Recovery

Working parents experience better recovery when they psychologically distance themselves from work.

Lunchtime walks lead to better concentration and less fatigue in the afternoon.

Low social activity and absence of positive work reflection during the weekend are strong predictors of burnout and poor general well-being.

In addition to deliberate practice, deliberate rest is also used by the “Top Performers” to increase their performance – an often overlooked element of this research by K. Anders Ericsson, Ralf Th. Krampe, and Clemens Tesch-Romer.

Optimising recovery from work can restore energy and mental resources, which in turn could decrease the development of sleep disorders and cardiovascular disease.

Where sleep is restricted for more than four days, effects will be evident across a range of cognitive abilities, including working memory, attention, language skills and communication.

Rest can facilitate the consolidation of newly formed memories. Even a few minutes of rest with closed eyes can improve memory, perhaps to the same degree as a full night of sleep.

17 hours of sustained wakefulness, such as a long day in the office, has been shown to result in behavioural changes equivalent to drinking 2 glasses of wine.

After 24 hours, you may act as if you have drunk 4 glasses of wine. Diminished cognitive performance can have huge repercussions for professionals whose jobs demand critical attention to detail, such as surgeons, pilots, and drivers.

Poor quality sleep can result in bad leadership and an un-productive team.

It is associated with leader daily abusive behaviours and ego depletion, which in turn affects work engagement and performance.