How feeling happy during off-job activities helps successful recovery from work: A day reconstruction study

This diary study builds on the effort-recovery and broaden-and-build theories to examine whether the subjective experience of off-job activities (work-related, household, social, physical, low-effort) matters for an individual's daily recovery from work. It was hypothesized that momentary happi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Work and stress 2014-04, Vol.28 (2), p.198-216
Main Authors: Oerlemans, Wido G.M., Bakker, Arnold B., Demerouti, Evangelia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
broaden-and-build theory
day reconstruction method
diary study
Feelings
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
happiness
Hierarchy
Internet
Linear models
Mental stress
Occupational psychology
Physical activity
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
recovery from work
Work condition. Job performance. Stress
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Summary:This diary study builds on the effort-recovery and broaden-and-build theories to examine whether the subjective experience of off-job activities (work-related, household, social, physical, low-effort) matters for an individual's daily recovery from work. It was hypothesized that momentary happiness experienced during off-job activities stops the prolongation of load reactions from work-related effort, and builds personal resources that benefit daily recovery from work. Using a day reconstruction method, 384 participants recruited via a Dutch website reconstructed their time spent on, and happiness during, off-job activities, and their daily recovery on workdays over a two-week period. Results of hierarchical linear modelling showed that work-related and household activities during off-job time were negatively associated with recovery at bedtime when happiness during such activities was low, but not when happiness was high. Social and physical activities were associated positively with recovery when happiness during such activities was high, but negatively when happiness was low, indicating that such activities only aid recovery when they are enjoyed. The findings expand knowledge on recovery by showing that it is not just the time spent on off-work activities but the subjective experience of such activities that plays a pivotal role in the way they are linked to recovery.
ISSN:0267-8373
1464-5335
DOI:10.1080/02678373.2014.901993