Rest your way to peak performance!

We all need rest, yet many of us struggle to take a break. Workplace stress and anxiety are at an all-time high, and for many, resting is a real challenge, says performance coach Heikki Huovinen.

So how do you know when it's time to rest? The answer lies in recognising your own state of alertness. Overstimulated individuals tend to breathe shallowly and struggle with sleep. And when you're understimulated, it's hard to get things done or make decisions. Periods of under-arousal often follow prolonged over-arousal, leading to a "recovery debt." This can be especially noticeable in the first few days of a holiday: after being in a high-alert state for so long, the body struggles to relax.

However, a lack of rest isn't always easy to recognize. Stress and strain aren't necessarily harmful in themselves—the real issue is their duration. We adapt to and even benefit from short bursts of stress, but they must be followed by proper recovery.

- Performance follows an inverted U-curve: when alertness is too high, performance drops, and the ability to think and make decisions is compromised, Huovinen explains.

Since we have limited control over our environment, actively managing our own alertness is essential. Huovinen emphasizes the importance of periodization—intentionally incorporating rest into daily life. By rest, he doesn’t mean an extended holiday, but rather regular light weeks where you complete essential tasks but avoid overloading yourself. During these periods, staying within your comfort zone and focusing on your strengths can be beneficial.

- Rest weeks are about minimizing tasks and maximizing well-being and recovery, says Huovinen.

So why don’t we prioritize rest?

- Rest is challenging because it doesn’t offer immediate rewards. Performance, on the other hand, often provides instant gratification. But I encourage people to consider what kind of self-image they’re reinforcing: are you only a performer, or also a human being? The grass grows where you water it. We all have fundamental human needs, and if we neglect them, sustained high performance becomes impossible, says Huovinen.

If resting feels hard, Huovinen gives a good reason to do it: by effectively managing your alertness, you can boost your performance by up to 40%. So, take the lead in your own well-being – and start with rest.

This article is based on Heikki Huovinen's presentation at the Optimal Performance Network. The Optimal Performance network is part of the innovation ecosystem work of the Business Development Services of the City of Jyväskylä. We are carrying out ecosystem work with the support of public funding and within the framework of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment's ecosystem agreement in 2021-2027, together with universities and other developers in the region. Funding is provided by the Regional Council of Central Finland (ERDF funding, Jyväskylä Growth and Sustainable Urban Development project 2022-2025)