Stop While It’s Still Good

Moderation in effort is anathema to the productivity culture.

For the last few years, I’ve been pushing to optimize my creative output. Almost all my free time and energy went into learning, working on projects, or some self-improvement routine. Naturally, this led to burnout at times.

Don’t Squeeze Every Last Bit Out of Yourself

It’s like squeezing the last bit out of a toothpaste tube—sure, you might get a little more, but it’s a frustrating effort for diminishing returns. A few weeks ago, I decided to stop squeezing every bit out of myself. Instead of working until I’m exhausted, I stop when I’ve made good progress, leaving things at a stable state. I resume the next day, fresh.

Benefits of Stopping Early

Here are some benefits I’ve noticed since adopting this approach:

• I don’t hate work as much: I clock in around 9 am and stop at 5 pm. If a task isn’t finished, I push it to the next day.
• I have time for my projects: I’m free to work on personal projects from 6 pm to 9 pm. No work after 11 pm, even if I’m in a flow state.
• I make time to walk: I walk for about an hour three times a week in the mornings.
• Less guilt: I’ve accepted it’s okay to not give 100% all the time. 70% is a sustainable cruising speed.

Some Downsides

• Fewer peak flow states: When I was running at 100%, my creativity would peak late at night—usually around 11 pm and hit its stride by 3 am. I haven’t hit that level of intensity lately. Instead, my creative output is broken into moderate, one-hour sessions.

But honestly, it feels like a fair trade-off.