We usually think of OKRs as tools for growth: ambitious, aspirational, designed to push us beyond what we thought possible. But not every season is a growth season. Sometimes, the most important work we can do is to heal.
I learned this the hard way.
At the end of the pandemic, I was depleted. Teaching online through months of uncertainty, redesigning classes overnight, holding space for students while managing my own isolation — all of it had taken its toll. My energy was gone. My focus was scattered. Even my body hurt from too many hours hunched over a laptop on makeshift furniture.
And yet, when I tried to set goals, I caught myself reaching for the familiar language of productivity: write more, launch something new, get back on track.
But I wasn’t ready to build yet. I needed to recover.
This is where recovery OKRs come in.
Recovery OKRs: A Different Kind of Goal
Recovery OKRs aren’t about shipping features, hitting revenue targets, or reaching new audiences. They’re about restoring capacity. Healing the systems — physical, mental, emotional — that make all those future ambitions possible.
A recovery OKR might look something like this:
Objective: Restore energy, rebuild resilience, and reconnect after burnout.
Key Results:
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Sleep 8 hours per night, 7 nights a week.
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Reduce physical pain caused by poor ergonomics (from a self-reported 4/5 pain level down to 1/5).
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Feel socially connected at least 3 days per week
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Improve subjective energy rating from 5/10 to 8/10.
Notice that these aren’t tasks; they’re outcomes. No “schedule more social time” or “buy a new desk chair.” Those are tactics. The key results focus on what I want to experience: better sleep, less pain, less loneliness, more energy.
That shift matters.
The Trap of Productivity Thinking
When we’re burned out, it’s easy to fall into what I call “productivity reflex.” We reach for to-do lists, schedules, systems — anything that gives us the illusion of control. But real recovery doesn’t always happen on a schedule. Healing doesn’t respond to hustle.
Recovery OKRs create a light structure without adding pressure. They remind us what we’re aiming for, while giving us permission to adapt the path as needed.
Recovery Is a Prerequisite for Growth
I sometimes see people treat recovery like an obstacle to be hurried through — as if we’re wasting time not producing. But burnout is a warning light. If we don’t address it, any new goals we set will be built on shaky ground.
Recovery OKRs are an act of stewardship: tending to ourselves so we can do good work sustainably, over the long run.
There will be time for big, audacious goals. But first, we have to rebuild the engine.