There are people who pride themselves on getting by on little sleep, working through their lunch breaks, and even quickly answering emails while on vacation. For a long time, that was considered a sign of dedication.
Today we know that it’s primarily a sign that someone is neglecting their most important resource: their own energy.
After all, success doesn’t come from sheer effort alone. Success comes from alternating between intensity and rest. If you constantly push yourself to the limit, sooner or later you’ll lose your focus, creativity, health, and zest for life.
The ability to recharge in a timely and regular manner is therefore increasingly becoming one of the most important skills of our time.
Success Requires Rest
Many people view relaxation as a reward for work done. Only when everything is finished can they relax. That’s a major misconception. The problem with this is that that moment rarely comes.
We’ve all been there: The to-do list never gets any shorter. The demands never let up. Digital connectivity means work can be a constant presence. However, our brains aren’t designed to perform at peak levels all the time. They operate in natural cycles of stress and recovery. If these cycles are ignored, concentration, motivation, and performance all decline.
Interestingly, it is not the stress itself that leads to exhaustion. Stress becomes a problem when the necessary recovery does not occur. That is why our long-term success depends not only on how well we can work, but also on how well we can recover.
The smallest adjustment with the biggest impact: real breaks for your nervous system and brain
Many people take breaks. However, only a few of them actually relax during them. A quick glance at our smartphones, checking social media during lunch break, or quickly replying to personal messages keeps our brains in “active” mode.
A restful break requires something else:
- To Be Somewhere Else
- Do something else
- Think about something else
In short: The brain needs a contrasting experience.
Even just a few minutes can make a difference. A short walk, taking a few deep breaths, looking out at nature, or chatting with friendly coworkers can calm the nervous system and provide a boost of energy. People who regularly incorporate short breaks into their workday often work with greater focus than those who go for hours without a break. Breaks aren’t a waste of time—they boost productivity.
The Foundation: Sleep—the Most Powerful Form of Recovery
When it comes to relaxation, many people first think of wellness, vacations, or leisure activities. However, the most important regeneration takes place every night! While we sleep, our brain processes information, consolidates memories, regulates emotions, and supports physical repair processes.
Lack of sleep, on the other hand, affects nearly every aspect of our lives:
- Concentration and attention decline
- Mistakes increase
- Emotional resilience declines
- Creativity and problem-solving skills suffer
- Stress is experienced more intensely
What makes this particularly insidious is that people who get too little sleep over a long period of time subjectively become accustomed to this state. Nevertheless, their performance continues to decline. From the perspective of recovery capacity, sleep is therefore not something to be compromised on. It is the foundation for everything else.
Vacation at last: That alone can’t make up for what’s been missing all year
Many people pin all their hopes on the few weeks of vacation they have each year. Finally switching off, finally relaxing, finally recharging their batteries. But that’s often exactly what doesn’t happen.
The body needs time to wind down from stress mode. That’s why many people experience fatigue, headaches, or restlessness, especially at the start of their vacation. On top of that, while many people may be physically away, their minds remain at work. Anyone lying on the beach while worrying about unfinished projects continues to send stress signals to their nervous system.
True relaxation doesn’t happen automatically just because you’re in a different place. It comes from letting go on the inside. That’s why people relax especially well when their vacation provides space for:
- Slowness
- Nature
- enough sleep
- moderate exercise
- social connection
- digital breaks
- Moments without a goal or purpose
Vacations are important, but they can’t fix a life that’s constantly overwhelmed.
What will sustain us in the future is our ability to recover
We live in an age of constant acceleration: more information, more opportunities, and more demands. That’s why the ability to consciously recharge is becoming increasingly valuable. Yet most people treat their smartphones much better than their own batteries.
Recovery competence means being attuned to one’s own signals, respecting one’s limits, and actively creating conditions that make recovery possible. People with high recovery competence are no less productive. They make better decisions, remain more creative, cope with stress in a healthier way, and can use their energy more effectively.
So the question is not:
Do I have time to relax?
The more important question is:
Can I afford to do without her?
About the author
Sandra Edelhofer ist Coach & Trainerin für Work-Health-Balance.
Sie ist tätig als Karriereexpertin, Business Coach, Psychologische Beraterin und Expertin für Stress- und Burnout-Prävention.
„Was mich antreibt, geht weit über Stressreduktion hinaus. Ich glaube daran, dass Arbeit nicht ausbrennen muss – sondern ein Feuer entfachen kann. Wer seine Talente und Stärken in seinen Beruf einbringt, der erlebt nicht nur weniger Erschöpfung, sondern gewinnt Lebensfreude. Für mich ist Stärken- und Werteorientierung deshalb weit mehr als ein Karrierethema – sie ist ein wichtiger Schlüssel, um aufzublühen, statt auszubrennen.“
Sie begleitet Menschen und Organisationen dabei, nachhaltige Energie, echte Erholung und gesundes Arbeiten als strategische Ressource zu verstehen.
Mehr unter: sandra-edelhofer.com
