The Law of Least Effort Is Burning You Out—Here’s the Simple Way to Fight Back

You’ve been told to work smarter, not harder—but what if that advice is the reason you’re exhausted?

Want the full story?

This is just the beginning.

Every day, The Fearless YOU delivers a 3-minute boost packed with confidence-building insights, longevity wisdom, and nature-driven strategies to help you take control of your future.

But the real gold? That’s reserved for paid subscribers.

Unlock the full article, gain access to exclusive deep dives, and get the tools you need to thrive—on your terms.

🔒 Join today and read the full piece.

Ever heard of The Law of Least Effort?

It’s the idea that Nature—and humans—will always choose the path of least resistance. Sounds smart, right? Why hustle when you can glide? Why slog through hard work when you can optimize? Or (thanks to AI) even automate, and outsource your way to success?

Yeah, I bought into that too. And guess what? It nearly broke me.

Hi, fearless reader!

The truth is, the Law of Least Effort isn’t always the productivity hack it’s sold as. In fact, it might be the very thing that’s driving your burnout. Let’s bust some myths, and I’ll show you how flipping this idea on its head saved my sanity. And led to a much more satisfying career.

So, let's see what myths are the main reasons for our struggles:

Myth #1: Taking the Easy Route Means Less Stress

When I first heard about the Law of Least Effort, I thought I’d stumbled upon the secret sauce to life. Why sweat the small stuff? Optimize, automate, delegate—rinse and repeat.

But here’s the thing nobody tells you: constantly looking for shortcuts is exhausting. I spent more time trying to avoid hard work than I would’ve if I just did the damn thing in the first place.

Do you feel that strange anxiety? It hits when you have many productivity tools open, yet you're not getting anything done. Yeah, that’s the stress the Law of Least Effort brings.

Reality Check: Sometimes, the effort you put in is the shortcut. Embracing the grind head-on can actually reduce stress. It's simply because you’re not wasting mental energy dodging it.

Myth #2: Efficiency Equals Freedom

Oh, I'm so stubborn sometimes. Convictions? My strongest one?

I was convinced that if I could become more efficient, I’d have more free time. I’d read books, and pick up more hobbies. Or maybe even master the art of carp fishing like everyone else here in Transylvania. :-)

Spoiler alert: that never happened.

Instead, every minute I saved by being “efficient” was filled with… more work. Because here’s the dirty little secret of efficiency—it doesn’t stop at “enough.” The more time you free up, the more tasks you’ll find to fill it. It’s like trying to empty an ocean with a bucket—you’re just making room for more water.

Reality Check: True freedom isn’t about squeezing more tasks into less time!

It’s about setting boundaries. Efficiency without limits is just flying with an F-35 to burnout. Faster.

Myth #3: Hard Work Is Overrated

Look, I’m not here to glorify hustle culture. I really don't.

Working 80-hour weeks and bragging about it like it’s some badge of honor is dumb. But swinging too far in the other direction? And thinking you can skip the hard stuff entirely—sets you up for failure.

I learned this the hard way. I was so focused on finding the easiest route that I stopped challenging myself. And when you stop challenging yourself, you stop growing. The Law of Least Effort made me stagnant. My business leveled, my motivation tanked, and I felt… stuck.

Reality Check: Growth lives in discomfort. It’s not about working yourself to death, but about embracing the effort that leads to progress.

Myth #4: Burnout Comes from Doing Too Much

This one blew my mind.

I always thought burnout was a result of overworking. But what if burnout also comes from under-engagement? When you’re not challenged when your work feels meaningless because you’re coasting on autopilot? Hell of boredom! That’s as draining as being overwhelmed.

I was bored, unmotivated, and disconnected from my work. And boredom, my friends, is a sneaky form of burnout. It’s like a slow leak in your energy tank. A long time, you don’t notice but eventually, you’re running on empty.

Like my laptop battery right now...!! Shit.

Reality Check: Burnout isn’t only about doing too much. It’s also about doing too little of what matters and cheers you up.

Photo by Hernan Sanchez on Unsplash

So, What’s the Fix?