We are conditioned to believe that we can succeed if we just worked harder and longer. The endless loop of “Zoom, eat, sleep, repeat”, however, can lead to burnout and send morale plummeting. In this excerpt from his book Effortless, author Greg McKeown suggests a counterintuitive strategy to make essential tasks effortless. Instead of attempting to power through, take a step back and define what counts as “essential”. Pace yourself by setting achievable goals within a particular timeframe – whether it’s applying for two jobs a week, completing a section of a business plan or defining set tasks for your project. Holding back when you still have steam is the key to breakthrough productivity, writes McKeown.