Move beyond the flawed notion of ‘having’ time as a resource to control; instead, embrace the idea that you ‘are’ time and the present moment, which can be a liberating shift from trying to steer your life from above.
Recognize that the human condition is ultimately finite and ’everything is palliative care,’ which liberates you from the impossible quest of finding a ‘solution’ to life and allows you to engage in what is possible.
Recognize that the pursuit of productivity and time mastery is often a trap or distraction, driven by an unconscious belief that personal value is tied to output, and it can never be fully attained due to infinite possibilities. Shift away from viewing productivity as a means to emotional peace.
Practice ‘cosmic insignificance therapy’ by embracing the idea of your cosmic unimportance, which liberates you from the pressure that everything you do must be extraordinarily significant and reduces indecision and worry.
Shift your standard of meaning from a cosmic, godlike scale to a human scale, finding deep importance in influencing contemporaries, being a good parent, or contributing to your community, rather than deeming such actions pointless.
Recognize that you will always have more ‘big rocks’ (important things) than you have time for; the challenge is to have the courage to neglect many of them to focus deeply on a select few.
Accept that you cannot do everything and that trade-offs are inevitable; consciously acknowledge these limitations to make wiser decisions about how to allocate your time and energy, rather than trying to master time to avoid choices.
Do not exclusively assess the value of your time by where it’s leading you or how well it achieves a goal, as this approach constantly postpones fulfillment and prevents you from experiencing the present moment.
Resist the urge to constantly project moments of fulfillment into the future, as this prevents you from fully experiencing and appreciating the present moment and the inherent value of current activities and relationships.
Develop the ability to tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity, resisting the urge to prematurely resolve problems or tie everything up neatly, allowing for a more profound understanding to emerge.
When making difficult choices and saying no to desirable things, accept the inherent discomfort as an encounter with reality, which is ultimately beneficial, rather than seeking to avoid it by trying to do everything.
Identify your top five most important priorities and actively avoid the next 20 things that matter enough to distract you, but not enough to be among your absolute highest priorities.
Practice the difficult art of saying no not just to unwanted tasks, but to things you genuinely want to do, in order to create space for other, more important things you also desire to do.
Immediately allocate time for your most important priorities (work, creative pursuits, relationships) at the start of your day, rather than waiting for other tasks to be completed, and learn to tolerate the anxiety of pending tasks.
Set an artificial bottleneck on your workflow by limiting the number of tasks or projects you allow on your plate at once (e.g., using a closed to-do list with a fixed number of slots), forcing conscious prioritization and improving actual productivity.
Understand that merely becoming more efficient at processing tasks, without prioritizing or selecting what truly matters, will only attract more tasks and lead to an unending struggle, rather than achieving mastery.
When a generous thought arises (e.g., donating to charity, sending an appreciative note), act on it immediately rather than postponing it, as this prevents the idea of developing a habit from becoming an obstacle to the action itself.
Approach interpersonal relationships with a stance of curiosity, like a researcher, wondering how interactions will unfold and seeking to understand others, rather than trying to control outcomes or hoping they align with your expectations.
Practice sustained, focused attention on a single object or experience for an extended, uncomfortable period (e.g., looking at a painting for three hours) to overcome the mind’s conditioning for speed and reveal deeper insights.
Instead of rushing to fix problems, practice patience by observing the situation and allowing it to remain unresolved until a clear solution presents itself, avoiding impulsive actions driven by the discomfort of uncertainty.
Engage in modest, moderate periods of work consistently over time, rather than alternating between intense, exhausting bursts and periods of inactivity, to achieve greater long-term output and avoid burnout.
When engaged in a task and feeling highly motivated, intentionally stop before you are exhausted, preserving your energy and desire to return to the task the next day, rather than burning out your motivation.
Shift your focus from the specific content of your experiences to the miraculous fact of simply having any experience at all, fostering appreciation even in frustrating moments like traffic jams or queues.
When lamenting the physical changes and pains of getting older, reframe your perspective by considering the alternative (being dead), and appreciate the privilege of continued existence.
Engage in activities (like hiking, arts, music, dance) that are done for their own sake, not to achieve a goal or get somewhere, as these provide intrinsic enjoyment and cannot be ‘finished’ or made more efficient.
Read ‘4,000 Weeks’ by Oliver Berkman, ‘Stillness is the Key’ by Ryan Holiday, ‘From Strength to Strength’ by Arthur Brooks, and ‘Die with Zero’ by Bill Perkins to gain knowledge on the quality of one’s life and how to live.