We Are For Good Podcast – “Gather At The Well: The Power of the Pause – 3 R’s of Recovery” with Lindsey Fuller

Date: October 9, 2025
Guest: Lindsey Fuller, Host of Gather at the Well/The Teaching Well Team
Hosts: Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott (briefly in intro, then Lindsey solo)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Lindsey Fuller, host of Gather at The Well, reflects on her recent eight-week micro sabbatical and explores the transformative potential of intentional pauses for nonprofit professionals facing burnout. Lindsey introduces the “3 R’s of Recovery” – Rest, Restoration, and Right-Sizing the Mental Load – offering actionable insights on how to design breaks that truly heal. The episode also features practical wisdom, guided mindfulness from Selena May, and candid storytelling around overcoming personal and professional exhaustion.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Value & Design of the Micro Sabbatical

• Lindsey describes her recent return from an eight-week micro sabbatical.

  • Addressed common misconceptions and judgments she faced about the “validity” of a shorter, at-home break versus a traditional, long-term sabbatical abroad.
  • “I wanted to do nothing. That means be absolutely unproductive, but also do something with productivity every day. The hope was that I'd be 1% more in my wellness each day to microdose mindfully within a macro intervention.” (05:04)

• Personal AHAs:

  • Micro sabbaticals are legitimate and can be powerful when designed with intention.
  • A sabbatical is not a fix for larger systemic problems (“if you hate your job, a sabbatical might not be a viable intervention”—06:15).
  • Rediscovered the value of intentional time off and PTO.
  • True vacation or time off, without depth and intention, often fails to address burnout, especially for parents and nonprofit professionals.

2. Burnout, Rest, and the Limits of 'Mental Health Days'

• The Problem With “Just Taking a Break”:
  • Short-term breaks (mental health days, three-day weekends) are often undermined by overambitious personal “to-do” lists, household obligations, and a culture of overextension.
  • Returning from standard holidays or breaks often leaves people as fatigued as before (09:00).
  • “If you take a single day off and come back and are equally as fatigued, it's not a surprise to me...that microdose of wellness isn't addressing the larger issues.” (09:40)

3. The Three R’s of Recovery: Rest, Restoration, and Right-Sizing the Mental Load

A. Rest

• Defined as periods of inaction and nervous system deceleration.
  • Examples: Napping, Netflix, “not rushing to and from throughout your day.”

B. Restoration

• Recharging your well-being and vitality—returning to yourself.
  • Examples: Self-care appointments, hikes with friends, spiritual practices, prayer.

C. Right-Sizing the Mental Load

(Lindsey’s “third R,” and a unique insight from her experience)

• Tackling lingering tasks that create ongoing stress and mental clutter.
  • Examples: DMV visits, medical appointments, decluttering commitments, organizing children’s activities.

"If your brain is the browser, these are all of the tabs you feel you can't close, but you also don't have time to get to." (17:40)

• The Invitation: Incorporate all three into planned breaks for holistic recovery.

4. Somatic Settling Practice with Selena May

[11:04–13:48]

• Brief, guided mindfulness practice comparing the mind to a shaken snow globe—encouraging listeners to let swirling thoughts settle through breath and gentle presence.
  • "We can slow them down. Sometimes all we need is a breath or two." (13:40)

5. Deep Dive: Right-Sizing the Mental Load

Lindsey’s “RIGHT” Framework:

• Reflect: Make time well in advance (ideally two months out) to recognize burdens, emotional obstacles, and neglected life projects.

  • “I visualized sitting down at a table in my mind and inviting the unpleasant emotions to come forward. I’m like, come take a seat, girl.” (15:20)
  • Naming: Fear, guilt, anxiety, shame, and their ties to both personal and professional procrastination.

• Identify Mental Load Burdens:

  • Focus on areas you have influence or control; unpleasant emotions often signal what needs attention.

• Get Organized:

  • Strategically schedule appointments and tasks; pace workload to allow daily rest/restoration alongside productivity.
  • “I made a clear intention that every week I was going to use one [gift card]. ...That is that pattern of hoarding that I recognized, and it used to serve me.” (23:25)

• Hire Support/Help:

  • Employ assistance where needed, from formal childcare to enlisting a spouse or friend for accountability and accompaniment.

• Tell Somebody:

  • Accountability and celebrating progress matter; share your plans, victories, and seek affirmation.

6. Illustrative Stories: The Power of Support and Letting Go

• Purge and Release:
  • Lindsey recounts how her husband created a supportive ritual as she purged her teaching materials and memories—a symbol of trust in her evolving career.
  • “What are you gonna donate, what are you gonna keep? And what are you gonna throw away? We got rid of a decade of nostalgia. ...I feel proud and I felt relieved. And I know he did too.” (29:50)

7. Takeaways and Encouragement

• Don’t Wait for the “Perfect” Sabbatical:

  • “If you keep waiting for the perfect moment, there's a darker side and that's spending your vacation at Kaiser. I was hospitalized for exhaustion in college and it wasn't a badge of honor. I didn't know how to take care of myself.” (33:45)

• Customize Your Recovery Plan:

  • “This isn't a prescription. ...You are both the teacher and the student and this is just the lesson plan.” (36:02)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the necessity of doing the difficult (and unglamorous) work:

  "There's a shadow side of the work. It’s not just a fluffy, magical, glitter-filled time away from work. If you really want to right-size your nervous system and recalibrate your work-life integration. But it's so worth it." (31:40)

• On intentionality:

  "If you can get all three of these R’s into your intentionally designed break, you will actualize more holistic recovery." (17:56)

• On the cultural expectations of 'real' sabbaticals:

  "There were a ton of judgments around not taking an international solo trip, which evidently is what everyone considers to be a real sabbatical. ...But I'm glad I stayed in my own peace and held fast to the experience that I designed." (03:40)

• On depletion and the power of recovery:

  "If you're burnt out, recovery is possible. ...What's possible on the other side is true healing and renewal." (36:10)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:03] – Introduction and context: Lindsey sets the scene for her micro sabbatical.
• [05:00] – Micro sabbaticals’ potency and candid reflections (unpopular opinions, vacation fatigue).
• [11:04] – Guided mindfulness exercise with Selena May.
• [13:48] – Lindsey explains why right-sizing the mental load made her sabbatical restorative.
• [15:15–17:40] – Explanation of Rest, Restoration, and Right-Sizing; analogy of mental browser tabs.
• [20:00] – RIGHT framework deep-dive: Reflection, identifying burdens, organizing, getting help, accountability.
• [29:50] – Story: Decluttering her garage and letting go of a decade’s worth of teaching materials.
• [33:45] – Warning against waiting for the “perfect” opportunity; story about hospitalization due to exhaustion.
• [36:00+] – Final takeaways; invitation to personalize the Three Rs of Recovery.

Tone & Language

Lindsey’s voice is candid, compassionate, humorous, and direct—offering both tough love and hopeful encouragement. She blends personal storytelling, practical frameworks, and an educator’s warmth to invite listeners on their own journey of recovery. The episode is rich with actionable insights and a spirit of community care.

Summary

This episode is both an honest reflection and practical guide on creating intentional, transformative pauses in the demanding world of nonprofit work. Lindsey Fuller’s Three R’s of Recovery model offers a roadmap for moving beyond surface-level self-care and towards genuine renewal. Listeners are encouraged to reframe their breaks, address their mental load, and embrace holistic healing—no matter the length or location of their pause.