The Productivity Myth: Oliver Burkeman On Our Broken Relationship With Time, Embracing Our Limitations & Why More Isn’t Always Better

NOV 24, 2025119 MIN
The Rich Roll Podcast

The Productivity Myth: Oliver Burkeman On Our Broken Relationship With Time, Embracing Our Limitations & Why More Isn’t Always Better

NOV 24, 2025119 MIN

Description

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! 


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