blot.blog #1

Hi all 👋 And welcome to the blot.blog roundup.

Firstly, in case you missed it, I wrote about Oliver Burkeman’s book “Four Thousand Weeks”. It’s not your typical time management book. It’s a philosophical and practical look at why you’re stuck in the hamster wheel of “getting things done.” Then I talked about the weird concept of Victorian London hospitals sometimes having only one day a week when they would take in new patients. And to finish up the week I watched and reviewed “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare”.

4000 Weeks: Embracing Limits for a Fuller Life

Ever feel like you're hurtling through life, desperately trying to cram everything in before it's too late? Oliver Burkeman's book "Four Thousand Weeks" aims to help you (4000 weeks is 80 years, the average human lifespan). But it's not your typical time management book. It's a philosophical and practical look at why you're stuck in the hamster wheel of "getting things done."

I read it recently. So let's take a deeper look at it and it's ideas.

And stick around until the end, as I've created an 8 week plan on how to put those ideas into action and improve your life 4000 weeks 🚀

The efficiency trap

We're obsessed with efficiency. Apps, to-do lists, life hacks – we'll try anything to squeeze more into our days. But here's the kicker: it's a trap. The more efficient you become, the more you pile on. It's like trying to outrun your own shadow.

This "efficiency trap" is a hamster wheel to nowhere. You run faster and faster, but you're still stuck in the same damn cage.

Creative neglect

So what's the alternative? Embrace your limitations. Accept that you can't do it all. Choose your battles. Burkeman calls it "creative neglect."

This means saying "no" more often. Saying "no" to the things that don't matter, so you can say "hell yes" to the things that do. It means prioritising ruthlessly, focusing on what truly matters, and letting the rest go.

The antidote to our speed addiction

We're addicted to speed. We want everything now. But life doesn't work that way. Good things take time. Relationships take time. Creativity takes time.

Patience is the antidote to our speed addiction. It's about slowing down, being present, and appreciating the journey. It's about resisting the urge to rush and allowing things to unfold at their own pace.

The joy of missing

We're terrified of missing out. FOMO is the plague of our generation. But here's the secret: missing out is inevitable. You can't do everything. You can't be everywhere. And that's okay.

Embrace the FOMO. It's what makes your choices meaningful. It's what gives your life its unique flavour.

Time is a shared experience

We're obsessed with individual achievement. But we forget that we're social creatures. We need each other. We thrive in community.

Time is a shared experience. It's about synchronising with others, falling into rhythm, and creating a sense of belonging. It's about participating in rituals, traditions, and collective endeavours that bind us together.

This is It

We avoid thinking about death. It's uncomfortable. It's scary. But denying it doesn't make it go away.

Confronting your mortality is a wake-up call. It's a reminder that this is it. This is your one shot at life. So stop wasting it on things that don't matter.

Freedom in acceptance

Giving up hope might sound depressing, but it's actually liberating. It means accepting the reality of your limitations and the uncertainty of life.

It's about letting go of the illusion of control and embracing the present moment. It's about doing what you can, with what you have, where you are.

8 Weeks For Living 4000 Weeks

"Four Thousand Weeks" is about embracing your limitations, choosing your battles, living with intention and finding joy in the present moment. It's about making your 4000 weeks count. Now try this 8-week experiment inspired by the book to achieve all those things.

Week 1: Done, not doing

• Action: Start a "Done List."

• Why: Most to-do lists are endless guilt trips. Celebrate what you accomplish instead.

• How: Each evening, jot down everything you finished, big or small. Savour the feeling of progress, not the pressure of what's left.

Week 2: Time is yours, claim it

• Action: Schedule "Creative Rendezvous" with yourself.

• Why: Stop waiting for free time to appear. Make it happen.

• How: Block out time in your calendar for your passions, just like you would for a meeting. Treat this time as sacred and non-negotiable.

Week 3: Stillness is the new hustle

• Action: Try "Do Nothing" meditation.

• Why: We're addicted to doing. Learn to just be.

• How: Sit for 5-10 minutes, doing nothing. Observe your thoughts without judgment. It's harder than it sounds, but the calm is worth it.

Week 4: Enjoy the ride

• Action: Start an "Atelic Adventure."

• Why: We're obsessed with goals. Discover the joy of doing things just for the sake of doing them.

• How: Pick a hobby you've always wanted to try, and focus on enjoying the process, not achieving mastery.

Week 5: Give now

• Action: Practice "Instantaneous Generosity."

• Why: Generosity and goodness is contagious. So start the chain reaction. It makes you and them feel good.

• How: When you feel the urge to give someone a compliment or do something nice, do it immediately. Wether it be a total stranger or your wife of 50 years. Don't wait or get caught up in your head about how they'll take it or hold back because they said something mean that morning. Just do it.

Week 6: The everyday is extraordinary

• Action: Go on a "Novelty Quest."

• Why: Break the routine, wake up your senses.

• How: Take a new route to work, try a new food you've always been curious about or avoided since childhood, or simply pay closer attention to the world around you. Get your head out your head and your eyes off your phone and rediscover the magic in the mundane.

Week 7: Get curious about the humans around you

• Action: Become a "Relationship Researcher."

• Why: Deepen your connections by truly listening and understanding.

• How: In conversations, focus on learning about the other person. Ask open-ended questions, listen without judgment, and be genuinely curious about their experiences and perspectives.

Week 8: Discomfort is your gym

• Action: Embrace a "Growth Challenge."

• Why: Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. That's where growth happens.

• How: Choose a challenge that pushes you outside your comfort zone. It's a cliche, but a true one. It could be anything from having a difficult conversation to getting up 30 minutes earlier to go for a run. Embrace the discomfort and see how you transform.

Beyond 8 weeks: living a finite life to the fullest

This 8-week experiment is just a little taste of what's possible when you embrace your limited, not unlimited, potential and prioritise what matters.

Keep exploring, keep experimenting, and keep making your 4000 weeks count.

And if you like Oliver Burkeman's ideas don't forget to buy the book and subscribe to his newsletter.

The 19th Century's Lottery for Life

April 12, 1835. London. The weekly Friday lottery draw is about to take place and a young woman clutches her ticket with desperate hope as she speeds up Denmark Hill.

A ticket is difficult to get as it all but guarantees that you'll see a favourable outcome in the draw. So every morning for the past three days the woman visited various wealthy homes, begging the servant who answered the door to let her see their master so she can plead her case for her worthiness of a ticket. And eventually she was thankfully gifted one.

However, once she arrives at her destination the staff on the door tell her the draw started ten minutes ago and they won't admit her. She begs, telling them it's a matter of life and death. But she's simply reminded about the importance of punctuality to this establishment and asked to leave.

Dejected and distraught, she leaves the building and the city of London and returns to her home in the countryside. A few days later she dies.

The young woman – The Times reported – was suffering from a fistula, inflammation of the brain, and consumption. The ticket was to give her the chance of admission to King's College Hospital. She'd been at the hospital earlier in the week, showing symptoms like abnormal discharge, fever, headache, vomiting, chest pain, shortness of breath and swelling. However, she was turned away. It was a Monday, and she was instructed to return on Friday's "taking in day" — the sole day of the week when new patients were accepted.

Lindsey Fitzharris in her book The Butchering Art tell us more:

The ticketing system was just one of the many cruel and arbitrary features of 19th-century London hospitals. Governors, not medical staff, determined which patients were admitted. Patients were required to attend daily chapel services, facing the threat of going without food if they did not comply. Punishments were meted out for offenses like gambling, swearing, and drunkenness. No patient could be admitted more than once with the same disease, and those deemed "incurable", such as those with cancer or tuberculosis, were turned away. As were those with venereal infections.

The plight of this woman underscores the stark injustices of Victorian healthcare. It was an era where medical assistance was often a privilege reserved for the wealthy or well-connected, leaving countless people facing insurmountable barriers to treatment. And it serves as a reminder that despite the abolition of such Victorian healthcare systems, modern healthcare will still harbour poorly designed systems that perpetuate bias, cause needless delays, and foster negative outcomes.

Film Review: The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

I'm a big fan of Guy Ritchie's films. His first two, "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch", are the business. Even as he's gone more Hollywood over the years, his work always maintains that unique Ritchie touch – the clever dialogue, the inventive filming style. His Sherlock Holmes felt fresh and modern, despite the period setting. And "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." was a blast. Even when he slightly misses the mark, like with "King Arthur: Legend of the Sword" or "Wrath of Man" (a poor man's "Heat"), there's still enough Ritchie magic to make them worth a watch. His "Aladdin" was okayish too. Really, "Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre" is his only true dud (even the title is bad).

So, I was excited for "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare". The premise is great, revolving around a secret British commando unit formed during World War II to carry out covert operations against the Nazis. And the first hour was exactly what I wanted from a lazy Sunday flick. It was quintessentially English, almost to the point of parody, and it moved at a cracking pace. I love a good mercenary team-up film, and this one delivered.

Well for the first hour or so. As the second half of the film doesn't quite stick the landing. The villain feels underutilised and not quite menacing enough. The fight scenes, which initially impressed with their stylish effortlessness, start to feel a bit repetitive and lack any real tension. You never doubt that our heroes will come out on top, which saps the stakes from the numerous altercations and yhr final big fight. The last hour just drags a bit, and I found my attention wandering.

Despite these issues, "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" is still a really solid film. It's a fun, old-fashioned adventure that feels like a throwback in the best way. It reminded of a combination of "Raiders of the Lost Ark", "Operation Mincemeat" and "The Wild Geese".

'Stop Acting Like You're Famous' (ajkprojects.com – Ash°)

I'm an overthinker and overworrier. This article didn't cure that. But it's important for me to regularly read content like this to try and keep myself somewhat in check.

That's all for this time. Have a good week!