The choice is clear: You can kill yourself climbing the corporate ladderthen crash and burn when you reach the topor you can create sustainability in your life and career. To dodge the burnout bulletand its many personal and business stressorsturn your work habits on their head and show up in a new and different way. You're probably already smart, fast, and goodbut, odds are, you can be smarter, faster, and better.

Here are 10 surprisingly counterintuitive strategies for getting started:

- Rest on your laurels.

Too many people spin their wheels and try to get "smarter by acquiring new skills or mastering the ones they struggle with. A better approach: Know your strengthswhat's really working for youand then build on them.

- Switch brains.

Break out of your comfort zone. Experiment with spontaneity or "free associating if you're more of a logical and linear left-brain thinker. Or if you tend to be a right-brain thinkersomeone who's more intuitive and randomtry step-by-step problem solving and even sweating the small stuff.

- Play dumb.

Smart people know that others may be smarter. Surround yourself with expertsmentors, coaches, colleagues, et al.be curious, and ask a lot of good questions.

- Go slow.

Slow downto go fast. Leave the office behind on nights and weekends. Take napsand vacations. And recharge your energy at regular intervals. Otherwise, you'll move slower and take longer to make things happen.


- Daydream.

Scientific studies have proven that you manage work priorities and problems best when you're in a "theta" statethe brainwave pattern most associated with daydreaming. So take five and "zone early and often.

- Do just one thing.

Multitasking reduces brainpower, compromises long-term memory, and ends up costing time. Start "single-tasking and get more done.

- Be imperfect.

Perfectionism sucks up time and energy, causes paralysis of analysis, and often leads to poor decision making. Get comfortable with being imperfect, and you open yourself up to doing your best work.

- Develop a "play ethic.

Why can't work be fun? The more you lighten up and laugh, the more positive energy you have for people and projects.

- Look for differences.

Personal differences can develop strong bonds. Embrace different everythingopinions, cultures, ages, styles, skills, et al.and create a stronger team.

- Give it away.

Be profitable in a whole new way. Individuals and organizations that make their communities and the world a better place, succeed on the bottom lineand beyond.