Why Don't We Have To Do Everything?

In today's world, productivity is often equated with self-worth. You can relate to these daily bombarded notifications from different apps and try to find other strategies designed to optimise every moment of your day. Yet, despite all these tools, you still feel like you're falling behind—like there's always something more we should be doing. I have been there. However, after listening to a video of Oliver Burkeman, he presented a radical yet liberating idea which moved me to write this piece for you in this month's edition:

True fulfilment comes not from mastering our schedules but from accepting our limitations.

I took a moment to pause the video and was confused about whether what I heard was correct. But as I watched, I felt liberated because the idea of "getting on top of everything" is a myth.

?? I realised, "I am human and can't be on top of everything. I have limitations, make mistakes, and relearn and unlearn from them."

In a world that glorifies endless efficiency, he challenges us to reconsider what it means to be productive—and, more importantly, what it means to live well, which connected to the other book I am reading recently: The 5 Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom. ??

The Illusion of Control

How many times have you felt that if you were in more control of your schedule, you would have accomplished what's intended to be done? "Most of the time!" is the correct answer.

?? But what if I say there is always more to do?

The more we optimize, the more we realize that we can't do it all

For many, the struggle with productivity begins with perfectionism. There's an underlying belief that with enough effort, organisation, and self-discipline, we will finally achieve a state of control—where stress vanishes, everything is in order, and we are at peace. But this moment never comes.

It's like a treadmill speeding up but with no direction. The more we strive to optimise our lives, the more we realise there is always more to do, and eventually, we get lost. We can never win this race because?time is finite, and our capacity has limits.

?? What if we embrace reality instead of chasing an impossible ideal, and that's okay?

The Paradox of Over-Scheduling

A meticulously planned schedule is often the key to better productivity. However, this comes from my personal experience. Strict time management is ineffective and frequently counterproductive. Sometimes, we need to think from the perspective of mind management.

Stress demands Rest, Rest supports Stress

Here's why:

• The more rigid the plan, the greater the stress when unexpected events arise (which they always do). In this situation, you should step back and do something other than what you have been concentrating on. Go for a walk, listen to calm music, talk with someone else, and then return to work.
• Even if you stick to a perfect schedule, you risk losing spontaneity, creativity, and joy because the blocked schedule for a particular task at that instance might not work all the time.
• Expecting a well-managed schedule to bring calm and control sets us up for disappointment—there will always be more to do. Because the world is uncertain, we can not expect everything to happen our way. Embrace, reset, rest, and repeat.

This is why if you chase being productive, you will lose yourself on the way, which is self-defeating.

?? Rather than optimising every moment, shift your perspective away from managing time ideally and toward making peace with the chaos of life.

The Productivity Trap

"All my tasks are done!" is the wonderful feeling of the day. One of the most damaging beliefs is that we need to "earn" our place in the world each day by checking off tasks. Many people wake up feeling a kind of productivity debt—a weight of unfinished work that must be paid off through relentless effort. The debt can be tasks that pile up during the day or yesterday's one moving into today.

But here's the catch:

• The bar for "enough" will never end. Because there is always more to do.
• This mindset devalues our existence, making our worth conditional on how much we get done.
• It might create a toxic loop where we are never satisfied, constantly chasing a moving target.

I learned this in a very hard way:

You do not need to do anything to justify your existence.

Work is essential, but it should not define our sense of self-worth. Instead of measuring our days by output, we should consider whether we spend time on things that genuinely matter.

Some Boosters that Might Help

Rather than obsessing over endless efficiency, embrace your limitations and work with, not against, the natural human constraints.

Speed is important but direction too.

?? Try these simple shifts:

1. Keep a "Done List" Instead of a To-Do List

Record your accomplishments instead of focusing on your shortcomings. Even small tasks like making coffee or answering an email count. This shift in mindset creates a sense of progress rather than inadequacy.

2. Follow the 3-4 Hour Rule

It is well known that the world's greatest thinkers rarely worked more than three to four hours a day on deep, creative tasks. Writers, artists, scientists, and composers structured their days around short but intensely focused work sessions, followed by rest and reflection.

Why does this work?

• Deep focus is mentally exhausting, and after a few hours, productivity diminishes.
• Rest allows the subconscious mind to continue processing problems in the background.
• Overworking doesn't always lead to better results—quality beats quantity.

3. Rethink "Distractions"

In an age of digital overload, we are taught that distractions are the enemy of productivity. But not all distractions are bad.

For example, my wife would run into my room excitedly to tell you about her day. Is that an interruption, or is it one of the moments that make life meaningful? If we try too hard to eliminate every distraction, we risk ignoring the experiences that bring us joy.

Of course, if you would like to have some time restrictions, you can start keeping a calendar to share with your family members or using tools that signify you are in deep work so that no one disturbs you during your focus time.

Let Go to Move Forward

At its core, it's all about freedom—freedom from the illusion of control, the anxiety of never doing enough, and the pressure to justify our existence through productivity.

Instead of chasing an impossible goal of perfection, I suggest we should:

• Accept that we will never get everything done—and focus on what truly matters.
• Embrace our limitations rather than fight against them.
• Let go of the guilt that comes with not being perfectly productive.

Once we stop trying to "get on top of everything," we start living more fully.

That is the video's silver lining. Productivity should not involve working ourselves to exhaustion but making space for what matters most.

The best use of our time is not measured by how much we do but by how meaningful those moments are.

Thank you for reading this month's edition. I hope this is helpful to you. Subscribe to my newsletter for more articles about various topics, read them, and share your thoughts.