Research on work and health has mostly focused on the stress caused by the work situation and by job characteristics. However, recovering from the daily strain is also important to maintain a healthy balance between work and private life. Recovery is assumed to take place in people 's private (after work) time. Therefore relevant issues with respect to recovery are: the length of the working day, job characteristics, activities people engage in after work, the extent to which people disengage from work, and how work and after-work activities influence this process. These topics are dealt with in this special issue.