# Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/four-thousand-weeks/

6 people recommended Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman in Hacker News comments and none criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 6 of 12 months, in 6 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

3 of the 6 people who recommend it commented in one thread, “Making Peace with Your Unlived Dreams”.

**Verdict:** Readers recommend it as an enlightening read that helps with anxiety and with rethinking how to spend limited time. No critical comments appeared in the discussions.

Summary written by Claude from 7 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Enlightening, great read (2 comments in the sample): "Four Thousand Weeks" is a great book." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50098675)) "it was an enlightening read" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48926975))
- Resonates with readers' own experience (2 comments in the sample): "I just finished reading Four Thousand Weeks and this post resonates with me a lot." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48443100)) "Oliver Burkeman writes a passage that fits the same vibe as this piece" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49616812))

## Other productivity books people recommend

- [Getting Things Done by David Allen](https://hackerapproved.com/p/getting-things-done/): 13 recommend, 1 mixed, 4 criticize
- [Deep Work by Cal Newport](https://hackerapproved.com/p/deep-work/): 7 recommend, 0 mixed, 1 criticize
- [Essentialism by Greg McKeown](https://hackerapproved.com/p/essentialism/): 3 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman", https://hackerapproved.com/p/four-thousand-weeks/ (6 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 3 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.