Jul 27, 2023 Inspiring Late Summer Reading: Reframing Our Relationship with Time

by Jennifer Stanchfield

What a summer! Here in Vermont, like in so many other communities, our changing climate has challenged us with extreme rain and flooding. The summer has also been full of inspiring moments during workshops with educators and facilitators across the US and the satisfaction of completing creative projects (stay tuned next week for more about that).

Last weekend when some beautiful summer days arrived, we enjoyed a bit of hammock time. I took the opportunity to delve again into a book that has been on my bedside reading stack for a couple of years and seems especially relevant right now: Oliver Burkeman’s Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals.

Four Thousand Weeks is a second read for me and probably one I will read many more times. I was first introduced to Burkeman’s work through an inspiring interview on National Public Radio’s Life Kit Podcast in 2021 At the time, I purchased both the print and Audible versions and found it compelling to listen to on long drives. This weekend, after returning from some busy back-to-back work travels, I decided to revisit the print version.

Burkeman’s approach of encouraging readers to shift their relationship with time instead of trying to control time really resonated. He begins the book by pointing out, “The average human lifespan is absurdly, terrifyingly, insultingly short.” Hence the Four Thousand Weeks title. He states, “Any degree to which you can see the truth that our time is limited, that we can’t do everything, that you can imagine far more goals than you could ever achieve but be OK with it, that is another degree you know you have taken ownership of your life and start to build a meaningful one.”

The book is about changing our mindset to accept and embrace our limited time on Earth so that spending our time on what matters most becomes more manageable. He calls it “embracing our finitude.” He encourages us to realize that when we finally acknowledge that we can’t master our time, we realize that is exactly what is beautiful about life. I love the chapter titles and subtitles, such as “Becoming a Better Procrastinator,” “The Art of Creative Neglect,” “Cosmic Insignificance Therapy,” “The Efficiency Trap,” and “Rediscovering Rest.”

He poses five reflective questions for the reader:

Are you holding yourself to and judging yourself by standards of productivity or performance that are impossible to meet? Where in your life or your work are you currently pursuing comfort when what’s called for is a little discomfort?
In what ways have you yet to accept the fact that you are who you are and not the person you think you ought to be?
In which areas of life are you still holding back until you feel like you know what you’re doing?
How would you spend your days differently if you didn’t care so much about seeing your actions reach fruition?

This is the perfect book for those starting to wrap up their summer break and preparing for back-to-school or fall programming. It is a compelling catalyst for being more intentional about our focus and energy. As a big proponent of reflective practice—I find that engaging in the questions he poses about personal purpose and mission is a valuable opportunity for the reflective practitioner.