Many teachers working in proficiency orientated institutions, whether they work in national, local teaching contexts or global ones, find themselves confronted with a heavily loaded curriculum, often split into language and separate skills, and a very limited time frame to work within. This dilemma often leads teachers to what seems to be an inescapably hasty, and more often than not, overloaded delivery of the requisite language patterns, skills and strategies. As a result, not only do students suffer from an inability to absorb information and lack of sufficient consolidation time, but also conscientious teachers worry about the quality of teaching and learning that is going on under such stress. What is more, in the majority of cases, teachers often rightly feel that they are ineffectual in affecting major changes in the syllabus. However, many of the same teachers may also be aware of the sense and logic of the "less is more" approach. Faced with this quandary, this article considers practical ways of reducing the workload for both teachers and students without affecting the learning outcome. Optimising learning strategies are considered at the "before teaching", "while teaching" and "between teaching" stages, covering areas from planning and preparation to fostering learner autonomy. Whilst taking into account the practical circumstances in which teachers work, this article offers global solutions to local issues and aims to remind teachers that "there is more to life than increasing its speed." A list of recommended reading is also included. [This article is based on a presentation given by the authors at the 9th Middle East Technical University International ELT Convention, Ankara, May 2006.]