How to slow down but achieve more — and beat the dreaded burnout in the process

It may seem too good to be true, but slowing down can help you achieve more – and feel less stressed.

Here are four ways to relieve stress from your work life and complete tasks more efficiently.

Do you often feel like you haven’t checked off enough on your to-do list? You’re not alone, as a new study reveals that nearly six in 10 white-collar workers are dissatisfied with their level of productivity.*

The irony is that many of these people would be working their hardest, missing breaks or taking on tasks outside of their professional role.

Many of us are working hard but not seeing results. It is one of the main signs of burnout, defined by the World Health Organization as an “occupational phenomenon”, in which the person is in a state of physical and emotional exhaustion, but without the “victories” to demonstrate it.

Mental Health UK says we are becoming a “burned out nation”, with nine in 10 adults having experienced high or extreme stress in the last year, leading to one in five taking time off.

After working with more than 600 successful professionals, life coach Tomas Svitorka says he would be hard-pressed to think of anyone who didn’t experience burnout or who came dangerously close to it.

“For some time now in the UK there has been a tendency where being busy is synonymous with being important and successful,” he says. “This is further amplified by social media, where everyone broadcasts their best selves and highlights of success. But there’s a big difference between being busy and being productive.

“Whether it’s a promotion, an OP marathon, or being a better parent, ask yourself, ‘How can I achieve my goals in the most efficient and effective way?’ I tell my clients, ‘Be on fire without burning.’” Maybe it’s time to work smarter, not harder, starting with these steps…

Understand overhead

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Taking on too much work will be counterproductive and often the result of the same mistakes we all make. “We tend to say ‘yes’ more often than we should,” says Cal Newport, college professor and author of the new book Slow Productivity: The Lost Art Of Accomplishment Without Burnout. “We have created a culture where visible activity is what matters, so saying “no” is a dangerous signal. As a result, we have a lot to do.”

One legacy of the Covid pandemic has been that the line between our work lives and our home lives has never been more blurred. “Laptops and smartphones have made it possible to demonstrate activities at a much faster pace, even when you’re not at the The office,” says Cal. “There’s no excuse for not working wherever we are, so we feel guilty when we don’t respond to emails or messages.”

Focus on fewer tasks

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Cal’s philosophy of slow productivity is based on three pillars – doing fewer things, working at a natural pace (no rush!) and focusing on quality. By working on no more than two or three main tasks at a time, you can devote more attention to each task and produce better results.

“The more commitments you’re working on, the more administrative expenses you’ll face, leaving little time to actually make progress on those projects,” says Cal.

“Divide your commitments into two categories – pending and active. When you finish something in the active list, you can remove something from the pending list. If you work at a larger company, it’s best if your team stores pending work in a shared document.

The key is to be transparent, so more gets done, but you work slower and more sustainably. When your team, boss or customers learn that they can trust you and your system, they will leave you alone to continue your work.”

Save time

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Give your biggest goals the time they deserve. “Take a minute to consider what your real goals are,” says Emily Pailthorpe, psychotherapist at The Door W4. “Ask yourself, ‘What do I really want?’ This will make it easier to make authentic decisions.”

If you’re worried about slowing down or getting distracted, use concentration techniques. “Even though research shows that people work more efficiently when they take regular breaks, sometimes we get it wrong and end up

working inefficiently for longer,” says Emily. “Consider using the Pomodoro time blocking technique, which schedules short, frequent breaks to support concentration.

Set your timer for 25 minutes and focus on one task on your work list. After 25 minutes, take a five-minute break and start a new task. After several Pomodoro sessions, you will be able to take a longer break and have a good structure for your workday.”

Be clear about limits

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Turn “yes” into a confident “no” by creating clear boundaries around work. Forget the idea that having limits poses a risk to job security or is selfish – it’s about respect for yourself and your well-being.

“Setting boundaries, like deciding when to read emails or respond to messages, can be empowering,” says Emily. Other examples include taking a lunch break every day, asking for a work phone to avoid giving out a personal number, or telling your colleagues that when you’re wearing headphones it means “do not disturb.”

Consider your priorities and how these may have been sacrificed due to work – such as spending time in the evening with your children – then set a boundary and communicate this clearly to your team.

“Let people know exactly when you will be done each day and when you will be out of the office. Make it clear that you will not respond to emails or calls unless there is an emergency.”

says Emilia. And be sure to define what constitutes an emergency so you don’t get bombarded too often by so-called crises.

Photograph: Getty Images Source: * Currys Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Fulfillment Without Burnout by Cal Newport (£16.99, Penguin) is out now. Visit Tomassvitorka.com