Adam Grant

And for good reason.

That's the familiar form of recovery, what we call relaxation.

But Sabina finds that there are actually two very different kinds of recovery activities, both of which can have benefits.

The second kind of recovery activity is what Sabina calls a mastery experience.

But I feel like everything I enjoy doing with my time and what recharges me also is doing something that's mentally or physically stimulating.

How does this work?

In other words, when you complete a fun challenge, you feel joyfully exhausted.

Maybe you've felt this when doing a crossword puzzle or an art project.

Part of the benefit of mastery activities is a sense of progress and confidence, but they also help us detach from work-related thoughts.

Take cooking.

Your mind doesn't wander to your job because you're focused on the recipe.

You're immersed in preparing the ingredients and assembling the dish, maybe even getting creative and adding your own flair, which Dan has enjoyed doing for a long time.

Each time he experiments with a recipe, he gains a skill and accomplishes something new.

That expands his sense of mastery.

I think it's similar to why so many people choose a game like Wordle as their, you know, as kind of their mini mastery hobby.

So how do you know whether to aim for relaxation or mastery?

Sabina's research applies not only to evenings and weekends, but also to full-blown vacations.

Depending on the kind of relief you need, you might opt for a relaxing beach vacation or a mountain climbing expedition and feel rejuvenated either way.

Of course, it can be hard to find time during the work week for full recovery.

So some researchers recommend treating weekends like vacations.