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

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

Here are four ways you can take the stress out of your working life and get tasks completed with increased efficiency.

Do you often feel like you haven’t ticked enough off your to-do list? You’re not the only one, as a new study reveals that almost six in 10 desk workers are dissatisfied with their level of productivity.*

The irony is, many of these people would have been working to the max, skipping breaks or taking on tasks outside of their job role. 

Lots of us are working flat out, but not seeing results. It’s one of the key signs of burnout, defined by the World Health Organisation as an “occupational phenomenon”, in which a person is in a state of physical and emotional exhaustion, but without the “wins” to show for it.

Mental Health UK says we are becoming a “burnt-out nation” with nine in 10 adults having experienced high or extreme stress in the past year, causing one in five to take time off. 

After working with more than 600 successful professionals, life coach Tomas Svitorka says he’d struggle to think of one who didn’t have burnout or had come dangerously close to it. 

“For a while in the UK, there has been a trend where being consistently busy is equated with being important and successful,” he says. “This is amplified further by social media, where everyone broadcasts their best self and success highlights. But there is a big difference between being busy and being productive. 

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

Understand overload  

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

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

Focus on fewer tasks 

Cal’s philosophy of slow productivity is based on three pillars – do fewer things, work at a natural pace (don’t rush!) and focus on quality. By working on no more than two or three major tasks at a time, you can dedicate more of your attention to each task and produce better results.

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

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

The key is to be transparent, so more gets done, but you’ll work slower and more sustainably. When your team, boss or clients learn they can trust you and your system, they’ll leave you alone to get on with your work.” 

Get time-savvy

Give your biggest goals the time they deserve. “Take a minute to consider what your actual goals are,” says Emily Pailthorpe, a 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 that slowing down will cause you to stop working or to get distracted, use concentration techniques. “Even though research shows that people work more efficiently when they take regular breaks, we sometimes cheat ourselves out of these and end up 

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

Set your timer for 25 minutes and focus on one task from your work list. After 25 minutes, take a five-minute break, then start a new task. After several Pomodoro sessions, you can take a longer break, and you’ll have a good framework for your working day.”

Be clear on boundaries 

Turn “yes” into a confident “no” by creating clear boundaries around work. Forget the idea that having boundaries risks job security or is selfish – it’s about respect for yourself and your wellbeing.

“Setting boundaries, such as deciding when to read emails or reply 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 might have been sacrificed due to work – such as spending time in the evenings with your kids – then set a limit and clearly communicate this to your team.

“Let people know exactly when you will sign off every day and when you’re out of the office. Be clear that you won’t answer emails or calls unless there’s an emergency,” 

says Emily. And make sure you define what constitutes an emergency, so you’re not bombarded with so-called crises too often. 

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