Ease up! Working at 85 per cent capacity is the secret to success

Want to avoid burnout? Forget putting in maximum effort and follow the 85:15 working rule instead, says Hugh Jackman. Maria Lally looks at the science behind the theory and agrees he’s onto something…

Candidates on The Apprentice always give 110 per cent (BBC/Fremantle Media/Ray Burmiston)

In every series of The Apprentice, hopeful candidates tell Lord Sugar they are going to give him “more than 100 per cent”. But have they got it all wrong? And should they be offering him a good 15 per cent less than that if they want to impress him?

In an interview with the American entrepreneur Tim Ferriss, Hugh Jackman, the star of X-Men and The Greatest Showman, cited the rule – where you work at 85 per cent of your capacity – as the secret to success.

The 85/15 rule works on the theory that taking your foot slightly off the work pedal is the key to being a happier, healthier, and more productive worker, and is increasingly being endorsed by business leaders, elite athletes, and even Hollywood stars including Jackman.