Lieke ten Brummelhuis | Work Hard, Play Hard: The Role of Recovery After Work

Lieke opened the lecture by positing that not all stress has to be detrimental. Stress can lead to an urgency to get important tasks accomplished within a certain window of time. However, as our mental and physical capacity, which Lieke also referred to as “resource investments,” become diminished over the workday, it is vital to also engage in resource replenishment. 

This notion of recovery and replenishment allows us to ensure that our stress levels do not remain elevated for an extended period, which inevitably leads to long-term health implications such as cardiovascular disease. In order to experience meaningful recovery, Lieke highlighted three main criteria: firmly stop work demands, replenish lost resources and gather new resources. Personally, I found the last point intriguing—gathering new resources, for instance by engaging in new activities. These activities can take the form of social, physical or personal development, such as learning a new language. Though developmental activities do require mental capacity, which may seem draining, they also serve to bring deeper fulfilment and provide lasting energy. 

In the second half of the lecture, Lieke highlighted a thought-provoking study she conducted on the topic of workaholism and its implications for physical health. First, it is important to distinguish between working long hours and workaholism. In this study, work hours refer to work behaviour—how many hours a week one works—while workaholism refers to an intensive work mentality. The latter can be described as a compulsive inner drive to work hard that is more than financially necessary or socially expected.

The study, in partnership with a Dutch consulting firm, identified and surveyed workaholics from a large Dutch firm to build a model to predict their future health implications. These health indicators included elevated blood pressure and cholesterol. These conditions are known as risk factors for metabolic syndrome (RMS), which is a direct precursor to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes. 

The results from the study were fascinating on a few levels. The group that worked longer hours reported minimal health complaints, as they did not also have the workaholism mentality. However, among the workaholics, a segregation between non-engaged and engaged employees revealed a deeper insight. Engaged workaholics reported a lower risk for RMS by 4.2% compared to the non-engaged workaholics. Their level of engagement can be traced back to several sources: more family support, higher intrinsic job motivation, more autonomy at work and better communication skills.  

Prior to this lecture, I thought that working long hours was synonymous with being a workaholic. However, employees who tended to work long hours might truly feel more fulfilled, rested and able to disconnect, as opposed to workaholics who continuously ruminate about work demands.

However, regardless of which category an employee falls into, there needs to be distinct boundaries in place between work and home to ensure sufficient time to rest and feel rejuvenated. Practical tips include implementing breaks during the workday and time-blocking to complete tasks without interruptions. Furthermore, engaging in activities that allow for relaxation, which will look different for each person, should be daily practice as well. Lastly, it can be helpful to invest time into intentional self-reflection on a weekly or quarterly basis, asking yourself: what is your motivation at work? Being able to move away from extrinsic rewards (status, money) and shift towards intrinsic motivators (autonomy, progress, competence) can lead to a greater potential for long-term sustainability.

Lieke ended with this takeaway: “Humans beings are resilient, but we should not push our boundaries constantly.” This lecture was another important reminder to ensure we take care of our physical and mental health in order to perform at our best for the long term!