When you’re tired, it’s easy to walk to the couch and flop down, especially if you work from home and the sofa is right behind your desk.
It turns out, though, that effortful activities are better for recovery from work stress than mindlessly being a couch potato.
I know; it seems counter-intuitive. You have no energy. You’re drained from office politics. You want to sleep! But, it turns out that fully engaging in something you enjoy can boost your energy levels better than relaxing.
Research shows that activities that are more active and where you have to make an effort are better for recovery.
For example, if you are not a gym rat or runner, you could take a walk around the neighborhood. I have never regretted going for a walk, no matter how busy or tired I am.
In addition to exercise, activities that require all of you, like a hobby you love, will fill your tank. For example, if you’ve always wanted to learn how to play the didgeridoo, use this as your recovery activity.
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You don’t need to practice for 4 hours a day. Even a 20-minute session of practice can replenish you.
Your new energy can be directed back to that work project you were too worn out to finish earlier in the day, or you can invest this new energy into a side hustle or personal project.
What have you been thinking about learning or wanting to improve in yourself? When work has worn you down, try it out. I sketch during my work breaks. Even 10-minutes of drawing can reset my mood and energy levels.
Let me know what you’re going to do!
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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The post A Science-Backed Way to Recover From Work Stress appeared first on The Good Men Project.
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