Podcast appearances and mentions of Oliver Burkeman

Are you constantly overwhelmed by your to-do list? Obsessed with productivity hacks? Always feel like you're falling behind? Trevor and Eugene sit down with author and journalist Oliver Burkeman to rethink our relationship with time, success, and control. They unpack why perfectionism can make us miserable, the surprising value of “good procrastination,” and why choosing what to fail at might actually be a good thing. Along the way, they explore the psychology behind our social media facades, how modern conveniences have made us less patient, and whether the secret to getting more out of life might be accepting that we can't do everything. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We're constantly swamped by messages like rest or idleness leads to laziness or that if you rest, then you'll fall behind — it's been repeated by so many self-proclaimed gurus, business experts, and biohacking influencers that we've started to believe the false messaging. The truth is that you're wired to take purposeful action, to have a healthy store of motivation, and to rest so that you can do those things when needed.  So, how come so many of us feel stuck in the swing between pathological productivity and then guilt when resting? We'll dig into the concept of idleness aversion — the deeply human tendency to detest doing nothing — and explains its evolutionary roots. We are wired to assess whether action is needed and to feel motivated when it is. That's not a flaw. The flaw is when that drive gets hijacked by external messaging that equates busyness with moral virtue and rest with weakness. Henry brings the neuroscience of mind-wandering: when the mind is allowed to wander, there's a kind of syncing up and rest that can happen, almost like rebooting a computer or closing all the apps on your phone. Far from being a waste, it's the precondition for efficient activation when you actually need it.  We'll get into some practical strategies to help you embrace more rest. For example, get a hobby that cannot be turned into a side hustle. Find a third place where people aren't doing anything productive. Let yourself daydream with a timer.  And if you're looking for the episode that followed this one when it played originally, here it is: From FOMO to GOMO: Discovering Freedom and Joy in The Choices We Make [ep. 224]   Note: This is an encore episode, originally aired during Joy Lab's Element of Fun. It's replaying here during the month of Re-Creation because rest and play go hand in hand — and if part of you felt a flicker of guilt pressing play on a podcast instead of doing something "productive," this episode is exactly what you need to hear. Preferably in a hammock. Not because you deserve it, but because you need it.   About: The Joy Lab Podcast is an Ambie-nominated podcast that blends science and soul to help you cope better with stress, anxiety, and depression. It's hosted by integrative psychiatrist Dr. Henry Emmons and holistic mental health researcher Dr. Aimee Prasek. The podcast is best paired with the Joy Lab App.   Bonus: spread some joy and keep this podcast ad-free by donating (Joy Lab is powered by the nonprofit Pathways North and your donations are tax-deductible).   Listen & follow the Joy Lab Podcast on your favorite listening app: Spotify | Apple | YouTube   Sources and Notes: Joy Lab Experiments: Take the next leap in your wellbeing journey with step-by-step practices to help you build and maintain the elements of joy in your life. Joy Lab episodes referenced: Are You Stuck in Joyless Urgency? [ep 222] Where's Your Third Place? [ep. 171] Sometimes I Just Sits... (the power of solitude) [ep. 74] Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman Series on authenticity from our Joy Lab podcast: Unmasking Your True Self: Exploring Authenticity and Awe [ep. 216] The Truth Behind Your Thoughts And How to Calm Your Mind (encore) [ep. 141] Embrace Your True Self: Accepted, Connected, & In The Game [ep. 217] The Road Most Travelled: Awakening Through Suffering [ep. 218]  Follow Your Bliss: Awakening to Joy [ep. 219] The Still Small Voice: Awakening with soulfulness [ep. 220] Just think: The challenges of the disengaged mind (this is the study of people shocking themselves out of boredom) Chandola, T., Ling, W., & Rouxel, P. (2025). Are anxious Mondays associated with HPA-axis dysregulation? A longitudinal study of older adults in England. Journal of Affective Disorders, 389. Access here.   Questions this episode was made for: Q: Why do I feel guilty when I'm not being productive, even when I know I need rest? A: This episode names and traces the moral weight most of us carry around rest. There is a culturally reinforced message that busyness is virtuous and idleness is weak. We'll dig into the evolutionary roots of idleness aversion and the neuroscience of why consciously letting your mind wander is genuinely restorative, not a waste.   Q: Is it possible to actually retrain a stressed-out nervous system that's gotten used to constant productivity? A: Yes, but it takes practice. It takes time to create new pathways and patterns. This episode explains how those neural pathways form and what gentle, practical steps (hobbies, third places, daydreaming, solitude) begin to build new ones.    Key moments: [00:00] Aimee's intro to the encore: idleness aversion, the moral weight on rest, and the invitation to listen in a hammock — not because you deserve it, but because you need it [02:00] Pathological productivity defined: on a spectrum from no productivity (feels bad for long, briefly good) to overwork (most of us have been there) to pathological productivity (causing harm, planting seeds of future illness) [03:30] Work addiction as a real condition — as hard to break as any other addiction once it sets in [05:00] Idleness aversion: the very common human tendency to detest being idle [06:00] The evolutionary reason: we're wired to assess whether action is needed and motivated when it is — not pathologically lazy creatures by nature [07:00] The paradox: we don't like idleness AND we want a reason to be busy — this sets us up for anxiety around rest and unconscious pathological productivity [09:30] Getting comfortable with rest is a skill — we work on it here at Joy Lab [10:00] The Anxious Mondays study. Finding: those who felt anxious on Mondays had elevated cortisol lasting at least two months. The twist: this continued even in retirees. [12:00] We're training ourselves to be stressed by productivity, and the neural pathway outlasts the job [13:00] The habit of being stressed by productivity — whatever the driver (money, pleasing others, excellence) — sets us up for long-term problems if we don't build in genuine downtime [15:00] The moral layer on rest: the deeply warped message that idleness leads to evil, laziness, or poverty. Guru-culture messaging: the gist is that rest is morally weak and busyness is morally strong — and it's false [16:00] The opposite of work is not evil — just as the opposite of play is not work but depression; we've gotten the opposites wrong [17:00] Our inner wisdom calls us to play, rest, AND work — a rhythm we're wired to follow rather than fight [19:00] The neuroscience of mind-wandering: Henry's image of the brain as a domed web of nodes and connections, always active [21:00] During mind-wandering: everything settles; hyperactive areas rest; underactive areas come online; whole system syncs up; Like rebooting a computer or closing all apps — fresh starting place, more efficient activation when you need it [24:00] Positive mind-wandering (playful, creative, inspiring) vs. rumination — similar states, very different outcomes [25:00] Practice ideas: guided visualizations, set a timer and let yourself daydream creatively [25:30] Get a hobby — something that cannot be turned into a side hustle, is not quantifiable, and just makes you smile [27:00] Identify a third place with a relationship to rest: meditation class, library, quiet coffee shop — somewhere people aren't checking things off lists [28:00] Oliver Burkeman, 4,000 Weeks: "In an age of instrumentalization, the hobbyist is a subversive" [29:00] Find something you think is a waste of time and try it — birding, train spotting, stamp collecting; whatever your version of that is [30:30] Oliver Burkeman closing: "Productivity is a trap... The day will never arrive when you finally have everything under control. But you know what? That's excellent news."   If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts!    Please remember that this content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice and is not a replacement for advice and treatment from a medical professional. Please consult your doctor or other qualified health professional before beginning any diet change, supplement, or lifestyle program. Please see our terms for more information. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call the NAMI HelpLine: 1-800-950-6264 available Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET. OR text "HelpLine" to 62640 or email NAMI at helpline@nami.org. Visit NAMI for more. You can also call or text SAMHSA at 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. Find more mental health resources here.  

No es para que te espantes, es para que reflexiones. ¿Estás haciendo lo que importa o lo que urge? ¿Estás viviendo para ti o para otros?Estoy leyendo las 4,000 semanas de Oliver Burkeman y en vez de sentirme mal por aceptar la cruda realidad de que somos finitos, leerlo me liberó.Me libera de mis ganas de ser productiva y cambiarlo por elegir lo que es realmente importante para mi y lidiar con las consecuencias de ello.Espero te guste.Dany

There's a particular kind of tightness that creeps in when the world feels unpredictable. We tidy the to-do list, tighten the routine, optimise one more thing, all in an attempt to feel a bit more in control. Oliver Burkeman has a word for this: clenching. And he reckons it's squeezing the life out of us, even when it looks a lot like productivity. In this episode, I sit down with Oliver Burkeman, New York Times bestselling author of Four Thousand Weeks and Meditations for Mortals, and former writer of The Guardian's This Column Will Change Your Life, to talk about his forthcoming book Aliveness and what he calls unclenching, learning to loosen your grip on certainty rather than white-knuckle your way through it. We get into flexible goals, why urgency is so often someone else's agenda in disguise, and how to stop tying your self-worth to your latest achievement. If you have ever hit a goal and felt the satisfaction evaporate within minutes, this conversation will change how you think about ambition altogether. Oliver and I discuss: What "clenching" is, and why our instinct to grip tighter in uncertain times actually backfires The insecure overachiever trap, and why hitting a goal rarely feels like enough for long How Oliver's open list, closed list approach stops you drowning in fifty half-started things Setting a "no later than" time instead of a strict start time, and why looser goals often get more done Why urgency is so often someone else's agenda in disguise, and how to tell when it is genuinely yours What Oliver actually does with the emails he has not gotten to yet Key quotes "If you have this feeling of aliveness, even the most difficult challenges are copeable with, and if you don't have this feeling of aliveness, even the most impressive accomplishments are kind of worthless." "You will do enough, because you will do everything that it's within your capacities and your energy levels and your talents to do, and that just by definition will be all that you could ever have done." Connect with Oliver Burkeman on X (Twitter), LinkedIn and his website. Check out his latest book Meditations for Mortals and look out for his upcoming book Aliveness in 2027. If you want more from Oliver, listen back to our earlier conversation on time management, a great companion episode to this one: (https://www.amantha.com/podcasts/want-to-make-time-for-the-things-that-count) My latest book The Energy Game is out now. You can order a copy here: https://amzn.to/48ID29M Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai) If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha.substack.com/ Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au Credits: Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is life if you're not chasing something? That question runs through so much of modern productivity culture, and I got caught up in it myself — in my own career, I always needed the next title, the next promotion, the next thing. This episode makes the case for a different standard: not an optimized life, but a pretty darn good one. Not all-or-nothing. Piece by piece.The Pretty Darn Good JobThe optimized version chases the next title, the next exit strategy, the constant hustle. The pretty darn good version pays fairly, doesn't wreck your evenings, and leaves you liking who you are by Friday. That's not settling — it's what makes the rest of your life possible.The Pretty Darn Good HomeInstead of a house that's a perpetual renovation project chasing a magazine spread, a pretty darn good home is warm, lived-in, and comfortable enough that you're not embarrassed to have someone over on a random Tuesday.The Pretty Darn Good PeopleOptimized relationships treat people like a network to be leveled up. Pretty darn good relationships are the people you actually want at your table — imperfect, but the ones who make you happiest.The Cost of the Extreme VersionA spectacular career can come at the expense of your health or your family — I've lived that trade-off myself. A “solidly good” life isn't spectacular anywhere, but it's steady everywhere, and that adds up to more than one blazing area surrounded by wreckage. I bring in Jim Carrey's well-known 2005 comment about wishing everyone could get everything they dreamed of, just to see for themselves it isn't the answer.Being Fair to the Other SideHustle culture isn't hollow — some people are genuinely wired for maximum drive, and real innovation gets built by people chasing extreme outcomes. The honest question isn't whether to ever optimize, but which one lane in your life actually deserves that kind of attention right now.The Complacency Trap“Pretty darn good” can become a costume for avoidance if you're not careful. The honest move is to check yourself: is this actually fine, or are you just scared to change it?Three small steps this week: pick one lane that deserves real attention and name it. For everything else, ask honestly if it's pretty darn good — and if it is, let yourself stop there. And check yourself on the complacency trap, because if something really does need to change, it's worth the effort. If you want to go deeper, I mention the book 4,000 Weeks by Oliver Burkeman.I'm Jill from the Northwoods. I recently switched my email — you can reach me now at northwoodsjill@fastmail.com, and find everything at jillfromthenorthwoods.com.Jill's Linkshttps://jillfromthenorthwoods.com/ - Find my podcasts, videos, downloads and ways to contact mehttps://www.buymeacoffee.com/smallstepspodhttps://x.com/NorthWoodsJillhttps://www.youtube.com/@startwithsmallstepsEmail the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.comBy choosing to watch this video or listen to this podcast, you acknowledge that you are doing so of your own free will. The content shared here reflects personal experiences and opinions and is intended for informational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a licensed therapist, life coach, or mental health professional. Any habits, strategies, or suggestions offered should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or counseling advice. Results vary — small steps look different for everyone. You are solely responsible for any decisions or actions you take based on this content.

This episode reflects on the shortness of life without turning it into panic. Oliver Burkeman's “four thousand weeks” gives us a blunt measure of our limits, while Seneca's story of Julius Canus shows how calm can survive even under the shadow of death. The Stoic point isn't to master time or escape mortality, but to stop wasting what remains on denial, anxiety, or impossible self-optimization.Since we can't know how many weeks are left, the task is to inhabit the present with attention, courage, and dignity.

Kevin Maguire sits down with me to chat about his fatherhood journey. He shares the values he looks to instill into his kids as they grow up. After that we talk about his book, The New Fatherhood. He shares the inspiration behind the book. Next we talk about the different places he and his family have lived and the importance living in those different parts of the world. Lastly, we finish the interview with the Fatherhood Quick Five.  About Kevin Maguire  Kevin Maguire is the creator of The New Fatherhood newsletter, read by dads in many countries. His work has been featured in Esquire and Emily Oster's ParentData, and he's appeared on podcasts with Daniel Pink, Oliver Burkeman, Brad Stulberg, and Jon Klassen. As an executive coach, he works with leaders at Amazon, Netflix, Google, and other Fortune 500 companies on the collision of career, identity, and family. He lives in Barcelona with his wife and two children. Make sure you pick up his book, The New Fatherhood at newfatherhood.com/book.  About The Art of Fatherhood Podcast  The Art of Fatherhood Podcast follows the journey of fatherhood. Your host, Art Eddy talks with fantastic dads from all around the world where they share their thoughts on fatherhood. You get a unique perspective on fatherhood from guests like Bob Odenkirk, Hank Azaria, Joe Montana, Kevin Smith, Danny Trejo, Jerry Rice, Jeff Foxworthy, Patrick Warburton, Jeff Kinney, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Kyle Busch, Dennis Quaid, Dwight Freeney and many more. 

¿Te vas a dormir el domingo por la noche con esa sensación de que la semana ya se escapó antes de empezar? ¿Hay una vocecita que te dice que deberías estar haciendo un poquito más, aunque ya hayas hecho mucho? En este episodio resumo Cuatro Mil Semanas (Four Thousand Weeks, 2021), de Oliver Burkeman, periodista británico que pasó años obsesionado con los sistemas de productividad hasta que, sentado en un banco del parque, tuvo la claridad que lo cambió todo: nada de lo que había probado iba a funcionar nunca. Y esa rendición fue su mayor liberación. Si vives hasta los 80 años habrás vivido unas 4.000 semanas. Una cifra de cuatro dígitos. Burkeman parte de ahí para desmontar el mito central de nuestra época: que si somos más eficientes, si optimizamos más, si apretamos más, algún día llegaremos al fondo de la bandeja y por fin descansaremos. No va a pasar. Y esa es, paradójicamente, la mejor noticia que puedes escuchar. En este episodio vas a llevarte: ✅ Por qué la tecnología nos prometió tiempo libre y nos generó más prisa — y la predicción de Keynes que lo anticipó en 1930 ✅ La historia del campesino medieval: cómo vivían el tiempo antes de los relojes y qué perdimos cuando el tiempo se convirtió en un recurso ✅ La trampa de la eficiencia: por qué el inbox cero solo genera más emails y cuál es la alternativa (la antiabilidad) ✅ La alegría de renunciar: por qué conformarte de verdad es lo que convierte tus decisiones en algo con significado ✅ Tu atención es tu vida: cómo salir de la mente del «cuando por fin» y dejar de pagar cada distracción con un trozo de tu existencia Este episodio cierra el bloque «Atención y enfoque»: la semana anterior cubrimos Stolen Focus de Johan Hari (las fuerzas externas que te roban la atención) y este va a la raíz — la relación interna que tienes con el tiempo y la finitud.

¿Cuándo fue la última vez que dijiste "no tengo tiempo"? Probablemente hoy. En este capítulo revisamos las ideas de dos pensadores separados por dos mil años que llegaron a la misma conclusión sobre por qué vivimos corriendo. Uno es Oliver Burkeman, periodista británico que pasó una década escribiendo sobre productividad para The Guardian y terminó concluyendo que todo el sistema está roto. El otro es Séneca, filósofo estoico que en el año 49 d.C. le escribió una carta a su suegro diciéndole exactamente lo mismo.Hablamos de:— Por qué mientras más eficiente te vuelves, menos tiempo tienes— Lo que pasa cuando una profesora de Harvard pone a sus alumnos a mirar una sola pintura durante tres horas— La lista de Warren Buffett que cambia la forma en que priorizas— Qué nos enseña el budismo y Thich Nhat Hanh sobre estar presente cuando todo te jala hacia "lo siguiente"Preguntas para reflexionar:¿Cuándo fue la última vez que tuviste un día sin prisa — no un día libre, un día sin la sensación de que deberías estar haciendo otra cosa?¿A qué le estás diciendo que sí esta semana que en el fondo sabes que no necesita tu tiempo?Si hicieras una lista de tus veinticinco prioridades, ¿cuáles serían tus cinco? ¿Y cuántas cosas de tu agenda pertenecen a las otras veinte?¿En qué momento de tu día estás realmente presente?¿Qué vas a soltar esta semana para hacer espacio a lo que realmente importa?Referencias: Burkeman, O. (2021). Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. · Séneca, L.A. (49 d.C.). De la brevedad de la vida. · Thich Nhat Hanh — enseñanzas sobre impermanencia y momento presente.Me encuentras en Instagram como @marisalazo.oficialKeywords: tiempo, productividad, prioridades, Oliver Burkeman, Séneca, estoicismo, Thich Nhat Hanh, meditación, impermanencia, presencia, Marisa Lazo, Compartiendo con Marisa Lazo

¿Te gustaría trabajar una hora seguida en algo importante sin que tu propia cabeza te saque de ahí cada tres minutos? ¿Te gustaría volver a meterte tanto en algo que el tiempo desaparece sin enterarte? Llevas un tiempo notando que te cuesta concentrarte más que antes. Que empiezas tres cosas y no terminas ninguna. Que coges el teléfono para mirar una cosa y veinte minutos después sigues ahí. Y te dices: tengo que tener más disciplina. En este episodio resumimos El valor de la atención (Stolen Focus, 2022), de Johan Hari, periodista británico que se fue tres meses a una playa sin teléfono ni internet para entender qué nos está pasando, y que entrevistó a más de 250 científicos y expertos del mundo para escribir este libro. La tesis que lo cambia todo: no vivimos en una época de personas débiles sin disciplina. Vivimos en un sistema diseñado para echar ácido sobre nuestra atención, todos los días. Y luego encima nos dicen que es culpa nuestra. Hari identifica 12 fuerzas reales, medidas y estudiadas, que nos están robando la capacidad de concentrarnos. No son excusas: son mecanismos. Solo dos o tres tienen que ver con la tecnología. El resto son algo más profundo: cómo dormimos, cómo comemos, cómo criamos, cómo hemos organizado nuestro trabajo y nuestra vida. En este episodio vas a llevarte: ✅ Por qué la multitarea no existe y qué te cuesta cada vez que tu cerebro salta entre tareas (el «costo del cambio») ✅ Qué es el estado de flow, por qué es el modo más productivo y más placentero de trabajar, y por qué el teléfono lo destruye ✅ Por qué leer en pantalla te hace comprender y recordar menos que en papel («inferioridad de pantalla») y cómo ese hábito contamina todo lo que lees ✅ Cómo tu distracción es el modelo de negocio de las grandes plataformas y por qué la fuerza de voluntad sola no gana esta partida ✅ Por qué el aburrimiento es la materia prima de la creatividad y qué estamos matando cuando llenamos cada hueco con pantalla Este episodio forma parte del bloque Atención, donde durante varias semanas exploramos los mejores libros sobre concentración, foco y trabajo profundo. La semana anterior revisamos Range, de David Epstein; la próxima semana continuamos con Cuatro Mil Semanas, de Oliver Burkeman.

Are you so busy getting through your life that you're never fully present for it? We rush from one thing to the next, convinced that if we can just get ahead, clear the to-do list, or better optimize our time, we'll finally have space to enjoy the life we've worked so hard to build. But that moment never seems to come. In this conversation, I sit down with Oliver to unpack how we can rethink our relationship with time and be more intentional about where our attention goes. We talk about why high achievers feel perpetually behind, how our need for control fuels anxiety, and why accepting our limitations can actually be freeing. By the end of this conversation, you'll think differently about time and walk away with a more freeing way to pursue big goals while being present for the life you're living now. More from Molly: Get Molly's latest book, Dynamic Drive Website: mollyfletcher.com

You'll never get through your to-do list. And honestly, that's the best news you'll hear all day. Oliver Burkeman's 4,000 Weeks argues that our obsession with time management is making us less happy and less effective. The book flips conventional wisdom — what if procrastination isn't a bug but a feature? What if doing fewer things is the real productivity hack? Sam breaks down seven counterintuitive lessons from existential psychology that challenge the hustler mentality. You'll learn where the efficiency mindset came from (spoiler: factories), why Warren Buffett tells people to ignore 80% of their goals, and how embracing imperfection beats any time-blocking system. The core insight? You have roughly 4,000 weeks on this planet. Spending all of them optimizing is the real waste of time. Use the 25-goal method: pick your top 5, actively ignore the rest Schedule unstructured time — procrastination fuels creative problem-solving Treat each week as finite — a visual countdown changes everything Hit play and discover why doing less might be the most productive decision you ever make. SPONSORS

The average human lifespan is shockingly short, yet we constantly chase infinite productivity. This summary reveals the surprising truth about time.

Main Topic: Truth-Telling in Fiction and Memoir with Grace Sammon But our conversation spans The Difference Between Telling Your Truth and Owning Your Truth; The Ghostwriter as a Literary Device; and Why Fiction Holds What Memoir Sometimes Can't; Who Owns the Truth and what Silence costs us; invisibility, and relevance. (Really interesting conversation.) PATREON: Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it.    Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.    And you can support my friend and colleague and Visiting Co-Host author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre.      Announcements/Author Updates: designing my next writing retreat in Costa Rica. My first international retreat (even though I live here) so there are a lot more moving pieces than I first imagined. Taking a four-month course to get me through all the legalities and best practices. If you are interested in the updates on the retreat, you can go to valerieihsan.com/retreat. request to bring back a regular patron gathering for all members (paid and unpaid) Mini writing retreat (cozy, candle; oracle card pull to set intention; check-in: 1 struggle, 1 win, what you are working on tonight; guided meditation; writing words; share word count (optional)); PLEASE send me a DM or a comment where you heard this podcast, or in the Patreon community. Let me know if this is something you crave. It's not just shared writing space. It's a retreat from regular life (dishes, dogs, kids, day job) and a safe and sacred space to connect and to write. talking with the architect, nailing down our must-haves half to drive north to sign a document (complications with names and lawyers)   What are you reading? Just finished:   Soul Sourced Entrepreneur (Christine Kane) Mosswood Apothecary (JP Rindfleisch IX) The Reliable Narrator (Grace Sammon) Back-burner Books: (Still on the stack but haven't finished reading them yet...) Creative Act (Rick Rubin)  Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman;  (Main Topic):  Notes: 1. As a novelist, a memoirist, and an author looking into offering ghostwriting services, I was super intrigued by many of your talking points in your media kit. I hope we get to talk about all my favorites. Let's start with Why Fiction Holds What Memoir Sometimes Can't. That's a juicy statement! A place for both; memoir is huge right now; tell our story to ourselves first, and then to others next. Hear a story better as fiction sometimes. Why you are writing the book?   2. I'm a sucker for books about authors, and the last novel that had that hook was also about a ghostwriter, what can you say about using the ghostwriter as a literary device? Fascinated by the job and wanted to dive into that; For instance, what is it like to see your book hit the NYT Bestseller List without your name on it? We see her through the stories she's writing.   3. Difference Between Telling the Truth and Owning Your Truth. Experienced childhood abuse, can you hide behind your own story, what are these effects on me, Invisibility starts when you lose your roles and don't have anything to talk about it. Relevance, meaning, purpose. 4. Who Owns the Truth? And What does silence cost us as women and as authors? (GoShiftKey.com,  Joelle)    And don't forget: Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you.   Find Us:   Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan  Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor Tools: ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)

For a lot of entrepreneurs, sitting still feels wrong. You might even find yourself jumping up to look busy the second you hear someone coming. This episode is about the programming running underneath that, and how to approach productivity with a little more mindfulness.  You're Invited to Podcast Club: Starting in June, listeners of The Conscious Edge are coming together on Thursdays at 1pm ET for Podcast Club. Think book club, but for the podcast. We'll talk about the episodes, what landed, where it's challenging us, and how to actually apply it. It's a chance to meet other business owners, get into real two-way conversation, and stop just consuming content. RSVP for the dates you want at consciousedge.com/club.  Get full show notes at www.consciousedge.com/ep106 Instagram:@aleciastg In this Mindfulness Matters conversation, Alecia and Jonathan unpack why our culture has trained us to equate busyness with worth, what mindful productivity actually looks like in real life, and why the productivity hacks you keep Googling never seem to stick. They get into the research that says 90 minutes of focused work outperforms six hours of distracted effort, why office workers switch tasks roughly 70 times a day without realizing it, and the 333 method that gives you a usable structure for deep work without the all-or-nothing crash. This is the episode for the entrepreneur who's been operating in summer mode for years, who knows they're depleting themselves, and who hasn't been able to figure out why the focus and follow-through they used to have feels so far away.

In his mega-bestseller Four Thousand Weeks, Oliver Burkeman showed that the finitude of life “isn't a reason for unremitting despair, or for living in an anxiety-fueled panic about making the most of your limited time. It's a cause for relief.” In his follow-up book, Meditations for Mortals, he invites us to embrace what he calls “imperfectionism.” Accept your limitations, your finitude, your lack of control — because “the more we try to render the world controllable,” he warns, “the more it eludes us; and the more daily life loses … its resonance, its capacity to touch, move and absorb us.” This episode first aired on October 31, 2024, but it wasn't Oliver's first appearance on the show. Back in 2022, he sat down with our curator Malcolm Gladwell. You can find that conversation here.

Send us Fan Mail We all know that feeling. We sit down with the best intentions, open the laptop, tell ourselves today is the day. And then somewhere between the third tab and the fourth notification, an hour is gone, and we are not sure where it went. So we call it laziness. Procrastination. A willpower problem. What if it was never about willpower at all? What if focus, the kind that actually feels good, was never meant to be done alone? Sana sits down with Alicia Navarro, founder and CEO of FLOWN and the former founder and CEO of Skimlinks, to talk about why our struggle to concentrate is not a character flaw. They cover the two-year "liminal space" between her companies that became the source of her next mission, what body doubling is and why it works on the wiring of the human brain, and the small daily ritual that can quietly change your relationship with your own attention. About the Guest: Alicia Navarro is a serial tech entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of FLOWN, the world's first deep-work-as-a-service platform. Before FLOWN, she founded and led the content monetisation company Skimlinks for over a decade, growing it from her living room in Sydney into a global multi-million-dollar business before its acquisition in 2020. She holds multiple enterprise honours including the EveryWoman in Technology Entrepreneur of the Year Award. FLOWN now runs facilitated deep-work sessions ("Flocks") that members attend an average of six times a week, helping knowledge workers around the world get back into focus by working in the quiet, ambient presence of others. Key Takeaways: The space between two chapters of your life is not wasted time. It is what Alicia calls a "liminal space," and real change usually emerges from giving it room to breathe. Most of us, when something ends, panic and rush into the next thing. The deeper work is to resist that urge and let something true arrive. Being unable to focus is not a personal failing. It is the natural result of trying to do deep work alone in environments designed to distract us. Body doubling, working in the silent presence of others, taps into how we are wired as social mammals. Social mimicry, accountability, and shared rhythm make focus easier without trying harder. Productivity is not one method. The work is to know yourself first, what motivates you, what drains you, what you respond to, and then build your focus rituals around that truth. Today can be day one. The shift does not need to be dramatic. Just turn up to one session, one ritual, one act of trust in your own attention. Connect With the Guest: FLOWN: https://www.flown.com (30-day free trial) LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/alicianavarro FLOWN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flownspace/ 4,000 Weeks by Oliver Burkeman, referenced in the episode: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/books Episode Chapters: [00:00] Cold Open — The Hour That Quietly Disappears [03:30] Welcome and Introducing Alicia Navarro [05:00] The Power of Liminal Space After Skimlinks [08:30] The Trello Boards, the Two-Year Play, and Saying No to Easy Yeses [12:00] Why the Pattern You Cannot See Is Often the One Holding You Back [15:00] What Most People Misunderstand About Productivity and Willpower [18:00] What Body Doubling Actually Is and Why It Works [22:30] The Four Reasons It Hacks the Human Brain Beautifully [25:00] What a Flock Looks Like and How to Try Your First One [29:00] When Life Pushes Back: Today Can Just Be Day One [31:30] Where to Find FLOWN and the 30-Day Free Trial [33:00] Closing Reflection: Focus Was Never Meant to Be Lonely     Want to be a guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? DM on PM - Send me a message on PodMatch DM Me Here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/avik Disclaimer: This episode is produced for educational and informational purposes only. All views expressed by the guest are their personal opinions alone and do not represent the views of the host or Healthy Mind by Avik™. The Network does not verify, endorse, or assume responsibility for any guest statements. Nothing in this episode constitutes medical, legal, financial, or professional advice, please consult a qualified professional before making any decisions. Listeners are encouraged to engage critically and independently with all content do not consume blindly. Use this content as a starting point for your own reflection and research, not as a substitute for professional guidance. Third-party content is referenced under fair use for informational purposes only. Guest speakers are solely responsible for their own statements. If you have concerns about any content, please contact us here. By listening, you acknowledge and accept this disclaimer in full. Read detailed disclaimer here. Healthy Mind By Avik™ is a global platform redefining mental health as a necessity, not a luxury. Born during the pandemic, it's become a sanctuary for healing, growth, and mindful living. Hosted by Avik Chakraborty, storyteller, survivor, and wellness advocate. With over 6500+ episodes and 200K+ global listeners, we unite voices, break stigma, and build a world where every story matters. Subscribe and be part of this healing journey. Brand: Healthy Mind By Avik™ | Email: https://www.podhub.club/contact | Website: https://www.podhub.club | Based in: India & USA Listen to all podcast shows: https://www.podhub.club/podcastnetwork | Be a guest: https://www.podhub.club/beaguest | Newsletter: https://healthymindbyavik.substack.com/   #podmatch #healthymindbyavik #podhub.club #focus #deepwork #bodydoubling #limi Support the show Want to Be a Guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life?

Like it or not, we all have our limits. But this world seems to want to make us feel guilty for not constantly trying to outdo ourselves—we're made to feel like failures if we're not always becoming more efficient, more optimized, more “together” versions of ourselves. To put it frankly, this sucks. Author and previous guest Oliver Burkeman has written a book on how the pursuit of optimization just drives us further away from the core of happiness: embracing ourselves as we truly are. This week, Adam and Oliver talk about how to relieve the pressures that society puts on us and how to find peace and freedom in self-acceptance. Find Oliver's book, Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts, at factuallypod.com/books--SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/adamconoverSEE ADAM ON TOUR: https://www.adamconover.net/tourdates/SUBSCRIBE to and RATE Factually! on:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/factually-with-adam-conover/id1463460577» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0fK8WJw4ffMc2NWydBlDyJAbout Headgum: Headgum is an LA & NY-based podcast network creating premium podcasts with the funniest, most engaging voices in comedy to achieve one goal: Making our audience and ourselves laugh. Listen to our shows at https://www.headgum.com.» SUBSCRIBE to Headgum: https://www.youtube.com/c/HeadGum?sub_confirmation=1» FOLLOW us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/headgum» FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/headgum/» FOLLOW us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@headgum» Advertise on Factually! via Gumball.fmSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Grow A Small Business Podcast, host Troy Trewin interviews Alex Davids, founder of Next Evolution Performance, built a global neuroscience coaching business across 15 countries helping CEOs and executives achieve sustainable high performance and prevent burnout. Starting with a psychology background, she identified a gap where executives had no real support beyond being told to "take time off." After scaling to 40 coaches, she made the bold decision to step away, allowing a licensee to buy the business before rebuilding it stronger and more sustainably. Alex shares powerful insights on growing through referrals, genuine LinkedIn outreach, and the importance of daily self-review in both business and life. Her parting advice to every business owner — keep it fun, remember why you started, and trust that you can do it. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? Alex Davids shares that the hardest part of growing a small business is staying in it, believing you can do it, and trusting that it is worth it — a feeling most business owners would deeply relate to. The grind is invisible to the outside world; customers see the success but nobody sees the early mornings, cash flow stress, and lonely decisions that come with building something from scratch. Most people quit too early, not because their idea was bad, but because self-doubt becomes louder than the vision, making belief a daily choice every entrepreneur must consciously make. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Alex Davids shares that her favourite business book is "4000 Weeks" by Oliver Burkeman, a profound read that sits on the edge of business, productivity, and life. The book's core message is that humans have on average 4,000 weeks to live, and every time we find tools to become more productive — from microwaves to AI — we simply backfill that saved time with more work rather than reclaiming it for what truly matters. Alex found this deeply relevant to her work with executives, as it challenges the endless productivity chase and forces the reader to ask the most important question of all Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Alex Davids shares that one of her favourite podcasts is Tim Ferriss, whom she has followed since before podcasting was even a big deal, appreciating how he has evolved from the hardcore "Four Hour Work Week" mindset to exploring what truly matters in life and business. She also highly recommends Consulting Success, a community and resource platform out of Canada specifically designed to help consultants build successful businesses, offering incredible tools, community support, and a critical eye on growth strategies. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Alex Davids shares that the one tool she would recommend right now is Whisper Flow, an AI dictation tool that she describes as absolutely game changing for small business owners. It allows you to think out loud and dictate your thoughts into anything, turning spoken ideas into polished and meaningful content with ease. Beyond tools, she strongly recommends finding a group, team, or community that provides regular reflection and review support, specifically highlighting Consulting Success out of Canada as an incredible resource that has delivered huge value to her own business through its tools, community, and structured approach to helping consultants grow successfully. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Alex Davids shares that the advice she would give herself on day one of starting out in business is beautifully simple yet deeply powerful — keep it fun, remember why you started, and trust that you can do it. After 19 years of building a global business, stepping away, rebuilding, and navigating every challenge that comes with entrepreneurship, she believes that staying connected to your original purpose and maintaining a sense of joy in the work is what ultimately keeps you going through the toughest moments. It is a reminder that success is not just about the destination but about enjoying and believing in the journey every single day.  Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.   Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest:   It's only a difficult conversation if you choose to see it that way — otherwise it's just helping people understand points of view — Alex Davids If you can't hand on heart say you can run this business and feel energized without burning out, then you're not doing a great job — Alex Davids Your thoughts become all the habits you have, all the ways you show up, and all the things you deliver — so make them count — Alex Davids      

Attention researcher Dr Gloria Mark (Attention Span), bestselling author Oliver Burkeman (Meditations for Mortals) and book strategist Charlie Hoehn (Play It Away) on designing your day around peak focus, embracing imperfection in creative work and bringing play back to the page. You'll learn The four states of attention every writer should know. Two daily peak focus windows, and a simple method to find your own. The reframe that gives writers permission — most writing isn't flow. How the success of one bestselling book can paralyse the next. A quantity-over-quality method that satisfies the inner perfectionist. Why free writing isn't a warm-up but the engine of the next draft. A counterintuitive trick for handling interruptions when you're trying to write. What play deprivation quietly does to creative output. A small experiment with play that resets your relationship to work. Why fighting your own nature as a writer is a losing game.   Resources & Links Dr Gloria Mark Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity by Dr Gloria Mark Chronotype (Sleep Foundation) Morningness Eveningness Questionnaire Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Yohaku no bi: The Beauty of Empty Space Gloria's website Gloria's newsletter Oliver Burkeman Meditations for Mortals Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals The Imperfectionist (newsletter) Deep Freewriting by Stephen Lloyd Webber ILYS software Charlie Hoehn Play It Away The Power of Play | Charlie Hoehn | TEDxSantoDomingo Charlie's website Author Alliance Original Episode Links Dr Gloria Mark's original episode Oliver Burkeman's original episode  Charlie Hoehn's original episode   About the Guests Gloria Mark is Chancellor's Professor of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine. She received her PhD from Columbia University in psychology and studies the impact of digital media on people's lives. She has published over 200 articles, and in 2017 was inducted into the ACM SIGCHI Academy, which recognises leaders in the field of human-computer interaction. She has presented her work at SXSW and the Aspen Ideas Festival, and her research has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, CNN, The Guardian, the Dax Shepard show, the Dave Asprey show and many others. She is the author of Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity. Oliver Burkeman worked for many years at The Guardian, where he wrote a popular weekly column on psychology, 'This Column Will Change Your Life.' His books include the New York Times bestseller Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals and The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking. His latest book is Meditations for Mortals. Charlie Hoehn is a three-time New York Times bestselling editor, five-time author, and the founder of Author Alliance. For three years, Charlie was Tim Ferriss' Director of Special Projects and first full-time hire. Together, they launched The 4-Hour Body to #1 New York Times, #1 Barnes & Noble, and #1 Amazon overall. Previously, he was Head of Multimedia for Scribe Media, where he produced over 500 videos and 300 podcast episodes. He is a keynote speaker who has presented to groups at Microsoft, PepsiCo, the Pentagon, U.S. Military, Stanford, TEDx and HEC Paris. His ideas on work-play integration have been featured on NPR's TED Radio Hour, Fast Company, Forbes, Financial Times, Huberman Lab, Chase Jarvis Live, TEDx, and many others. For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers' Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS' SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you're enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

Exciting news - pre-order my debut book https://linktr.ee/HealthySBTH?utm_source=linktree_profile_shareMost of us are far kinder to strangers than we are to ourselves. We offer warmth, patience, and understanding to everyone around us, and yet when we struggle, we reach for the harshest possible voice. Why is that? And more importantly, what can we do about it?This week on Live Well Be Well, we are exploring the profound and life-changing power of self-compassion, bringing together five extraordinary voices:- Dr. Kristen Neff, whose 20 years of research built the scientific foundation of self-kindness;- Professor Paul Gilbert, founder of Compassion-Focused Therapy;- Philosopher and author Alain de Botton;- Bestselling author Oliver Burkeman;- and gut health physician Dr. Will Bulsiewicz.We dive deep into the biological and psychological reasons why we fight ourselves, and how shifting from a "threat" mindset to one of "care" can fundamentally change our health. Here's what we explore together:- The Three Pillars of Self-Compassion: Dr. Kristen Neff explains why you need kindness, mindfulness, and a sense of shared humanity to truly heal.- Hacking the Nervous System: Professor Paul Gilbert discusses how to move from a "fight, flight, or freeze" response into a "tend and befriend" state.- The Origins of the Inner Critic: Alain de Botton reveals how we internalize the voices of authority from our past and how to start a "goodbye ceremony" to those that no longer serve us.Love,Sarah Ann

What if the antidote to our increasingly frantic world isn't a grand gesture, but simply the act of paying attention?This week, Kate and Laura are joined by actor, podcaster, and author Miranda Keeling – returning to the pod to talk about her wonderful new book, The Place I'm In, a collection of the small, luminous moments she's gathered from daily life. After her debut The Year I Stopped to Notice, Miranda is back with more of her 'noticings': fragments from parks, supermarket queues, and streets that remind us how much magic is hiding in the everyday.Their book club read is the perfect complement: The Anthropologists by Ayşegül Şavas – a soulful, quietly funny novel following Asya and Manu as they hunt for an apartment, trying on different futures for size in a city far from home. Asya, a documentary filmmaker, spends her days in the park gathering footage – an anthropologist of the ordinary – and her project rhymes beautifully with Miranda's own.Plus recommendations inspired by the art of the everyday.You can find out more about Miranda and her work at mirandakeeling.com, and her podcast Stopping to Notice – over 200 five-minute episodes of binaural location recording – is the perfect companion listen.Find all the books mentioned at our bookshop.org shop. And if you'd like to join Kate's monthly book club and reading community, head to patreon.com/thebookclubreview.BooklistAshes and Stones by Alison Shaw – a journey through Scotland in search of the women killed in the witch trialsOpen Book by Jessica Simpson – Laura takes a nostalgic trip back through her twentiesNo Such Thing as Monday by Sîan Hughes – a brilliantly written novel from the author of Pearl; up there with Eimear McBride ( A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing) and Maggie O'FarrellThe Anthropologists by Aysgul SavasThe Imperfectionist, Oliver Burkeman's newsletter Small Things Like These by Claire KeeganFlesh by David SzalayThe Café With No Name by Robert SeethalerMemories of Distant Mountains (illustrated notebooks) by Orhan PamukA Nobel Laureate's journals offer much colour but little drama, by Dwight Garner for the NYT (gift link)Look Closer: How to Get More Out of Reading by Robert Douglas FairhurstThe Place I'm In by Miranda KeelingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

PATREON: Thanks so much to new patron Faye Whyte.  Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it.    Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan.    And you can support my friend and colleague and Visiting Co-Host author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre.      Announcements/Author Updates: hole in my roof (Feng shui story) seen the dentist Sunday Summit (weekly reflection from Soul-Sourced Entrepreneur) request to bring back a regular patron gathering for all members (paid and unpaid) Mini writing retreat (cozy, candle; oracle card pull to set intention; check-in: 1 struggle, 1 win, what you are working on tonight; guided meditation; writing words; share word count (optional)); PLEASE send me a DM or a comment where you heard this podcast, or in the Patreon community. Let me know if this is something you crave. It's not just shared writing space. It's a retreat from regular life (dishes, dogs, kids, day job) and a safe and sacred space to connect and to write. met with an architect What are you reading? Just finished:  Smoke Screen (J.L. Kwak) Soul Sourced Entrepreneur (Christine Kane)   Back-burner Books: (Still on the stack but haven't finished reading them yet...) Wild Dark Shore (Charlotte McConaghy) We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Make Something (Amie McNee) (resource tip)*** Creative Act (Rick Rubin)  Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman;  (Main Topic):  Notes:   What top two tips for new authors (clear on vision: why now, why you; make commitment so you don't stop when it's hard) (what is your voice? Physicality of voice, talk all the time, style/tone, brand personality)(go forth with a plan, use Amazon, use AI for marketing copy, learn what works best for your genre and your lane, then add more)(do it with intention) For authors with an old back list: (branding) look at covers and the book, major trends change every 5 or 6 years, change the covers unless doing well, check manuscript for relevancy (check your reviews: rush the ending? Took too long to get started), make minor changes.   with a cold email list? (Manage: consistency and congruency. Write more books.) Learn the rules of email, tell stories in email, make offers (book is a product, series, themed package (events, retreats, talks, coaching, products, merchandise -- what can I create? Experiences, clothing, conferences.)   Promotion skills: mindset needs to be BOLD; carry books with you, leave them in airports, talk about your books all the time, get help for marketing plan   Build marketing into the book: 1. Have a layer of marketing understanding. Write as series, or a themed standalone. 2. Know and understand the genre and what the market expects from the genre, knowing where your story fits on the bookshelf.    Visibility: creative and production energy. Creative spirit is regenerative at the cellular level. Live longer. Moving into production energy, don't be careless, but care less.  How to move into production energy: marketing plan/to do (spinning wheels and squirrel), patience, show up, stand up (Sorry I'm late, I didn't want to be here by Jessica Pan), be distinctive (find your uniqueness is and plan on that) part of your brand (tagline, footer, tell the story in speech, work it in appropriately) What about those writers that don't want to write to market, writing first then market afterwards Fiction: idea/story --> How do I monetize? Series marketing: amazon loves a series, book 1 watch, if does well, when book 2 comes out, amazon algorithm helps you. Promo Hour, Monday, 4-5 p.m. ET boldauthorsnetwork.com zoom link via email. Fill out a form once. Strong community.  Books by Kae Wagner: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/22232801.Kae_Wagner Brewing Love (Building Dreams series), only on Amazon   And don't forget: Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you.   Find Us:   Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan  Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor

What would you do with four extra hours a day? Probably say you don't have them. But according to Laura Vanderkam, one of the world's leading thinkers on time, they're already there. You're just not seeing them. Laura has tracked her own time for 11 years. She's run large-scale time-tracking studies with hundreds of participants. And what she keeps finding is the same thing: the stories we tell ourselves about our time are almost always wrong. The tasks we dread feel longer than they are. The free time we insist we don't have keeps showing up in the data. In this How I Work episode, I sit down with Laura to dig into what 11 years of time diaries actually reveal, why tracking your time for just one week can make you feel dramatically better about your life, and how to reclaim those post-dinner hours that most of us write off as dead time. Laura is a bestselling author of many books on time and productivity, and her latest, Big Time, is one of the most practical and perspective-shifting reads I've come across in a long time. If you've ever ended a weekend convinced you had no time to yourself, this conversation will change how you see the week ahead. Key discussion points Why tracking your time for a single week raises time satisfaction scores by nearly 18%, and what's actually driving that shift The gap between how people think they spend their time and how they actually do, particularly for those who work flexibly or check email on weekends The concept of "golden hours" and why the four to five hours between dinner and bedtime are far more valuable than most of us treat them How to tell the difference between a complex life and a chaotic one, and the circus metaphor that reframes what a well-run household actually looks like The weekly planning ritual Laura swears by, including the three rings of the circus she reviews every Thursday morning Three surprisingly small changes that can make your workday feel genuinely better, without changing jobs Key quotes "Four to five hours is a lot of time to just write off as unusable. The day is not over after dinner." "Complexity and chaos are not the same thing. We're aiming for controlled complexity." Connect with Laura Vanderkam on Instagram placeholder], X (Twitter), and LinkedIn and her website, and check out her latest book Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance wherever you get good books. And if this episode resonated, I recommend my conversation with Oliver Burkeman on how to make time for the things that actually count. Check that out here. My latest book The Energy Game is out on July 7, 2026. You can order a copy here: https://amzn.to/48ID29M Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai) If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha.substack.com/ Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au Credits: Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: The Podcast Butler See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you physically in your relationship but emotionally somewhere in the middle? Torn between choosing in fully or choosing out, yet stuck in painful limbo? In this episode, we explore Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife's powerful insights on the losing strategy of indecision — that quiet, exhausting place of straddling that slowly erodes your happiness, self-respect, and connection.Drawing from her deep work with couples on intimacy and relationships, Dr. Finlayson-Fife explains why avoiding clear choice feels safer in the moment but becomes one of the most costly paths we can take. You'll hear honest stories, research-backed truths, and practical wisdom about confronting our human limits and learning to choose with greater clarity and courage.What You'll Learn:Why every decision (including not deciding) closes doors — and how facing that reality actually creates more meaning and joyThe fantasy of “keeping options open” and why it quietly destroys marriages and personal well-beingReal-life examples of straddling in dating, long-term marriage, and major life decisions like divorceHow to know when you've gathered enough information and when it's time to step fully in or outPractical ways to stop overthinking, calm the anxiety of indecision, and choose from your most honest selfWhat choosing in with integrity looks like — even when the marriage isn't perfect and intimacy has sufferedThe difference between a clear-eyed commitment and resentful limboFeaturing powerful ideas from Oliver Burkeman's Four Thousand Weeks and Barry Schwartz's The Paradox of Choice, this episode offers a compassionate but clear-eyed look at one of the most common patterns that keeps people stuck.If you've ever felt trapped between yes and no, this conversation will help you understand what's really happening — and how moving out of the indecision trap can bring relief, clarity, and a more fulfilling life and relationship.Resources Mentioned:Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver BurkemanThe Paradox of Choice by Barry SchwartzThat We Might Have Joy: Desire, Divinity & Intimate Love by Dr. Jennifer Finlayson-FifeListen now and take an honest look at where you might be half-in, half-out — and what choosing differently could open up for you.Get in TouchWebsite: MasterYourMarriage.usInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/masteryourmarriageFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MasterYourMarriage/

掌握台灣與國際間時事的脈動累積出實用的，股票期貨選擇權，操盤技巧每天多學一點，生活好一點邀請你加入股票王的訂閱方案每天盤前盤中，了解最新類股輪動與飆股變化讓你不知不覺，邁向財富自由的道路 https://fstry.pse.is/95b62b —— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 —— 加入會員，支持節目： https://richlife.firstory.io/join留言告訴我你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/clh1qknlp0h0s01w286nq3i04/comments歡迎您用一杯咖啡支持我持續創作 : https://pay.soundon.fm/podcasts/a11a2120-4bc4-4fb2-813b-135bd96e5868「布姐的交誼廳。陪你聊人生聊職場」Line 社群https://reurl.cc/36NWEL(密碼：love)本集重點：1. 破解「我沒得選」的受害者幻覺我們常說「沒辦法」，其實是因為我們不想要那個選項帶來的痛苦。真相： 所有的「不能」，本質上都是「不願意付出代價」。2. 柯普（Sheldon B. Kopp）的自由宣言「你想幹什麼隨便你，只要你承擔後果就行了。」自由不是擁有無限的可能，而是擁有「主動選擇後果」的權力。3. 中年轉型最貴的成本：尋找「無痛選項」很多人卡在原地，是因為在等一個「既能改變，又不用得罪人、不用減薪、不用冒險」的第三路徑。Oliver Burkeman 的提醒： 接受「人生沒有無痛方案」，是你轉型的第一步。4. 薩特的「錯誤信念」：你比你想像中更自由當你說「我非做這件事不可」時，其實是在給自己鬆口氣，因為這樣就不用負責了。試著把「我不得不」改成「我選擇」，你會重新拿回生活的主導權。「自由不是擺脫限制，而是在限制中檢視：你要哪種取捨？」來賓

PATREON: Thanks to new patron Heidi Walker!  Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast.  I've just revamped my Patreon Page. I'm so so so pleased with it and proud of my work in simplifying it. Too many pay walls and exclusions. Now it is fresh and easy. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it.    Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. And you can support my friend and colleague and Resident Ghostwriter and Friend of the Podcast author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. He's a really great writer.     Announcements/Author Updates: finally have a mailing address, had our second dinner guest to wild success, our lot was burned today (need to move the trailer back), in conferences all this week, Signed up for Relaxed Money (Solstice story)   What are you reading? Just finished:  Smoke Screen (J.L. Kwak) Soul Sourced Entrepreneur (Christine Kane) The Haunting of Payne's Hollow (Erick) Back-burner Books: (Still on the stack but haven't finished reading them yet...) Wild Dark Shore (Charlotte McConaghy) We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Make Something (Amie McNee) (resource tip)*** Creative Act (Rick Rubin)  Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman;      (Main Topic):  Notes: Writing is an escape.  And is a place where we can somewhat control the events around us. Writing nonfiction is a little harder to write when you are seeking escape from your worldly challenges.     And don't forget: Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you.

On this episode, Tess Page, listener of Books with Betsy, talks about her requirement for books grounded in reality, her high/low reading tastes, and tells some wonderful stories of her reading habits in childhood. We talk about a shared favorite author who has a deep backlist and I encourage you to check her out!   Books mentioned in this episode:    What Betsy's reading:  Milktooth by Jaime Barnett Casualties of Truth by Lauren Francis-Sharma   Books Highlighted by Tess: Riders by Jilly Cooper  Rivals by Jilly Cooper  The Babysitter's Club Graphic Novel Adaptation by Raina Tagelmeier & Ann M. Martin In a Blue Velvet Dress by Catherine Sefton Excellent Women by Barbara Pym   A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles  Bringing Back the Beaver by Derek Gow   All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.   Other books mentioned in this episode: Tom Lake by Ann Patchett  The Dutch House by Ann Patchett  Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell  This Must Be the Place by Maggie O'Farrell  Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins  Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

Have you ever looked at your week and thought, if I could just get more organized, I could handle all of this? In this episode, Jessica and Kelly get into a reframe that might be the most important mindset shift you make this month: the difference between a discipline problem and a capacity problem — and why confusing the two keeps so many high-achieving women stuck in a cycle of self-blame. Jessica opens with a real-life story about having three kids in three places at the same time and the moment she stopped calling it a personal failure. Because here's the truth: no amount of discipline puts you in two places at once. Capacity is real, it's finite, and it changes — and it's time we start working with that reality instead of against ourselves. In This Episode Why high-achieving women are especially prone to the "I just need to try harder" trap The crucial difference between a discipline problem and a capacity problem (and why it changes everything) How capacity actually works — it rises and falls based on rest, stress, season of life, and what you're carrying The myth of willpower: why white-knuckling through a capacity issue doesn't refill the tank Capability vs. obligation — you can be capable of something and still not be required to do it The two questions that point in completely different directions: "What can I do more?" vs. "What is asking too much of me right now?" A language swap that takes seconds and changes how you relate to your limits Kelly's daily capacity check-in practice (it's simpler than you think) A nod to Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman and the case for opting out Brighter Move of the Week A simple language swap: every time you catch yourself saying "I should be able to handle this," try replacing it with just — "This is a lot." No comparison. No justification. Just let it be a lot. Free Download

Hello Writers! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and this is Episode 208 of the podcast and it's April 8, 2026 as I record this.  Main Topic:  Infusing Self into Your Work When You Come Back to the Page (with Jessie Kwak) (Part of the series on "Starting Over Again, or Coming Back to Yourself and Your Writing")   Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. And you can support my friend and colleague and Resident Ghostwriter and Friend of the Podcast author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. He's a really great writer.     Announcements/Author Updates: doctors appointments, vet appts, try again for Starlink in another month   What are you reading? Just finished:  Smoke Screen (J.L. Kwak) Soul Sourced Entrepreneur (Christine Kane) March Sisters : On Life, Death, and Little Women by Kate Bolick, Jenny Zhang, Carmen Maria Machado, and Jane Smiley The Haunting of Payne's Hollow (Erick) Back-burner Books: (Still on the stack but haven't finished reading them yet...) Wild Dark Shore (Charlotte McConaghy) We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Make Something (Amie McNee) (resource tip)*** Creative Act (Rick Rubin)  Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman;      (Main Topic):  Notes:   And don't forget: Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you.  

Hello Writers! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and this is Episode 207 of the podcast and it's March 31, 2026 as I record this.  Main Topic:  Changing the Way You Put Words on the Page: A conversation between two writers recovering from burnout and trying to get back to the page (Part of the series on "Starting Over Again, or Coming Back to Yourself and Your Writing") In this conversation, we talk about: burnout and then fear of burnout learning in public podcasting/building business/creating content journaling is still writing doing things gives us energy and structure/managing energy levels test the boundaries starting libraries (reminds me of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek)  paying attention to your body building structure to hold the growth content time vs creative time (I can do both.) What's the (mentally) lowest risk way of doing things for me? changing the way we put words on the page tricking self to do things (even writing) "back door" way in to writing in different patterns to avoid the emotional weight/responsibility ID list or the butter of the book. What will make me want to go back to the page and spend time with the characters. outlining  reinventing self as a writer what gives us satisfaction while writing a book identity  connections with other writers accountability  writing sprints (Rachael Says Write) writing times/routines brainstorming Costa Rican writing workshop ideas   PATREON: Thank you to my existing patrons for believing in my work offline and here in the podcast.  I've just revamped my Patreon Page. I'm so so so pleased with it and proud of my work in simplifying it. Too many pay walls and exclusions. Now it is fresh and easy. If you are a patron, in either tier, you get all my content, always. You can support me and my dreams and my writing and my aligned author life for $11.11 USD, and I will be so so grateful. Truly. Heart to heart. Gratitude for your gifts. If you want coaching too (with TWO LIVE CALLS EACH MONTH, you can BACK me at $55.55/mo USD). You will NEVER find coaching sessions for less money than this. If you've ever wanted continued support for your writing and accountability for your projects, this is the way to do it.    Become a patron of the arts and of me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. And you can support my friend and colleague and Resident Ghostwriter and Friend of the Podcast author Erick Mertz at Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. He's a really great writer.     Announcements/Author Updates: doctors appointments, vet appts, try again for Starlink in another month   What are you reading? Just finished:   March Sisters : On Life, Death, and Little Women by Kate Bolick, Jenny Zhang, Carmen Maria Machado, and Jane Smiley   Back-burner Books: (Still on the stack but haven't finished reading them yet...) Wild Dark Shore (Charlotte McConaghy) We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Make Something (Amie McNee) (resource tip)*** Creative Act (Rick Rubin)  Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman;      (Main Topic):  Changing the Way We Put Words on the Page with guest Crys Cain @itscryscain   Notes: Relationship/divorce "I don't believe in romance" ; dropped the series, Nov 22/23: shoulder freeze chronic pain plus emotional burnout, moved to small town, coasting on income from royalties, volunteering language conversation, exchange ...  Reading craft books a way to get back in, podcasts don't work so well anymore.  Identity: on the edge of burnout, scheduled 5-7 new things since February (don't add more for a month), routine, more energy for doing things.; worry about always being on the edge of burnout for my whole life. Resentment is a sign that it's not feeding me. Just awareness, not limiting. Consistent, emotional costs, pacing, checks and balances, Introvert, autism, person hangover, recovery day, test the boundaries ("Do I have space for this?")  Library Book Trailer mobile Lowest risk: notebook Trick self into washing dishes, write one sentence, put one sock away. Just get started. Back door way in that doesn't have the emotional weight/ responsibility.  Be creative in different patterns. What's the 'butter' in your story? Reinventing Self as Writer. Being around other writers really helps to feel connection and fulfillment and accountability.      And don't forget: Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you.   Find Us:   Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan (Find Passion Planner discount codes here.) Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor

What if the next 28 days could finally give you the calm you've been chasing? Imagine feeling lighter, less overwhelmed, and no longer stuck in the cycle of stress that keeps you behind. The surprising truth is that anxiety often isn't about how much you have to do, it's about the pressure to do it all. And that pressure is stealing your peace. In this Must Read episode, Omar shares a 28‑day blueprint inspired by Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman, designed to help anyone struggling with anxiety and overwhelm find practical relief. Instead of piling on more routines or chasing perfection, you'll hear how a simple shift in perspective can lighten your load and bring more calm into your daily life. Omar distills the book's philosophies into actionable steps that show you how to let go of the pressure to do it all and focus on what truly matters. Ready to stop the overwhelm and feel lighter? Hit play at the top of this page and start your 28-day journey toward more peace and less stress! MBA2758 Doing This For 28 Days Could Fix Your Anxiety! The Secret to Stopping Anxiety & Overwhelm (That Actually Works) Recommended episodes to explore:Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver BurkemanI Tried 20 Business Ideas. These 3 Made Me Rich. Watch the episodes on YouTube: https://lm.fm/GgRPPHiSUBSCRIBEYouTube | Apple Podcast | Spotify | Podcast Feed Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Power of Physical Checklists: Inspired by aviation, Atul Gawande's The Checklist Manifesto, and Daniel Kahneman's Noise, I've been experimenting with printed, physical checklists for repetitive tasks — from producing this show to running one-on-ones. The rigor of writing precise procedures carries over into clearer communication with both humans and AI agents. Small Interventions, Big Returns: A Brother P-Touch label maker. Reorganizing scattered hobby gear. 3D printing organizational tools with a new Bambu Labs P1S. None of these are revolutionary on their own, but the compounding effect of better organization — essentially building a fast index for your physical life — pays back over and over. Context Shapes Focus: Switching from a home gym to working out at Planet Fitness with my brother-in-law was one of the best focus interventions I've made. The change in environment eliminated the procrastination and context-blending that came from being steps away from my computer. If you're struggling with a habit, sometimes the environment is the variable to change, not your willpower. The Reading List: Good Strategy, Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt (and its follow-up The Crux), The Art of Action by Stephen Bungay (a great framework for thinking about agentic workflows), How to Know a Person by David Brooks, and my top recommendation: 4,000 Weeks by Oliver Burkeman — a book that will help you stop looking for the productivity hack that fixes everything and start thinking about what actually matters. Learning as a Habit: Right now I'm learning to drive a stick shift on a 1983 Bronco. The point isn't the skill itself — it's staying in the beginner's seat. Intentional practice, setting small goals, refining through repetition. Keeping this habit alive is more important than ever when the industry demands rapid adaptation. How I'm Actually Using AI: Claude Code for one-shotting tools with clear boundaries, local environment improvements, and terminal troubleshooting. OpenClaw for experimental agents like a personalized trip planner and Home Assistant automations via YAML. Claude Co-Work for file system management and screenshot organization. Obsidian as the connective tissue — a markdown knowledge base that gives AI agents personal context to work with. And at work, spec-driven development is showing real promise for shaping agent output quality. A Framework for Thinking About AI's Role: I break AI use cases into categories: automating existing workflows (where most gains are today), operational restructuring (what happens when you free humans from a task), execution of complex technical work (agents on the front lines), iterative consulting on intent and goals, and the emerging frontier of exploratory connections and strategic synthesis. What You Should Actually Do: Be action-oriented — the cat is out of the bag. Invest heavily in planning and specification before sending agents off to work. But more importantly, invest in mindful change: understand your own values, figure out who you want to be when you look back on this moment in 10 years, and let that guide your decisions about adoption, learning, and career direction.

Ever wake up already feeling behind, before the emails, before school drop-off, before anything has actually gone wrong? In this episode, Ryan talks with Oliver Burkeman, bestselling author of 4,000 Weeks and Meditations for Mortals, about that “back foot” feeling so many parents live in. Ryan and Oliver talk about why we give our best energy to trivial things, why we say yes when we mean no, and how a small shift in how we think about time and trade-offs can change the tone of an entire day.Oliver Burkeman is the author of the New York Times bestseller Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking, and Meditations for Mortals. Follow Oliver on Instagram and X @OliverBurkeman

What if you stopped trying to control time? Executive coach Juliet Corbett joins me to discuss Oliver Burkeman's transformative book 4000 Weeks + why accepting you can't do everything might be the most productive thing you ever do. We discuss the difference between clock time + deep time + how the pandemic gave us all an experience of medieval time management. Plus, why flow state would make your life feel seven minutes long + what Johnny Cash's daughter teaches us about finding the right mentors. Look for more Book Huddles where we discuss books that change how we think about work, life + business. Books discussed in this episode: 4,000 Weeks - Oliver Burkeman Die Empty - Todd Henry Juliet's Website + Free Ebook: consultjuliet.co.uk/ebook Juliet's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/julietcorbett ==== If you'd like my help with your Business go to www.lizscully.com/endlessClients ==== And don't forget to get your reading list of the 10 essential reads for every successful biz owner - these are the books Liz recommends almost on the daily to her strategy + Mastermind clients. This isn't your usual list of biz books, these answer the challenges you've actually got coming up right now. Helpful, quick to read and very timely. 

Oliver Burkeman is a journalist, a writer for The Guardian and an author. How does the insecure overachiever evolve? You think success will quiet the doubt, then you hit 30, and it's still there. More achievement, more stress. So how do you feel proud of what you've built without always fearing it's not enough? Expect to learn if it possible to be the best in the world and relaxed at the same time, how to deal with uncertainty more effectively, the biggest changes insecure overachievers will face as they age, the cost of constantly asking, “Am I living my best possible life?“, how to know when it's a good time to settle and much more… Sponsors: See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/deals⁠ Get up to 20% off the leading longevity and cellular health supplement at https://timeline.com/modernwisdom Get 15% off your first order of my favourite Non-Alcoholic Brew at https://athleticbrewing.com/modernwisdom Get up to $350 off the Pod 5 at https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT's most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom Extra Stuff: Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/books⁠ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: ⁠https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom⁠ Episodes You Might Enjoy: #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/43hv6y59⁠ #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/2rtz7avf⁠ #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: ⁠https://tinyurl.com/3ccn5vkp⁠ - Get In Touch: Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx⁠ Twitter: ⁠https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast⁠ Email: ⁠https://chriswillx.com/contact⁠ - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part three, Oliver Burkeman and Dr Alex George dive into the true meaning of happiness, and why nearly everything in life can be seen as either a good time or a good story…Plus, Oliver highlights the importance of living in the present and shares some actionable advice for chronic worriers looking to shift their perspective.Follow @oliverburkeman_ and check out his latest book Meditations for Mortals: A Four-Week Guide to Doing What Counts. By using our affiliate bookshop you'll help fund Stompcast by earning a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too!Order Alex's latest book Am I Normal? - out now!Order Happy Habits - out now! Follow the podcast on Instagram @thestompcastGet the new, pocket guide version of The Mind Manual nowDownload Mettle: the mental fitness app for men Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part two, Oliver Burkeman explores how to rethink productivity, why separating your identity from your achievements is essential, and why you need to stop planning your life and start living it…Plus, Oliver and Dr Alex George discuss the power of words and how they have the power to ground us even in life's most challenging moments.Follow @oliverburkeman_ and check out his latest book Meditations for Mortals: A Four-Week Guide to Doing What Counts. By using our affiliate bookshop you'll help fund Stompcast by earning a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too!Order Alex's latest book Am I Normal? - out now!Order Happy Habits - out now! Follow the podcast on Instagram @thestompcastGet the new, pocket guide version of The Mind Manual nowDownload Mettle: the mental fitness app for men Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oliver Burkeman is a bestselling author known for his influential writing on productivity, time management and the psychology of happiness.In part one, Oliver joins Dr Alex George to discuss the mental toll of trying to do absolutely everything, and why embracing your limitations may actually be the secret to achieving more…Plus, Oliver unpacks what it's really like to be a journalist and explains why he believes being ‘good enough' is better than being perfect…Follow @oliverburkeman_ and check out his latest book Meditations for Mortals: A Four-Week Guide to Doing What Counts. By using our affiliate bookshop you'll help fund Stompcast by earning a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too!Order Alex's latest book Am I Normal? - out now!Order Happy Habits - out now! Follow the podcast on Instagram @thestompcastGet the new, pocket guide version of The Mind Manual nowDownload Mettle: the mental fitness app for men Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happiness is good for your health. That's the argument of Dr Rangan Chatterjee, one of the most influential doctors in the UK and host of Europe's biggest health podcast Feel Better, Live More. Throughout his career, Dr Chatterjee has seen first-hand how motivation isn't always enough for us to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It's his view that it is only when we learn how to support our own mental well-being and cultivate core happiness that these choices become easy. In January 2026, Dr Chatterjee came to Intelligence Squared alongside writer Oliver Burkeman to share cutting-edge insights into the science of happiness and to reveal the simple ways to put you back in control of your health. Dr Chatterjee drew from the new and updated edition of his book Happy Mind, Happy Life to reveal real-life case studies and over 20 practical exercises, including lessons on how to: * Treat yourself with respect * Improve your relationship with your phone * Deal with criticism --- If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

**BEST OF** In an effort to make time for ourselves, many of us fall back on using To Do lists and time blocking. But often these strategies can end up with the same result: getting lost in chasing productivity. So how do we make time for the things that truly count? Oliver Burkeman is a New York Times bestselling author of books such as ‘Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals’ and ‘Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts’. Oliver is also a regular columnist for The Guardian. If there is anyone who truly understands the philosophy and psychology of time management and happiness, it’s Oliver. Oliver shares: The mindset you should be using when you first approach a task if you want it to be achieved easily How you can free up time by minimising time spent on worrying The strategy you should be utilising instead of a to-do list to actually create a sense of achievement Why being open to distractions can actually be beneficial Key Quotes:"Don't start from the position that unexpected things happening must be bad." “There is this tendency to set things up in your mind so that you can never feel like you’ve done something well enough." Connect with Oliver via his website, or get his latest book, Meditations for Mortals, here My latest book The Health Habit is out now. You can order a copy here: https://www.amantha.com/the-health-habit/ Connect with me on the socials: Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanthaimber) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/amanthai) If you are looking for more tips to improve the way you work and live, I write a weekly newsletter where I share practical and simple to apply tips to improve your life. You can sign up for that at https://amantha-imber.ck.page/subscribe Visit https://www.amantha.com/podcast for full show notes from all episodes. Get in touch at amantha@inventium.com.au Credits: Host: Amantha Imber Sound Engineer: The Podcast ButlerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most productivity advice promises that if you just find the right system, you'll finally catch up. In today's episode, Ryan sits down with Oliver Burkeman who explains why that feeling never arrives and why that is not a personal failure. They discuss the productivity lie that keeps so many people feeling behind every single day, how hustle culture quietly creates anxiety, and why the goal of getting “on top of everything” is impossible. Oliver explains why urgency often makes life worse, not better, how saying no is harder than it should be, and what actually changes when you stop trying to win time and start accepting your limits.Oliver Burkeman is the author of the New York Times bestseller Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking, and Meditations for Mortals. Follow Oliver on Instagram and X @OliverBurkemanGrab signed copies of Meditations for Mortals and Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman at The Painted Porch: https://www.thepaintedporch.com/

As we step into a new year, many of us feel it—that quiet but persistent pressure to do more, fix more, and somehow have everything figured out right now. New goals, new systems, bigger numbers—and for practice owners, that pressure can feel especially heavy and often pretty lonely. In today's episode, I want to invite you to think about January differently—not as a month for pushing harder or becoming more efficient, but as a chance to slow down and get honest about what you can actually hold. Drawing on Barbara Brown Taylor's Home by Another Way and Oliver Burkeman's 4,000 Weeks, we'll talk about burnout, the efficiency trap, and why things don't magically get easier "once we get there." This conversation is about reconnecting with your why, redefining what growth really means, and considering what it might look like to go home by another way this year—one that creates more space, alignment, and sustainability in your practice and your life. Resources Mentioned In This Episode  Use the promo code "GORDON" to get 2 months of Therapy Notes free Consulting with Gordon The PsychCraft Network Profit First for Therapists Workbook Home By Another Way Four Thousand Weeks

Does life ever feel like an endless to-do list? Like if you could just wake up tomorrow with a little more discipline, you’d finally master your schedule, achieve balance, and feel…enough? On today's episode, Oliver Burkeman (bestselling author of Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals) and Kate unravel some of the beautiful lies we cling to about time and control, the fantasy of hyper-efficiency, and what it might look like to embrace the limits that make us who we are. In this conversation, Kate and Oliver discuss: Some of the most common self-help myths that stand in our way Why the relentless pursuit of self-improvement often leaves us feeling empty, anxious, and overwhelmed. How embracing our limits can lead to more contentment This is a conversation about limits—not as something to overcome, but as a doorway to something richer, deeper, and (dare I say) more human. If you liked this episode, you’ll also love: Katie Couric on The Courage to Try (and Wisdom to Know When to Let Go) Susan David on Toxic Positivity Samantha Irby on Doing My Best (Life Now) Elizabeth Gilbert on Why Your Creativity Matters Watch clips from this conversation, read the full transcript, and access discussion questions by clicking here. Subscribe to Kate’s Substack for blessings, essays, and reflections that hold what’s hard and beautiful. This episode originally aired December 2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oliver Burkeman, author of "The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking," dismantles the self-help industry's obsession with optimism and goal-setting. Raised as a Quaker with pro-social parents, Burkeman explores why chasing happiness often makes us miserable, how negative visualization (imagining worst-case scenarios) builds resilience, and why acceptance of uncertainty is more valuable than relentless positivity. He explains that we already know the five or six things required for a meaningful life—good relationships, sleep, nature, exercise—but consuming more books and courses becomes procrastination disguised as progress. The conversation tackles spiritual bypassing, why new information rarely solves our problems, and how shifting perspective at an emotional level matters more than intellectual understanding. This is a contrarian, practical take on self-improvement that challenges the tyranny of positive thinking. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Claim your complimentary gift of my exclusive mini weight care guide today!Link: Weight Care Guide — Dr. Francavilla Show (thedrfrancavillashow.com)Ever feel like time just keeps slipping away, no matter how hard you try to stay on top of things? As 2025 winds down, it's the perfect moment to pause and think about stepping into 2026 with more intention—without the pressure of rigid resolutions or endless to-do lists.Earlier this year, I came across a book that quietly reshaped how I—and many people I've shared it with—approach time, productivity, and priorities. Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman isn't your usual productivity guide. It's not about cramming more into your calendar or hacking every hour of the day. Instead, it challenges the constant pressure to do more, optimize everything, and stay endlessly “on top of things.” Its lessons aren't seasonal; they apply whether it's January, June, or December.In this episode, I'm sharing ten mindset shifts inspired by the book that actually help reduce stress, ease overwhelm, and bring attention back to what truly matters. These aren't about getting more done—they're about being honest with your time, prioritizing what counts, and approaching life with more clarity, compassion, and humanity. From slowing down to saying no and embracing imperfection, these lessons can help you enter 2026 feeling grounded, intentional, and fully present.If you want to dive deeper into all ten mindset shifts and practical ways to make 2026 feel more intentional, the full episode is waiting for you. Tune in and give yourself the gift of clarity, focus, and a little more calm.Connect with me:Instagram: doctorfrancavillaFacebook: Help Your Patients Lose Weight with Dr. FrancavillaWebsite: Dr. Francavilla ShowYoutube: The Doctor Francavilla ShowGLP Strong: glpstrong.com

How can you make your life meaningful with the finite amount of time you have? In this TED Talks Daily Book Club interview, host Elise Hu speaks with Oliver Burkeman about his book “Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts.” They explore Oliver's philosophy of “imperfectionism” and shows how choosing to let go can help you feel more in control. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you ever feel like you're behind on the life you're trying to build, despite constantly being busy? I sat down with Oliver Burkeman, one of the most influential voices on productivity and purpose, to share tools to make more time for the things that genuinely matter so you can do more of what you love to create your dream life. Oliver unpacks the psychology, sharing a radically different productivity approach: embracing your limitations, choosing what matters, and releasing the pressures holding you back.

Oliver Burkeman is a bestselling author, journalist, and the mind behind “Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals” and “Meditations for Mortals.” We explore our broken relationship with time and Oliver's philosophy of imperfectionism, which dismantles the delusion that productivity is a moral imperative. Oliver explains why we're all chasing an infinite backlog, how perfectionism keeps us from doing the work, the path from overwhelm to agency, why acceptance isn't resignation, and the mystical energy of completion. Along the way, Oliver diagnoses my biggest malfunction and exposes an uncomfortable truth about my people-pleasing tendencies. Oliver's work is vital. And this conversation might just change your life. Enjoy!  Show notes + MORE Watch on YouTube Newsletter Sign-Up  Today's Sponsors: Momentous: High-caliber human performance products for sleep, focus, longevity, and more. For listeners of the show, Momentous is offering up to 35% off your first order