I don't know why you point out athletes so much, when top-level athletes actually practice very few hours a day.

The Chinese weightlifting team (probably the most insanely competitive and selective team in the sport, and not a culture known for liking laziness), trains a total of 4-5 hours daily, at most. And the vast majority of that training is in sub-maximal loads and technical training that does not require tremendous efforts, just persistence.

They spend most of their time resting (weightlifters sleep between 10-12 hours daily) and eating, and not doing much related to weightlifting in between, saving their energy for the effective training under the supervision of experts, when it really matters.

This is a common theme among athletes and a lot of the highest performers in the world.