I don’t know of any groups that do this in a sustainable way. The mindset for optimization seems to be unaccepting of limitations. Trying to get the most out of something requires trade offs elsewhere.

It’s also been an observation of mine that most people have too much reserve capacity to notice they are running down until it is too late.

For myself, I’m bipolar. I have no reserve capacity. Every day requires finding the balance between being productive and not burning out. As a result, I am keenly aware I need significantly more downtime than I want to allocate.

I suspect this is the also the case for neurotypical people. Downtime feels like a waste to a person trying to maximize their life.

The way I’ve chosen to optimize my productive is to not focus on optimizing it. Instead, I try to enjoy life and stay conscious of small changes I can make. I know every decision is a choice that changes who I will become. But know I don’t need to make the right decision every time. The trend just needs to be in the right direction. :)