Once upon a time – or more accurately, every day in modern life – humans invented (and invent) new ways to make themselves busier. It wasn’t enough to merely “be.” Meeting our basic needs only unlocked the next level of human ambition: new things to want, more gadgets to buy, an endless stream of productivity apps to optimize our already bloated schedules. Somewhere along the way, we managed to make busyness a badge of honor – a feat of irony! Because wealth, for most of history, was synonymous with not working.
This modern hustle culture often feels like an absurd cosmic joke. We strive to become ever more efficient, only to discover that efficiency breeds its own torment. Clear your schedule, and somehow it refills twice as fast. Work harder, longer, and you might earn a little extra cash – just enough to buy yourself things that won’t make you happy and pay for a therapist to tell you why you’re so miserable. Mondays become the villain, weekends – the promised land. But even weekends aren’t safe. Leisure has been hijacked, too, repackaged as “self-improvement time” or yet another item on the to-do list.
We weren’t supposed to live like this. Nietzsche pointed out that haste is universal because we are all running from ourselves. Maybe that’s why midlife has such a sneaky habit of slapping us awake. When we’re finally forced to confront our mortality, it dawns on us how absurd it is to defer living to some elusive, “better” future. If we’re not careful, life becomes a series of fleeting nows we ignore.
The Illusion of Control
It’s tempting to believe we can outsmart time. We craft to-do lists, set timers, and promise ourselves that this week – this very week – everything will finally be in perfect working order. But time has other plans. The paradox of trying to control every moment is that it just leaves us more stressed, not less. The more we obsess over using our time well, the more life starts to feel like a conveyor belt of tasks to “get done.”
And for what? The future never truly arrives; it is forever pregnant with infinite possibilities, always slightly out of reach. Henri Bergson called it: we often find more charm in the dream than in reality. The fantasy of a limitless future – one where all problems are solved – lulls us into an exhausting chase for control. But here’s the kicker: reality, with all its constraints, becomes less constraining the moment you stop fighting it.
The problem isn’t having problems; it’s believing we shouldn’t have any. Life is a glorious chain of unsolvable puzzles, each demanding time and attention. To live without problems would be, well, pointless. The sooner we accept this, the sooner we can stop doubling the weight of our burdens with unrealistic expectations.
The Freedom in Letting Go
Modern life also tempts us with the idea that we can do and see everything. Popular influencers with an endless scroll of “things worth doing” only widens the gap between what we could do and what we realistically can. The truth is liberating: you will never experience everything, and that’s okay! Once you accept this, the world stops feeling like an ocean of missed opportunities. You can savor your tiny slice of life, knowing that it’s more than enough.
Here’s a radical idea: what if we started each day by choosing just three things to focus on? The rest can wait. This method doesn’t just unclutter your mind; it also banishes the guilt of half-finished tasks. And t’s not about getting more done – it’s about permitting yourself to do less.
And when the weight of endless possibilities starts to feel unbearable, remember this: most of what you value in life stems from a messy web of events you couldn’t have planned. Your existence is a happy accident, and that’s a relief. Because it means you can stop trying to “leave a dent in the universe” and start appreciating the little dents you’ve already made.
The Joy of Now
Living in the present is harder than it sounds. The moment we try to be “fully present,” we get caught up in whether we’re doing it right. But there’s no other option but to be here now. The future is a mirage, and the past is just a story we tell ourselves. Life is a river that sweeps us along – but remember, you are the river too.
Idleness, once considered the ultimate sin in a world obsessed with growth, is actually an obligation. True leisure isn’t a waste of time; it’s a rebellion against the tyranny of constant productivity. Rest for its own sake might feel uncomfortable at first, but that discomfort is a sign you’re on the right track. Stop treating your days as stepping stones to some hypothetical perfection and start seeing them for what they are: precious moments.
Patience Is a Superpower
In a culture that worships speed, patience is practically a superpower. The moment you let go of the need to dictate the pace of life, everything changes. You dig into the work that can’t be hurried, not out of frustration, but as an intentional act of savoring time.
The world doesn’t care how you spend your time in life. That’s liberating, isn’t it? You don’t have to solve every problem, achieve every ambition, or experience every wonder. All that matters is this: does what you’re doing enlarge you or diminish you?
The more we accept our finitude, the freer we become. Life isn’t about conquering time; it’s about surrendering to it. Or, as Borges might say, “Time is a river that sweeps me along, but I am the river.”
So, go ahead. They can’t stop you from enjoying the day. Practicing doing nothing might just be the most revolutionary thing you can do.
Based on Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman.
