead of read?
I recorded my full take on Four Thousand Weeks:
When the video is released I will post an embed here. Until then watch this space.
Watch the video on YouTube here→ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bld imrMCiNo
Why this book fits my philosophy (and this channel)
This book is basically about doing the thing I’m trying to do right now:
- Living a life that feels like mine
- Prioritising what matters most
- Letting go of the pressure to do everything
- Enjoying the passing of time instead of fighting it
Oliver Burkeman calls it “time management for mortals.” And I love that, because it immediately removes the fantasy that we’re meant to be machines.
You’re human. I’m human.
So the goal isn’t perfect productivity — it’s a meaningful life.
The truth behind the title: your weeks are limited
One of the core ideas of the book is simple:
You only have so much time on the planet.
For me, that’s not depressing — it’s clarifying.
Because when you really accept that time is limited, you stop trying to squeeze everything in, and you start choosing what actually matters.
And that choice changes everything.
“Parent first” — how priorities make life calmer
A huge part of what made this book land for me is where I am in life.
I’m a parent.
And honestly, the first thing I ever wanted to be… was a parent.
So I’m not too worried if this hobby or creative project setting up Fit2Thrive takes longer than I expected. Being a parent doesn’t “get in the way” of life.
It is life.
And the work I do, the goals I pursue, and the way I structure my time… it’s all about supporting that.
Not the other way around.
Ageing, high performance, and feeling younger (yes, really)
There’s also a theme running through this book that connects to something I learned quite early in life:
Getting older doesn’t automatically mean getting unhealthy.
Most people assume it does.
I didn’t — because I learned there are other ways.
And over time, I’ve become genuinely passionate about this idea of ageing while still feeling young. That’s part of why I’m drawn to topics like:
- time management (the real kind)
- living well as the years pass
- high performance without burning yourself out
- slowing down without giving up on life
This book sits right in the middle of all of that.
Not “sciency.” Not complicated. Just real.
What I appreciated most is that Four Thousand Weeks isn’t trying to impress you with complexity.
It’s not “sciency” or over-technical.
It’s clear. Human. Practical.
It’s the kind of book you can skim through and still feel the message land — because it’s more of a mindset shift than a system.
It’s a book for people who try hard. Especially workaholics.
And it gently teaches you:
You can stop trying so hard.
Invest in yourself — beyond mind and body
Another reason I want this book as a recommendation on my site is because it fits a bigger theme I care about:
Investing in you — not just in the physical and mental sense, but also in the spiritual and purposeful sense.
It’s about living in alignment.
Enjoying the journey.
And building a life that feels like a real story — your story — rather than a set of boxes you tick because someone else said you should.
You can make the same decisions… but make them fit your life.
A slow-life reminder I genuinely recommend
I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to get through because it speaks to how I’m trying to live:
A slower life.
A life that doesn’t rush the weeks.
Because here’s the thing…
This year won’t happen again.
This weekend won’t happen again.
This month won’t happen again.
So how do we make it special?
Not perfect. Not maximised.
Just… meaningful.
That, to me, is what Four Thousand Weeks is really about.
Final thoughts: live it your way
If you get to the end of your life and think:
“I lived it. I got things wrong. I got things right. But it was mine… and I tried.”
That’s success.
You can’t do everything.
You won’t have unlimited time, money, or energy.
But you can choose what matters — and live it properly.
And this book is a simple, powerful step in that direction.
If you want to hear my full take (and why it fits the Fit2Thrive philosophy),
watch the video here: YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BldimrMCiNo
Your turn (tell me in the comments)
What kind of life do you want to live?
What are you enjoying right now?
And what’s your biggest challenge at the moment?
Also — what books excite you? What books inspire you to live your best life?
I’m always looking for ideas for what fits this channel and this whole mission: living well, year by year.
Book link (non-affiliate)
I’m not affiliated with this book — I’m sharing it purely because I think it can inspire the right person at the right time.
