Throwaway just in case.
I started working for an IT company shortly before the pandemic hit. We went full WFH and thankfully that has remained as such ever since. My hours are 9-5 with 30 minute unpaid lunch.
About 2 months ago I looked at my workload and my hours and realised that I didn't need 7.5 hrs to do everything, so I started cutting back more and more. I don't start until 9:30, because nothing ever happens before then anyway. I take a 15 min break every hour, 90 mins for lunch, and stop actually working at 4, just keeping an eye on the laptop in case something comes up (it never does, I'm pretty sure the bosses stop working before then anyway)
So, that's 30 mins at 9, 15mins at 10 & 11, 60 mins at 12, 15 mins at 2 & 3, and 60 mins at 4 that I 've taken out of my work hours. 30+15+15+60+15+15+60=3.5 hrs. 7.5-3.5=4 hrs.
I only work 4hrs per day. And guess what? Nothing happened. My workload hasn't increased, my productivity hasn't dropped, and nobody has even noticed. I'm getting the exact same amount of 'good job's etc that I ever did. Except now I have an extra 3.5 hours per day to do whatever I want with.
Don't work harder or smarter. Work as little as you can get away with. Hard work is worthless.