“I don’t have a single good idea left in me.”
How to prioritize rest and recovery and how employers can help
“I don’t have a single good idea left in me.”
This went through my head multiple times when I was editing my book. I had failed to predict how time-consuming the editing process would be, and I’d conveniently jammed my calendar with speaking events. As a result, I struggled with sleep, my anxiety peaked, and my creativity felt depleted.
With the inklings of burnout creeping in, I was intentional about taking vacations over the summer, reducing my client workload, and allowing more downtime in my daily schedule. This felt so reenergizing that I became intentional about setting boundaries and having a lighter workload for the fall when my book was set to officially launch. I prioritized recovery, not just rest.
Over 15 years ago, I started a daily morning habit: weight lifting. I pause in between sets to catch my breath and rest. But to see results, this is not enough. One of the cardinal rules of weightlifting is to include full days for recovery. Why? A lack of proper recovery—like muscle rest, food, water, stretching, and adequate sleep—leads to fatigue, illness, sleep disturbances, adrenal issues, and even emotional health declines.
Examples of rest:
Examples of recovery:
Just like weightlifting, failing to adequately prioritize recovery can lead to insomnia, frequent or chronic illnesses, emotional health issues, reduced interest at work, grinding your teeth at night, or frequent headaches. In other words, the tell-tale signs of burnout.
According to Deloitte’s 2023 Women @ Work Global Outlook, 46% of women reported feeling burned out. The inability to “switch off” from work, the burden of childcare, and maintaining household tasks likely contributed.
If you think you are heading toward burnout, try to recognize the signs early, and if possible, work with a trusted therapist or coach to identify the causes and an action plan for moving forward. You can find more tips and resources here.
To promote rest and recovery, one of the main things companies can do is foster a culture of employee well-being. This can include ensuring employees take a certain amount of days of leave a year, investing in mental and well-being campaigns, offering flexibility at work, and childcare support.
At Businesssolver, they offer employees extra rest support during busy seasons and actively encourage employees to prioritize recovery during quiet seasons.
During their busy season, I worked with Businesssolver to conduct group coaching sessions on “Maximizing rest and play” and “Setting boundaries” with their employees. Despite October and November being the busiest months of the year, they were cognizant of their employee’s health and well-being around this time. To support recovery, they encourage their employees to take vacation, particularly after an intense work season.
Pushing harder when we’re already tired doesn’t help us—or our teams—better solve problems or lead our teams confidently; it just makes us more anxious. For me, my best ideas often come after extended periods of not just rest but recovery.
Join 500,000+ readers who start their day with Quartz.
By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.