Many of us struggle to live a well-paced life and find ourselves perpetually oscillating between two extremes: intense effort and lethargy. At one extreme, we jump headfirst into big, critical projects, only to end up burned out. At the other extreme, we get sucked into black holes of social media scrolling and Netflix binging and fall far behind on our goals.

Science writer Elizabeth Svoboda’s The Art of Pacing explores how navigating the full range of the pace spectrum, not just the furthest ends, can transform the way you reach your goals. Blending memoir, cutting-edge psychology research, and interviews with Olympic athletes and entrepreneurs, Svoboda artfully uncovers the nuances of pacing so you can effectively balance ambition and rest, making subtle pace adjustments with ease. You’ll learn:

• How to determine your natural “pulse points” so you can reserve your most important work for your circadian high points.
• Strategies for building meaningful pauses into your life, including practicing modulation, creating “brief candle” moments, and pursuing “selective mediocrity.”
• What narrative reflection reveals about the work that gives you purpose, so you can pare excess from your life and make space for what matters.

Written with the perfect mix of soul and science, The Art of Pacing offers a necessary alternative to all-or-nothing living—and reveals the path toward lasting success.