Using Vacation Days Without Guilt

How NOT to work on vacation. If you’re on vacation, I hope you’re not reading this. I hope you're off the grid, soaking in the quiet—or the joy—and letting your mind rest. But if you're still here, maybe this will help. It took me years to stop checking work emails while I was supposed to be on vacation. I used to think that staying connected would make me a better entrepreneur. More credible. More in control. That’s the credibility trap—the belief that constant work equals worth. But always being “on” comes at a cost. Chronic stress. Diminished focus. And ironically, lower productivity. Here’s what I now do to actually disconnect (rewriting my handwritten list so you can read it): 1 - Make rest a requirement, not a reward. 2 - Set clear expectations with clients and your team. 3 - Block time off on your calendar way in advance—in ink. 4 - Finish work early in the week. 5 - Ease out of work a few hours (or days) before you leave. 6 - Set your out-of-office reply. 7 - Delete your work email from your phone. 8 - Plan your return week to avoid reentry shock. 9 - Don’t pack work. 10 - Don’t plan to think about work. But if ideas come, jot them down and let them go. 11 - Close the office to open strong: clean your desk, empty your inbox, water the plants. 12 - And remember: true emergencies—rare as they are—can usually be handled by someone else. In France, we even made this a legal right: Le droit à la déconnexion—the right to disconnect. It protects your personal and family life by keeping work from bleeding into every hour of your day. So this summer, if you can, take a real break. You, your business, and your brain will thank you.

🤬 “My boss never takes a vacation, so I obviously cannot!” 🤬 “If I take PTO, I’ll just have to do double-time, so why bother?” 🤬 “It looks good to the boss if I’m available 24/7.” Heard these before? ⬇️ As some of you are preparing to take time off for the holidays, and in an era in which we’re seeing companies attempting to offer four-day workweeks and unlimited paid time off, without a structure in place, burnout will continue to soar. I challenge you to take a different approach to your time off. Don’t expect your manager or human resources department to micromanage how much PTO you have remaining. Set your boundaries and take your earned time off! Here are some actionable tips on how to use your earned time off. ✅ Create your proactive system. In my career, I used a 6-3-1 approach. I would take a week off every six months, every three months, I’d take a long weekend, and every month I’d take a half day or full day. Setting this in my calendar gave me the confidence to use my time off and set boundaries with my colleagues, managers, and clients. Design a system that works for you. ✅ Set yourself up for a stress-free time off. At least one to two weeks before your vacation, create a pre-vacation priorities plan. The process is as simple as getting out a piece of paper and sorting your priorities into four categories: 1️⃣ Pre-vacation priorities: what must be done before you leave, and how are you making time for these priorities?  2️⃣ Delegate: what project(s) will continue while you’re away, who is your proxy, and do they know what they need to execute? 3️⃣ Post-vacation priorities: what are your work priorities when you return, and when will you work on those priorities? 4️⃣ Delete: what is NOT a valuable use of your time or anyone else’s time? Additional tips before you leave on vacation: ✅ Block out at least 1-2 hours in your calendar for your first day back. This time is for you to review your email inbox and get caught up before diving into meetings and other activities. ✅ Build in a recovery day. If you’re traveling, the stress of doing so on a Sunday before returning to work on Monday won’t make you feel refreshed. Consider leaving for home 48-72 hours before you return to work. ✅ Ask your team to send you a “while you were away” email. I always appreciated a “what you missed” email when my teams shared immediate highlights, issues and questions I should start reviewing upon my return. And I worked with my teams to return this in kind when my colleagues were away. This approach will empower you to take the time off you deserve guilt- and stress-free. Now, get planning and enjoy your well-deserved vacation! #ChasingTheSun #Holiday #WellBeing

I'm leaving on a 10 day, no-work vacation. And nothing will fall apart while I'm gone. I've had a team working under me since I was 23. For the following decade vacations came along with guilt, worry, and shame. Why should I leave when my team is in the trenches? What if a client gets upset while I'm gone and I'm not there to help? Will the team think I'm lazy or leaving them high-and-dry? I don't have those worries anymore. Here's why: - I do my best to integrate other employees into every negotiation or active campaign as early as possible before my trip so the handoff is smooth. - I alert any potential or active clients well ahead of time to my absence and let them know who to contact for any questions or concerns. - I remind myself that there will always be more work to be done. So my options are to take vacations to recharge and accept that work will not be done during that time, or literally never take time off. Research tells us it's smarter to do the former. - Most importantly: I trust my team. The big lesson: prepare. Prepare clients. Prepare teammates. Build process and 'plan B's. And actually enjoy your vacation! You're only on this big blue marble for a short time! See you in September. NOTE: My 'Grow 1%' newsletter has been scheduled in advance, so you'll still get it in your inbox this coming Thursday! #vacations #outofoffice #executiveleadership https://lnkd.in/epS77ftJ

Vacation Vibes - OOO this week - Yeah! 🌴 Leaders, It’s Time to Normalize Vacation and Unplugging! 🌴 For many who have worked with me for many years, taking a fully unplugged vacation is my Achilles heel. Earlier this year I tried to take several fully disconnected vacation days and ended up taking "just one video call" which ended up being five calls by the end of the week. As leaders, we set the tone for our teams. One of the most impactful ways we can lead is by normalizing the importance of taking vacations and truly unplugging from work. When we take time off without checking emails or “checking in,” we demonstrate that rest and rejuvenation are essential for long-term success and well-being. Taking a break isn’t just about recharging our own batteries; it’s about setting a powerful example for our teams. By showing that it’s okay to disconnect, we encourage a healthier work-life balance and foster a culture where everyone feels empowered to take the time they need. Here are a few tips to help you (and hopefully me) to properly disconnect from work and social media while on vacation: ✔Plan Ahead: Complete as much work as possible before you leave and delegate tasks to ensure smooth operations in your absence. ✔Set Boundaries: Inform your team and clients about your vacation and set clear expectations that you will be unavailable. ✔Use Out-of-Office (OOO) Messages: Set up an out-of-office email response and voicemail message to manage expectations and provide alternative contacts. ✔Schedule Downtime: Plan activities that help you relax and disconnect, such as catching up on reading, some classic gaming (my favs - Uncharted, Batman Arkham Night, FIFA World Cup), biking, house projects, and the most important spending time with loved ones. ✔Limit Social Media: (hard one for me on this platform): Set specific times to check social media or consider a complete digital detox to fully immerse yourself in your vacation (let's see how this goes ;-). Quick tip: Zoho or Hootsuite are great platforms for scheduling posts while you are out enjoying some R&R. Also, LinkedIn has a "Set away message" feature, I think I will try it. Let’s lead by example and show that taking time off is not only acceptable but necessary for our health and productivity. Until next week.... #Leadership #WorkLifeBalance #Vacation #Unplug #Wellbeing