A 40-year-old CEO reveals her top productivity tip: "It's a lesson I've learned through experience."

Sarah Paiji Yoo, CEO of Blueland, admits that she couldn't perform her duties effectively without abandoning a behavior that impeded her initial startup's success: overexerting herself to accomplish everything.

In 2019, Paiji Yoo founded Blueland, a company that produces eco-friendly cleaning and personal care products. Within three years, Blueland surpassed $100 million in sales and became profitable, as announced in January.

Before becoming the CEO of Blueland, Paiji Yoo was the CEO and co-founder of Snapette, a fashion-focused photo sharing app. The company, founded in 2011, was acquired in 2013 by PriceGrabber for an undisclosed sum. In those two short years, Yoo found herself overworked.

"Paiji Yoo, 40, tells CNBC Make It that with her first startup, she was constantly working 24/7 because she could always find more work to do. However, now she is learning the importance of prioritization."

Entrepreneurs often pull all-nighters, work on days off, and multitask during the early stages of a startup due to limited money, employees, time, and resources, according to Paiji Yoo.

Working around the clock can negatively impact the quality of your work and lead to burnout. A recent study by the Society of Human Resource Management found that 51% of U.S. employees feel "used up" when their workday ends, and 45% report being emotionally drained at the conclusion of their shift.

Paiji Yoo's current approach involves organizing her daily routine around a list of three crucial activities, rather than attempting to tackle both small and large tasks, and encouraging those around her to prioritize avoiding work during nights and weekends.

"Paiji Yoo says that having a book next to her every day helps her stay anchored and focused on the three most important things for her business."

Oliver Burkeman, an author and researcher who spent over a decade studying productivity strategies, shares the same outlook on time and efficiency as her. His research found that most productivity "hacks" actually result in more burnout because it is often impossible to accomplish all responsibilities within a short time frame.

When you're overwhelmed with work, setting more realistic goals can help you get more done, as Leah Smart explained in a recent episode of LinkedIn's "Everyday Better with Leah Smart" podcast.

Instead of criticizing yourself, try "accepting constraints," Burkeman advised.

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