The Disturbing Realisation That I Probably Only Have Around 1,352 Weeks Left to Live

You May Want to Check Your Own Life Account Balance and Forget About All the Dumb S@#T!

                                               Image chandlervid85 Freepix

According to Oliver Burkeman in his excellent 2021 book, the average person in 2024 will be around in this world for roughly 4,000 weeks equating to a lifespan of approximately 77 years.

Think of these 4,000 weeks to be your life currency.

Obviously, there are many variables to consider that impact this number, such as where you were born, where you live the majority of those weeks, and your general health and fitness levels throughout those weeks already lived.

But those 4,000 weeks are generally considered to be what we have to work with or spend until we inevitability meet our own expiry date.

Well documented too, is the additional importance of community and the sense of purpose for, if not extending, but maintaining a “normal” balance in your lifespan account.

Good reasons then to keep active and engaged both physically and emotionally if you want to make your life currency last as long as possible.

Clearly, it's good to keep exercising both body and mind.

The long and short of it is that, it doesn't seem to be particularly long to start with, and a whole lot shorter when you’re already a good way through.

In my case after double-checking the math, I’ve got perhaps a little over 1,300 weeks left, or maybe 25 years or so to get done what I want to do.

Some anxious pause for thought.

We can though take some small comfort that our own 4,000 weeks is a big improvement from the average lifespan back in 1800 when you could expect to be walking around for a mere 1,664 weeks, or 32 years.

Thankfully and more recently in 1950, this had grown to far more lengthy 2,496 weeks, some 48 years, give or take, thanks again, in part to advances in modern medicine and a greater awareness of the importance of lifestyle on how long we stay alive.

Most of us then are fortunate to have far more life currency to work with now.

Thank you advances in healthcare and welfare.

Lifespan though is only one part of the equation.

Probably for many of us of equal, if not greater importance is the part played by healthspan which is as described by longevity expert, Dr. Peter Attia as a measure of how well we live life, not necessarily how long, we live.

The importance of good health for living well and living long, can’t be understated.

The Takeaway

So take a minute to reflect on how much of your own allotted 4,000 weeks is spent at work, commuting, asleep, arguing with your significant other, mindless scrolling or frankly worrying about things that on the face of it, may seem incredibly important in the moment.

Then think in the context of the bigger picture and often those things are suddenly far less important and probably not worth the cost of the significant amount of weeks that have already been spent on them.

Key takeaway, use your weeks wisely.

Become ruthless in how you spend your life currency and who you should spend it with.

For now, consider these perhaps.

• Don’t sweat the small stuff and focus on what really matters.

• Spend time with your family and people who care for you as much as you care for them.

• Don’t put off playing with the kids, they’re not kids for long.

• Start that side hustle that you’ve always dreamed of.

• Tell that person that you love them.

The harsh reality is that none of us is guaranteed a tomorrow.

None of us is guaranteed enough life currency to do everything that we want to do.

My recommendation, start early, start now and stop putting off the people and things that matter the most, not all the dumb sh#t.

I’ll leave the closing words to one of the true greats, hopefully, he’s right and on to something.

“Life is well lived, is long enough,” Seneca.

Thanks for reading.

Feel free to connect with me here.

Linkedin

X