Why your recovery time might not be working (and how to change that)
A lot of leaders I work with share a similar frustration: they know they should take time to recharge — weekends, evenings, even lunch breaks — but when they do, it doesn’t always work.
They still feel drained. They still feel behind. They still find themselves re-entering the week just as stressed as they left it.
I’ll admit, I’ve been there too.
Recently, my partner asked me what I wanted to do on a weekend I had free. Simple question. But I froze. I was so caught up in trying to optimise my time — to pick the “right” thing that would make me feel rested, productive, happy — that I couldn’t decide at all.
The truth is, the activity itself isn’t the issue.
The problem is how we approach it.
The hidden trap: doing without aligning
Too often, leaders carry their work mindset into their recovery. They’re physically at the gym, on a walk, at a dinner, but mentally still processing emails, targets, and the week ahead.
That means the walk doesn’t actually clear the mind. The gym session doesn’t reset the nervous system. The weekend away still leaves you exhausted.
Why? Because recovery isn’t just about what you do — it’s about the mental state you bring to it.
If you take your stress, overthinking, and decision fatigue into your recovery time, you’ll come out with more of the same.
Priming for recovery
Elite athletes know this. They don’t just show up on race day and hope to feel ready. They prime themselves — mentally, emotionally, and physically — so that their preparation pays off.
Leaders need to do the same.
Before you step into downtime, ask yourself:
What outcome do I want? (Do I want to feel calm? Re-energised? Clear-minded?)
What do I need to think and believe to make that possible? (E.g., “This time is valuable,” “Everything important will still be there when I return.” “This time will increase my capacity and performance)
What type of activity truly supports that state? Sometimes connection is what recharges you; sometimes solitude. Sometimes stillness works; sometimes you need intensity to shake out the stress. I know for me if my mind is particularly hectic, I am better to be sweating it out at the gym in a class that almost doesn’t allow room for thoughts and I can just flush the energy out.
When you align your intention, what you are wanting to achieve with your activity, recovery becomes effective instead of performative.
Why this matters for leadership
The research is clear: leaders who protect and optimise their recovery perform better, think more clearly, and make better decisions.
McKinsey’s work on energy management shows leaders with intentional recovery habits sustain 21% higher productivity.
Harvard Business Review reports that downtime improves working memory and creativity — two capacities leaders can’t afford to lose.
The real risk isn’t skipping recovery altogether. It’s doing it ineffectively, ticking the box without reaping the benefit. That’s when burnout and resentment creeps in under the surface.
A reset challenge for this week
So the next time you schedule downtime, take 60 seconds to pause before you begin and ask:
Why am I choosing to take this time? What am I after? How do I want to feel?
What do I need to think and believe to allow that?
What activity will best support it?
That one-minute reset can turn routine recovery into something that actually fuels your performance.
It has changed the way I approach my own weekends and schedule recovery throughout the weeks. And it might just shift the way you show up as a leader, too.
