How to be sanely productive

The liberating power of admitting you’ll never get everything done

The biggest lie I tell myself is that I’ll finally be able to relax when I get to the end of my to-do list.

But I never get to the end of my to-do list. There’s always more shit to do.

The writer Oliver Burkeman says sane productivity starts with admitting that you’re mortal, that time is limited, and that you’ll never get everything done.

It’s hugely liberating, he says, because then you can start focusing on what actually matters to you. Viewing your to-do list through the lens of death is massively clarifying.

How do you know what matters to you?

Sometimes it’s blazingly obvious. E.g., You have to work two jobs in order to support the family, and everything else just has to wait.

But if setting priorities is tricky for you, Burkeman suggests asking yourself this question:

Does this activity enlarge or diminish me?

I recorded a great conversation with Oliver, where he talks all about how mortals can engage in time management and prioritization without resorting to the outlandish promises of the purveyor of hustle porn. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube.

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Episode cheatsheet

The big takeaway

Oliver Burkeman discusses his concept of "imperfectionism" - accepting our limitations and mortality as a starting point for a more engaged, meaningful life. He argues that this mindset can be empowering, allowing us to focus on what truly matters and take action without the paralysis of perfectionism.