Four Thousand Weeks: Time and How to Use It
What it's about
If you live to eighty, you have about four thousand weeks on Earth. Oliver Burkeman argues that our struggles with endless to-do lists, overflowing inboxes and distraction come from refusing to accept how brief our lives are. Instead of trying to get everything done, he shows how to choose what matters and let the rest go.
Why it's worth reading
It has spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's a time-management book that rejects time-management books, and readers find it freeing.
You'll love it if you liked
Atomic Habits, The Let Them Theory or Meditations for Mortals
Good to know
It's more philosophy than productivity system. It's short, and many readers return to it.
Quick answers
Is Four Thousand Weeks: Time and How to Use It worth reading?
Yes. It has spent 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #603 of the 2,819 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Four Thousand Weeks: Time and How to Use It about?
If you live to eighty, you have about four thousand weeks on Earth. Oliver Burkeman argues that our struggles with endless to-do lists, overflowing inboxes and distraction come from refusing to accept how brief our lives are. Instead of trying to get everything done, he shows how to choose what matters and let the rest go.
How long does it take to read Four Thousand Weeks: Time and How to Use It?
About 7 hours (273 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Four Thousand Weeks: Time and How to Use It?
If you liked it, try Atomic Habits by James Clear, The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins or Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman.
By the numbers
- Readers78 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller61 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2021.
Where it ranks
- #27 of the 85 self-help and business books we rank
- #110 of the 481 new books we rank
- #603 of the 2,819 books we rank
Bestseller
- 28 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2021
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Practical
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The Anxious Generation
Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity
What Happened to You?
The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture
The Let Them Theory
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know