The Part of Performance We Rarely Design
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Last weekend, my family and I spent two days exploring Ninh Binh, one of Vietnam's most breathtaking regions.
We cycled through rice fields before the roads became busy. Climbed nearly 500 steps in the summer heat to Hang Múa. Floated through the peaceful waterways of Trang An. Explored ancient temples. Learned about Vietnam's history from our wonderful guide, Lana.
Our internet package in Vietnam is limited. So, we checked our phones less.
Instead, we talked more. Laughed more. Noticed more.
When we returned to Hanoi, we were physically tired, but mentally clearer, emotionally lighter, and surprisingly excited to start the new week.
That made me wonder:
What had actually restored us and what did it have to do with professional performance?
Problem: We Rarely Design Our Recovery
Planning this weekend took far more effort than simply deciding to go.
We researched destinations, compared tour options, negotiated prices and organised our schedules. Because meaningful recovery rarely happens by accident.
Many of us carefully design our work and goals but leave recovery to whatever time remains. In doing so, we often miss opportunities to restore the capacity our performance depends on.
Solution: Recovery Is More Than Time Off
Looking back, what restored us was the combination of movement, nature, learning, family connection, moments of awe, meaningful conversations, and a little less digital noise.
The Research
Environmental psychologists Stephen and Rachel Kaplan developed Attention Restoration Theory in their landmark book The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective (1989), which suggests that modern work constantly relies on directed attention, the mental effort we use to focus, solve problems and make decisions. Over time, this resource becomes fatigued. In today's always-connected, AI-driven world, protecting and restoring our attention may be more important than ever.
According to the Kaplans, restorative environments share four characteristics:
Being Away: Creating distance from everyday demands
Fascination: Effortlessly capturing our attention through nature and beauty
Extent: immersing us in a rich environment larger than ourselves
Compatibility: supporting what we genuinely need in that moment
Looking back, Ninh Binh offered all four.
Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith's work on the Seven Types of Rest also reminds us that recovery is far broader than sleep alone.
3 Practical Takeaways
💎 Design your recovery with the same intention you design your work.
💎 Create small moments of digital rest. They often create space for deeper connection.
💎 Protect your attention before exhaustion forces you to.
The more I study human performance, the more convinced I become that recovery is part of the architecture that makes great performance possible and it is not just the reward of it.
If attention is becoming one of our most valuable professional assets in the age of AI, protecting and restoring it deserves as much structure as developing it.
If these reflections encourage you to look at your own environment with curiosity, they've already served their purpose!
If you'd like to better understand what restores your capacity and intentionally design a stronger foundation for sustainable performance, I would love to explore it with you!
Here is the easiest way to reach out to me:
Warmly,
Dilek
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