How it works
Effort produces physiological and psychological responses such as raised stress hormones, fatigue, or sleepiness. Once the demand stops, these responses should return to baseline. Problems arise if recovery is incomplete, because the person then begins the next period of work in a depleted state and must exert compensatory effort. Over time, this cycle may contribute to chronic health complaints.
What counts as recovery
Recovery depends on not drawing on the same resources that work demands. Sabine Sonnentag and Charlotte Fritz developed a questionnaire to measure four experiences that are often linked to recovery.
- Psychological detachment from work during time off
- Relaxation
- Mastery, through challenging non-work activities
- Control over how leisure is used
Evidence and open questions
Diary studies link better recovery with greater wellbeing and engagement the next day. Vacations appear to bring relief that often fades within weeks of returning to work. Much of the research relies on self-reports, and it is difficult to tell whether poor recovery causes strain or strain makes recovery harder. The long-term health path proposed by the model has less direct support than the short-term findings. Individual differences and job design may matter as much as personal leisure habits.
Further reading
- Meijman, T. F., & Mulder, G. (1998). Psychological aspects of workload. In P. J. D. Drenth, H. Thierry, & C. J. de Wolff (Eds.), Handbook of Work and Organizational Psychology. Psychology Press.
- Sonnentag, S., & Fritz, C. (2007). The Recovery Experience Questionnaire: Development and validation of a measure for assessing recuperation and unwinding from work. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 12(3).