Book Review: Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman and How Our Values Identifier Completes the Puzzle

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the constant churn of productivity hacks, or if you’ve tried to pack every moment with tasks to maximize efficiency, Oliver Burkeman’s Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals is the book for you. In this insightful and countercultural take on time management, Burkeman argues that our obsession with busyness stems from a fundamental denial of the fact that time is finite. On average, we have about 4,000 weeks in a human lifespan, and instead of stressing about doing more, we should focus on doing what truly matters.

But what truly matters? That’s where the magic happens—by aligning your life with your core values. Burkeman’s philosophy is a breath of fresh air for anyone caught in the frantic pursuit of getting things done. He highlights that real happiness and fulfillment come not from doing more but from doing things that resonate with our personal values. This focus on alignment is what makes the message so powerful.

However, knowing this doesn’t necessarily make the path easy. Identifying what really matters is often the hardest part—and that’s where our new Values Identifier tool comes in. Our research division, The Valuegraphics Research Company, has spent nearly ten years studying shared human values across the globe, and now we’ve developed a data-driven, personalized tool that allows anyone to identify their core values with unprecedented accuracy. Using insights from millions of data points, the Values Identifier can help you understand the driving forces behind your decisions and behaviors.

When combined with the lessons of Four Thousand Weeks, the Values Identifier creates what could be described as the holy grail for anyone looking to live their best life. Burkeman encourages us to prioritize based on what’s meaningful, but with our tool, you’ll know exactly what those priorities should be. It’s not just about managing your time; it’s about aligning your actions with your values, which can help you reduce stress, eliminate unnecessary commitments, and live with greater purpose.

Together, this book and our Values Identifier provide a comprehensive, scientific, and deeply human roadmap to making the most of our precious weeks. It’s time to stop chasing busyness and start living in alignment with what truly matters. This powerful combination of philosophy and data-driven insight could very well be the key to shedding the anxiety and overcommitment that plagues so many of us.

Check out the Values Identifier at www.valuesidentifier.com and pair it with Burkeman’s book for a transformative approach to how you spend your time and live your life.