This is how you really recharge
- Jolanda Cornet
- Jul 13
- 2 min read
Summer invites you to slow down. But if you're ambitious, standing still is often harder than moving forward. Your mind keeps spinning. Your to-do list too. Yet, taking a break isn't a sign of weakness; it's a prerequisite for sustainable performance. But how do you truly slow down? You can read all about it here.
Your brain needs recovery
According to neuroscientists, your brain functions better when you regularly disconnect from work and stimuli. During downtime, your brain processes information, stores memories, and often sparks the best ideas. Especially when you're doing nothing.
Being 'on' for too long is exhausting
Stanford research shows that chronic stress on your brain leads to poorer concentration, reduced creativity, and even indecisiveness. You become, as it were, "cognitively fatigued," which has long-term consequences for both your work and your relationships.
Rest = investing in growth
Psychologists call it the "recovery paradox": you need rest to regain the energy to achieve something. Just like a muscle that grows through recovery, your drive also needs breaks. The best female leaders schedule rest as seriously as they do meetings.
This is how you really charge
• Away from your screen: even if it's just for a few hours a day.
• Say no: not everything is necessary. Less is often more.
• Do nothing useful: stare out the window, take a nap, browse through a magazine, sit with your feet in the water; that is recharging.
• Surround yourself with the right things: nature, nice people, silence.
• Move without a goal, so not for performance: walking, swimming, dancing.
Whether you're traveling or just relaxing in your backyard, treat yourself not only to sunshine, but also to some gentleness. Because only when you recharge can you give back to your dreams, your work, and the world around you.
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