The Elements of Recovery

Why recover?

• Less work-related fatigue
• Far lower rates of procrastination
• Far greater engagement at work
• Greater work-life balance and quality of life
• Greater satisfaction with their relationships at work and at home
• Better mental and physical health

Possible problems:

• Productivity shame: the feeling that you’ve never done enough. No matter how many hours you work or how many tasks you cross off your to-do list, it never feels like enough. You aren’t allowed to do things that are “unproductive”. You feel a sense of guilt when you spend time on hobbies, etc.

• Stress and/or conflicts at work 

Solution? 

Focus on the different elements of recovery experiences. These are strategies that individuals use to improve their mood. There are four elements of recovery:

• (Psychological) Detachment
• Relaxation
• Mastery
• Control

Try it out:

Below you’ll find the four elements of recovery explained. Choose one or more elements based on your assessment or personal preference. Learn what it means and try the exercises describes below and in the worksheet on page 17-20. Each of these exercises will help you to recover more from work before the next workday.