MEDITATIONS FOR MORTALs.
I came to Meditations for Mortals at exactly the right moment. After three gruelling months of saying yes to far too much, I arrived at coaching supervision tired, stretched thin, and very aware that my self‑care had slipped. My supervisor recommended this book, and the timing felt almost medicinal. The idea of “imperfectionism” intrigued me, although, in true perfectionist fashion, I immediately caught myself wanting to become a perfect imperfectionist. Oh, the irony.
Oliver Burkeman’s book is designed to be read slowly, one short meditation each day. I had the privilege of reading it exactly as intended: one chapter every morning while on an extended break away from home. It became a gentle ritual, a way to start each day with reflection rather than urgency. But even as I enjoyed the rhythm, I knew the real test would come when I returned to my normal routine. It’s easy to be philosophical on holiday; harder when life resumes its full-speed treadmill.
Here are some of my key takeaways. There are many more in this enlightening book.
The big aha moment: stepping out of the news
The insight that hit me hardest was Burkeman’s invitation to “stop living inside the news.” My podcast addiction had become a way of outsourcing my attention to the world’s chaos. On holiday, I unplugged and it was transformative. I didn’t listen to every episode, every word, every geopolitical update. I let myself be in the moment. This shift alone made the book worth reading.
Letting go of control
Burkeman’s kayak-versus-superyacht metaphor helped me soften my grip on control. Life isn’t a sleek vessel gliding in a straight line; it’s a kayak bumping around in the waves. You can steer, but you can’t dominate. As someone who tries to power through life with precision, this image was liberating.
The perfectionist hotspots
Two insights confronted me more than I expected:
Scruffy hospitality: the idea that welcoming people into your imperfect home is an honour. My instinctive horror at an unexpected doorbell told me everything I needed to know about my own perfectionism.
Perfect work: my tendency to overthink, polish, and analyse until I’m paralysed. Burkeman’s suggestion to set quantity goals (two hours, then stop) was a revelation.
The hardest pill to swallow
People‑pleasing as a form of arseholery. I laughed, winced, and recognised myself immediately. The example - assuming your manager’s delayed email means they’re angry, while your own delayed reply simply means you’re busy was painfully accurate. It’s a perspective I’ve already started using.
Tiny but real decisions
One of the most comforting ideas was the metaphor of driving at night: you can only see as far as the headlights, yet you can make the whole journey that way. Burkeman encourages us to keep making “tiny but real decisions.” This felt like relief for me. Achieve progress without pressure.
Deep work, done humanly
Burkeman reminds us that humans aren’t built for endless hours of high concentration. Three hours of deep work is plenty. The challenge is stopping, resting in the knowledge that there is still work to do. This is uncomfortable for a perfectionist, but it’s also freeing.
Pay yourself first
“You are never going to clear the decks.” This truth hit home. I’ve postponed joy countless times, “I’ll see my friends when I finish X.” But X never ends. Burkeman nudged me to stop postponing my life.
Final reflections
Now that I’m back to full-time work, school routines, and the many roles I juggle; business owner, mum, wife, friend, sister, aunty - I can feel how easy it would be to slip back into old habits. But I’m holding onto a few key practices:
accepting I’ll never get everything done
setting quantity goals
working in humane blocks of deep focus
making tiny but real decisions
staying out of the news cycle (well mostly!)
Little by little, imperfectly, I’m optimistic that I can stop trying to “sort my life out” and live it instead.
If you’re someone who feels the pull of perfectionism, productivity pressure, or the endless desire to get everything under control, I wholeheartedly recommend buying this book. It won’t fix your life but it will help you live it more honestly.