Meditations For Mortals
Talking Billions continues to be a strong source of new book recommendations based on recent interviewees. This time it led me to Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman.
I vaguely recall seeing this appear in my recommendations before, but at the time I wasn’t familiar with Burkeman so it passed by. It’s a shame I didn’t find it earlier although perhaps it’s one of those cases where the universe conspires to bring you what you need, when you need it. After a recent period where I needed a reminder about perspective and not letting work and productivity take over everything else, picking this up was timely.
I listened to the audiobook and, in what I think is a first for me, as soon as I finished it I went straight back to the beginning. Not because I’d missed anything, in fact quite the opposite. Simply because it resonated so deeply.
In a world where we’re constantly trying to “figure everything out” or find the answer to life, Burkeman offers a simple but powerful reminder. We’re never going to have it all figured out. And that isn’t a failure, it’s just part of being human.
The book is structured into four sections representing four weeks, with a short chapter for each day. In the introduction, Burkeman suggests reading one chapter per day and reflecting on it. He’s also not overly prescriptive about it though and at this rate I’ll end up consuming it thirty times in thirty days!
Almost every chapter felt relatable. There’s a recurring moment of recognition throughout the book where you find yourself thinking, “that’s exactly what I’m dealing with.” Intuitively, we already know many of these struggles are universal, but presenting them in such a down to earth, relatable way makes it land differently.
A lot of the themes revolve around the tension of trying to do everything, the illusion that we’ll one day “catch up,” and the habit of postponing enjoyment until everything is in perfect order. The reality is that there will always be more to do and things will never be perfectly aligned. Life isn’t something waiting to begin once everything is sorted, it’s already happening.
It’s the kind of book that’s difficult to neatly summarise because it covers so many aspects of modern life.
If I were to try and summarise the key message it’s that the challenges you feel around balancing work, relationships, time and expectations aren’t unique, and you’re not alone in them. Nor is there a perfect solution waiting to be discovered.
Who’s It For?
Whilst I think almost anyone could take something from this, it will likely resonate most with those in their early thirties and beyond who are trying to balance work, life and family whilst constantly feeling the pressure to optimise, improve and get ahead.
An excellent accompaniment for the upcoming summer holiday season as it may serve to make your summer getaway the perfect reset.