--- type: protocol locale: en path: /en/protocol/recovery-capacity-rebuild module: 3 title: Recovery Capacity Rebuild --- ## Purpose of this module This module explains what recovery capacity is, why it becomes constrained during burnout, and under what conditions it can begin to return. Its role is conceptual. It does not prescribe recovery actions or timelines. --- ## What recovery capacity is Recovery capacity refers to the ability to restore functional resources after cognitive and emotional load. It is not motivation. It is not discipline. It is not willpower. Recovery capacity determines whether rest produces restoration or merely pauses further depletion. --- ## Rest versus recovery Rest reduces immediate strain. Recovery restores capacity. Under burnout conditions, rest may: - reduce acute fatigue - fail to restore cognitive clarity - fail to restore emotional availability This mismatch often leads to confusion. The absence of recovery is misinterpreted as personal failure, rather than capacity limitation. --- ## Conditions required for recovery capacity Recovery capacity does not return through effort. It emerges when certain conditions are present. Key conditions include: - sufficient energy availability - reduced attention fragmentation - perceived psychological safety When these conditions are absent, attempts to recover consume capacity instead of restoring it. --- ## Recovery windows Recovery does not occur continuously. It occurs in limited windows. Recovery windows are: - short - fragile - easily overridden by renewed load Under burnout conditions, these windows may appear infrequently and close quickly under pressure. Recognizing this pattern prevents overcorrection and secondary exhaustion. --- ## Why forcing recovery backfires When recovery capacity is low, effortful attempts to recover often increase load. Common mechanisms include: - monitoring recovery too closely - adding structure that requires execution - treating recovery as a task to complete These patterns increase cognitive and decision load, further delaying restoration. Understanding this dynamic is essential before attempting any structured change.