Oliver Burkeman on the Power of Embracing Imperfectionism

This was such an interesting conversation and I think perfect to start this year with! I loved that it asked thoughtful questions without rushing to neat answers. The different rabbit holes host and guest go down are truly thought provoking. It’s definitely made me curious to read more by Oliver Burkeman.

I’ve also come to realise (quite clearly) that I have a rather dysfunctional relationship with time!!

Burkeman argues (rather counter-intuitively) that to truly be immersed in time, you have to be willing to waste it. The moment you add pressure (eg telling yourself: “I need to savour this”) you’ve already lost something. That really rang true.

Another insight that stayed with me came from Jennifer Roberts, quoted in the episode: “Patience is a form of power.” She urges us to resist the pull of speed and acceleration, and instead build the inner strength required to be patient. This is something that feels increasingly hard, rare, and yet so valuable.

Lastly, I was intrigued by the idea that "not doing the thing" now requires discipline. In a world of endless choice and overwhelming abundance, Burkeman suggests this is a distinctly modern challenge: choosing not to act, not to optimise, not to fill every moment.

It definitely made me reflect and think again about how I relate to time, choice, and attention.

https://timesensitive.fm/episode/oliver-burkeman-on-the-power-of-embracing-imperfectionism/