PLAYBOOK: Why Smart Leaders Take Vacations (and You Should Too)

As this blog goes live, I’m on vacation. Fully disconnected. No email. No Slack. Just me, my family, and some much-needed time to recharge.

Why? Because I practice what I preach. Taking time off isn’t just a personal reset — it’s a leadership move. One that reinforces trust, models autonomy, and allows me to refuel my mindset so I can lead at the level my clients and team deserve.

Too many leaders push rest to the back burner, telling themselves they’ll take time after the next fire is out or the next goal is hit. But here’s the truth: if you don’t step away, you burn out. And if you don’t refuel, you stall out.

Let’s talk about why vacation isn’t just a perk — it’s a strategic priority.

Key Takeaways

Rest is a leadership discipline, not a weakness.
Your brain needs space to think beyond the daily grind.
Modeling time off builds trust and empowers your team.
The right vacation resets your mindset and unlocks clarity.
With the right systems in place, you can step away confidently.

1. Hustle Culture Is a Trap

High-performing leaders often fall into the trap of believing more time = more results. That’s false.

What actually moves the needle? Decisions. Vision. Strategy.

And those aren’t things you create under pressure 24/7. If your best ideas come when you’re on a hike or in the shower, imagine what a few days of real space could do.

Pro Tip: Motion doesn’t equal progress. Clarity does.

2. Your Mindset Needs Maintenance

Your mindset is your operating system. And like any system, it needs updates. Time away gives you room to reboot your thoughts, interrupt limiting beliefs, and reconnect with what really matters.

When you’re always in it, you stop seeing what’s possible.

When you step away, you start thinking like a visionary again.

💬 “Leaders don’t find breakthrough ideas in burnout. Innovation requires space — and sometimes the best strategic decisions come when we finally slow down enough to see clearly.”

— Lead With Confidence, Growth & Innovation Pillar

This is how you go from reactive mode back to intentional leadership.

3. Time Off Builds Trust and Team Strength

If your team sees you working on vacation, guess what? They’ll assume they have to as well.

Taking time off — and actually disconnecting — sends a signal:

"I trust you. I believe in your ownership. And I value rest as a performance tool.”

💬 “Empowerment happens when leaders step back, not just lean in. When you trust your team to lead in your absence, you create space for growth — theirs and yours.”

— Lead With Confidence, Trust & Autonomy Pillar

The good news? You can absolutely plan for this. If you build the right systems and culture in advance, you can walk away with full confidence.

4 Pro Tips for Planning Your Exit:

Set expectations early. Let your team know the when, why, and how of your time off — and what’s expected in your absence.
Designate point people. Give clear ownership to someone you trust and empower them to make decisions without waiting on you.
Create decision filters. Leave behind a simple decision-making guide (think: “If X happens, do Y”) to reinforce autonomy.
Don’t sneak back in. Resist the urge to check in. Your silence creates space for others to lead and shows you actually trust them.

When you give your team the opportunity to step up, they will. And when you return, you’ll be able to lead them from a place of insight — not exhaustion.

4. You Come Back Sharper, Calmer, Stronger

You can’t pour from an empty cup. Taking time to rest, think, laugh, move, breathe — it’s not indulgent, it’s responsible. You don’t just return with more energy. You return with:

A broader perspective
A calmer nervous system
A clearer strategy

This is where breakthroughs happen — not in back-to-back Zoom calls.

Key Action Steps

Pre-schedule your vacations. Put them on the calendar now.
Set real boundaries. No checking email "just in case."
Empower a point leader. Trust them and let them lead.
Reflect and reset. Capture the clarity and ideas that come up while you’re away.
Lead by example. Encourage your team to do the same.