I finished this moderate-length book very quickly, which I attribute to it being a very well-written, thought-provoking, and intelligently articulated work.
I listened to the audio version, and the narration by the author was excellent.
The book deals, essentially, with the existential problem that even a long human life is utterly inadequate in duration to accomplish the virtually infinite amount of goals we can set for ourselves and aspirations we can dream up to pursue. And, how this fact, and common ways of coping with it (e.g. trying to do too much), lead to suffering. The book is organized well into distinct yet related chapters, each dealing with some aspect of the fundamental dilemma of our limited lifespan and reality that we cannot do it all and have choices to make.
I think this book is valuable for mental health in several ways. Existential psychotherapy is therapy that attempts to make peace with the existential problems of death, isolation, meaninglessness, and choice. This book describes these existential problems with validating thoroughness, while also positing perspectives and suggestions for minimizing their negative impacts on our lives. For example, it points out that most people tend to try to do too much, and also fail to prioritize well, because we aren’t aware of the sheer degree of difference between what our imaginations can dream up and what we can realistically accomplish.
Another core idea is that by being too selective or noncommittal in our choices (work, relationships, experiences) out of a fear of missing out on other opportunities, we postpone and avoid actually diving deeply into them and having the experience of commitment that can only be had through devoting the time and energy to them.
The book could be good for individuals struggling with anxiety and a sense that there isn’t enough time, that no undertaking is worthy enough of pursuing, or that they aren’t spending their time well and aren’t sure how to change this. I think the book makes a good case for being present and spending less time worrying about how time isn’t being spent and more time focused on, and savoring, how it is being spent.