Restful Recovery: How to Recharge Your Energy to Avoid Burnout

The gist: Learn how restful recovery can help neurodivergent and disabled individuals beat burnout and restore energy.

There's a huge difference between not spending energy and actually restoring it.

The first one is what happens during a regular break - you're simply pausing the drain on your energy. But the second one, what rest experts call "restful recovery," is when you actively recharge your batteries.

And while regular breaks aren't bad (they're definitely better than no breaks!), sometimes you need more than just hitting pause on the exhaustion.

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of thinking that any time we're not doing paid work counts as rest. "I'm not being productive, so I must be recharging,” we think.

But this oversimplified view of rest not only contributes to burnout, it’s also a huge reason so many of us have trouble recovering from it, and stay burnt out for so long.

The truth is, our energy keeps draining in sneaky ways even when we're "not working." Maybe we're:

• We do different types of work, usually unpaid (caretaking, chores, etc.)
• We’re doing other types of activities that are more draining than recharging (like certain social situations, intense physical activity, and more)
• We’re technically doing something that could be recharging, but our minds are still stuck on work or other stressful topics the whole time

So how do you make sure you're actually recharging when you're trying to relax? By focusing on restful recovery. 

Here’s what you need to know about it.

What is restful recovery?

Restful recovery goes beyond simply taking a break from work or other draining activities. It's about intentionally choosing activities that actively replenish your mental, physical, and emotional energy reserves.

Think of it like the difference between putting your phone in airplane mode and quitting the streaming video apps, versus actually plugging it in to charge.

Just like your phone needs active charging to keep working, your brain and body need active recovery to stay energized and avoid burnout.

The 4 keys to restful recovery

In the book Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, he talks about the 4 crucial elements that make activities restful and restorative, as identified by recovery researchers Sabine Sonnentag and Charlotte Fritz.

Based on their research on the psychology of rest, an activity needs at least one of the following characteristics (but the more, the better!) to be truly restorative:

• Relaxation: True relaxation is defined as a state of low activation and increased positive feelings. Your heart rate slows, your muscles relax, and your mind calms down. And reaching this state is crucial for restoring your energy.
• Control: Having autonomy over how you spend your time, energy, and attention also impacts how restful something is. When you feel in control of your rest time, rather than having it dictated by others' needs or schedules, you’re not still spending energy “following orders.”
• Mastery: Engaging in activities you're good at and find rewarding helps build confidence and positive emotions. These become enjoyable challenges that energize rather than drain you - think hobby projects or learning new skills for fun.
• Mental detachment: The ability to completely disconnect from work thoughts is essential too. This means not checking email, not planning tomorrow's tasks, and most importantly, not ruminating about work problems during your recovery time.

Examples of restful recovery

Let's look at some examples activities that hit the different characteristics of restful recovery:

Relaxation activities

• Taking a warm bath or shower
• Gentle stretching or restorative yoga
• Reading a book purely for enjoyment
• Deep breathing exercises or meditation

Control activities

• Planning and cooking your favorite meal
• Organizing a space in your home exactly how you want it
• Creating a morning or evening routine that you love
• Engaging in exercise you actually enjoy

Mastery activities

• Working on a creative hobby you’re somewhat skilled at
• Playing an instrument you've practiced for years
• Gardening or caring for plants
• Playing a game or sport you excel at

Mental detachment activities

• Going for a walk without your phone
• Immersing yourself in fiction (books, movies, or shows)
• Spending time in nature
• Playing with pets or kids

Remember: the best restful recovery activities are ones that combine multiple of these characteristics in a way that’s uniquely personal to you.

How to prioritize restful recovery

Now that you understand what restful recovery is and what it looks like, let's talk about how to actually make it happen.

Here are some practical ways to get more restful recovery in your life:

• Create boundaries between work and rest: This means turning off work notifications, setting clear start and end times for your workday, and creating transition rituals that help you mentally shift from "work mode" to "rest mode."
• Schedule dedicated recovery time: Just like you schedule meetings and deadlines, block off specific time in your calendar for restful activities. This isn't just "free time" - it's dedicated recovery. Treat it with the same respect you'd give any other important appointment.
• Audit your current "rest" activities: Take a look at how you currently spend your downtime. Are these activities truly recharging your batteries, or are they just filling time? Remember, scrolling social media or binge-watching stressful TV might feel like rest, but often doesn't provide true recharging.
• Design your environment to support recovery: Create spaces in your home that are specifically for relaxation and recovery. This could be a cozy reading nook, a meditation corner, or even just keeping your bedroom as a work-free zone.

Remember: the goal isn't to perfectly optimize your rest (that would be exhausting!). It's about making it easier to get the restful recovery you need to stay energized and avoid burnout.

Rest is for the best

So what's one way you can get more restful recovery this week? 

Look at your schedule and pick just one activity from the examples above that sounds both enjoyable and doable. Then schedule it like any other important task.

Your future self will thank you for making the effort to manage your energy well.

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