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Positive Experiences at Work and Daily Recovery: Effects on Couple’s Well-Being

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Abstract

The present diary study investigates, at the within-person level, how job satisfaction mediates the relationship between self-rated job performance and recovery experiences (i.e., psychological detachment from work and relaxation) during off-job time. Furthermore, we explore the effects of these two recovery experiences on couple´s well-being. Data were collected from 145 dual-earner couples (N = 290 participants; N = 1450 occasions) with a daily diary design (five consecutive working days). Multilevel analyses showed that daily job performance positively predicted psychological detachment and relaxation, and that daily job satisfaction partially mediated this relationship. In addition, we found that psychological detachment and relaxation have positive effects on own and partner´s indicators of well-being (i.e., relationship satisfaction and positive emotions). The benefits of recovery go beyond the individual and affect their partner´s level of well-being.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, Campus de Somosaguas, 28223, Madrid, Spain

    Alfredo Rodríguez-Muñoz & Mirko Antino

  2. Norwich Business School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK

    Ana I. Sanz-Vergel

  3. Business Research Unit (BRU-IUL), Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Lisbon, Portugal

    Mirko Antino

  4. Human Performance Management Group, Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Evangelia Demerouti

  5. Erasmus University Rotterdam, Woudestein, T12-47, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Arnold B. Bakker

  6. Lingnan University, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong

    Arnold B. Bakker

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  1. Alfredo Rodríguez-Muñoz
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  2. Ana I. Sanz-Vergel
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  3. Mirko Antino
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  4. Evangelia Demerouti
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  5. Arnold B. Bakker
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Correspondence to Alfredo Rodríguez-Muñoz.

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Rodríguez-Muñoz, A., Sanz-Vergel, A.I., Antino, M. et al. Positive Experiences at Work and Daily Recovery: Effects on Couple’s Well-Being. J Happiness Stud 19, 1395–1413 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-017-9880-z

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