Examining the daily life dynamics of anticipation and recovery from work-related stress in frontline medical professionals during pandemic work demands.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic drastically increased work demands and stress for medical professionals. Aim: To complement knowledge on detrimental long-term consequences of stress, we examine short-term dynamics of the stress processes, especially anticipation of stress and recovery. Design and methods: This diary study assessed anticipation of and recovery from work stress as well as individual differences therein related to self-efficacy, optimism, and neuroticism. Before and after up to eight work shifts in winter/spring 2021, 146 medical professionals (42.5% male, Results: Multilevel models revealed that anticipating stress was associated with already lower affective well-being before the shift, but it did not buffer or amplify associations between experienced stress and affective well-being after work. Lower affective well-being after a shift led to less recovery, which in turn was associated with lower affective well-being following the next shift. Above-average engagement in pleasant activities, and even completing chores, as well as less rumination were associated with more pronounced recovery. Self-efficacy and neuroticism, but not optimism, were associated with affective well-being before and after work shifts. Conclusions: Neuroticism and low self-efficacy may place medical professionals especially at risk in medical crises. Promoting leisure activities to support recovery may replenish resources for handling work-related stress.