Oliver Burkeman

At a glance

• British writer and journalist, long associated with The Guardian, where he wrote the column ‘This Column Will Change Your Life’ on psychology and self-help.
• His books include The Antidote (2012), a critical look at the pursuit of positive thinking.
• Became known worldwide for Four Thousand Weeks (2021): the title refers to the roughly four thousand weeks of an average life, and the book argues for accepting that finitude rather than trying to do everything.
• Followed up with Meditations for Mortals (2024), a four-week journey on living with imperfection, and writes the newsletter The Imperfectionist.
• Featured in a 2026 Tim Ferriss episode on how to simplify your life.
• Relevant to longevity because he offers a counterweight to the urge to optimise: a longer life means little if you spend it chasing an endless to-do list.