Working implies investing physical and/or mental effort; effort that, when invested repeatedly or sustainedly, results in high levels of fatigue and stress, requiring a rest to replenish exhausted energies. Working until physical or mental exhaustion can lead to chronic health problems (stress, cardiovascular diseases) and labor problems (absenteeism due to illness, accidents at work, low performance, high employee turnover and interpersonal conflicts, among others).
The body and mind are the first to send us signals of accumulated fatigue, and recovery is an inherent need of our limited capacity as human beings.
When we talk about recovery from stress, we refer to resting from the factors that generate such stress. Recovery can be understood as a positive process that reduces the negative consequences of fatigue. From a physiological perspective, rest from work reduces and prevents the accumulation of exhaustion and stress that leads to deterioration of health. From a psychological perspective, it restores our resources and energies, preparing us for current or new work demands.
