[shantnutiwari]

Reading a great book-- 4000 weeks by Oliver Burkeman.

He makes the great point that no matter how productive we get, we will never feel satisfied, as there will always be more to do.

Instead, we need to start focusing on things that actually matter.

The title 4000 weeks is the average lifespan of a human-- and Oliver make the point we get stuck in the race to be more productive, and forget to enjoy life, which is usually the reason we start the productivity race in the first place.

[SyzygistSix]

We don't forget to enjoy life; employment is offered on the basis of work 40 (or more) hours a week or you don't work at all. Working less hours for less money is rarely, if ever, a choice professionals get to make.

The benefits of productivity have not gone to workers at all, even professional workers. In fact, it has been the opposite, with even high value workers being squeezed for more hours.

[playpause]

That seems like a fatuous point to me. The productive mindset is not about satisfaction, it’s about striving. Who suggested you’ll feel more satisfied by spending more time striving? And why is ‘feeling satisfied’ assumed to be a general goal anyway? For me satisfaction is just one emotional state, one that I want to experience sometimes but not as often as a feeling of striving and achievement. For someone else it might be the other way round, and that’s fine too. There is no need to declare what “actually matters” as if you speak for everyone.

[korax_nyx]

+1. I'm reading it too, great book, very recommended and necessary. His old writing on The Guardian: This column will change your life, never failed to made me think.

[shantnutiwari]

Yes, Oliver Burkeman is on my list of "Read or buy anything he writes"

His book "The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking" is one my favourite books