It’s so easy to get caught up chasing to-do lists, always trying to do more, that we don’t make time for rest. But whether it comes to productivity or health, active recovery and relaxation are just as important as anything else on your schedule. Skipping this crucial aspect of mental and physical recovery is a sure-fire recipe for burnout.
That’s why you need to plan for time off! We’ve got important pointers for how to make sure not just that you do rest, but that you rest in the right way. Let’s start exploring the topic.
What Is Meant by “Active Recovery”?
The term “active recovery” is often used in reference to athletes and workout schedules, but in this article, we want to apply the same principle of intentional rest to the rest of life. While one’s definition and needs for rest and recovery are highly individual, we often don’t naturally choose what really helps us rest when we’re tired. Hours in front of the TV generally leave us feeling sluggish rather than refreshed, and even if we know this, that doesn’t stop us from doing it. Unless we deliberately plan for something else, that is.
Active recovery, then, is about purposefully choosing activities that refresh and rejuvenate rather than just the standard lazy activities we might naturally gravitate towards.
Making Time for Breaks
The first step in active recovery is active planning.
While we’re talking to everyone in our audience, our advice might be especially important for our Canadian readers. Recent research by Robert Half Canada Inc. has shown that nearly half of Canadians feel burned out and that a third think burnout is rising.
The main reason quoted? Heavy workloads and long hours (39%). Secondary reasons quoted include emotional or mental fatigue from high-stress tasks (38%) and insufficient work-life balance (28%). All things that could be helped by strategic time for recovery.
We all get energy from different things. For some people, a break means excitement to escape the mundane and get thoughts flowing. The latest CA casino operators offer thousands of games to explore for those who need more exhilaration in their lives. Others need relaxation, and then a massage or slow evening painting might be a better choice.
How you recover isn’t as important as the fact that you make time to do it.
The trick to knowing how to time your breaks? Take one before you need it. Prevention is always better than cure.
Here’s what we suggest:
- A short break every hour. For every hour you work, you get up and move around a little (or sit down if work is physical) and just give yourself a few minutes to not do anything.
- A longer break every few hours. Every few hours of working should come with a longer break lasting 20-60 minutes. During this time, you should do something completely different from your work. If possible, time spent outside earns you extra points.
- A nurturing evening routine. Evening is the most natural time for most of us to fully rest and forget about the day’s worries. The combination of a self-care routine, a good book and a warm cup of herbal tea is our suggestion, but you find what works for you.
- One reset day a week. Make either Saturday or Sunday only for resting instead of using the time to catch up on work emails. Keep in mind that your reset day doesn’t mean doing nothing, but it means doing all the things that actually give you energy instead of taking it!
- One relaxing weekend every month. While a weekly recovery day is good, every month you should take the whole weekend to recover. A trip to a nearby town, a spa day or a short retreat could be good options.
- One proper holiday every few months. Every few months, you need to take a multi-day holiday where you disconnect from doing what you have to do and just recover. This can be a vacation somewhere exotic, but it doesn’t have to be if you can find another way of forgetting about work and obligations. And no need to feel guilty – it will give you a massive productivity boost!
Other Important Elements of Recovery
Taking breaks is important, but you also need to ensure you give your body and mind the ingredients needed to recoup. Some essential elements include:
- Regular movement. Try to follow the recommendations of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of high-intensity activity per week.
- Healthy food. It’s okay to eat unhealthily every once in a while, but most of your meals should aid your body rather than exhaust it.
- Enough sleep. Sleep is crucial to both physical and mental well-being. Aim for 7-9 hours every single night.
- Time spent in nature. Scientifically proven to boost our moods! Head to the nearest park and just take a walk around to instantly feel refreshed.
- Quality time spent with loved ones. Relationships are important for happiness and de-stressing, so don’t skimp on the time spent with those you’re close to.
In Conclusion
If you want to be the best and healthiest version of you, regular breaks and options aren’t optional. Even if you’re something of a workaholic, fully devoted to productivity, recovery time is actually a helpful tool rather than a hindrance. By taking regular breaks, you’ll get much more done, as you can focus on any task with more energy and focus!
Recovery is, as mentioned, highly individual. That’s why you’re going to need to do some experimentation before you find what works best for you. That’s normal and nothing to worry about – once you figure out just how to recharge your batteries, it will all be worth it!