When was your last vacation?
I don't mean like when did you take a day off on a Friday — I'm asking when was your last real vacation where you unplugged, got on a flight, and left your out of office message on until the day you returned?
In the middle of my day recently, I opened up Google Flights and started dreaming. I had a window of about 11 minutes before the next meeting, and I needed to imagine myself on the beaches of Kauai with my family, or walking the streets of London, or sitting in front of a slot machine in Vegas. I need a vacation.
I've stretched myself too thin, and it caught up with me before noon. I know I'm a little bit of a psycho. I don't know how I keep it all in order at times myself, but I'm also not interested in stopping and sitting back completely. I love the little insane setup I've created for myself, but it needs to come with balance.
Your Body Will Take the Break for You
The reality is, if you don't build in a break, your body and brain will take one for you. And it won't be on your terms. It'll look like snapping at someone for no reason, or forgetting something important, or sitting at your desk feeling completely numb, pretending to care when your tank is absolutely empty. Trust me, I've been there.
You don't get bonus points for being the most burnt-out high performer in the room. No one's handing out trophies for skipping rest. And if you think being tired is a badge of honor, you're setting yourself up to fall apart when it matters most.
I've been there too, where I thought it was the right thing to grind for a company and miss out on holiday events. Don't ever prioritize your job over your personal care. Your company doesn't care enough about you in the long run.
What's impressive is knowing how to push and when to pause. What's bold is making space for joy when the world keeps telling you to hustle harder. What's rare is the leader who can set the tone by saying, "I'm off the grid. I'll be back when I'm full again."
Being all in doesn't mean being always on. The version of you that comes back recharged is always the best version of yourself. So when you get done reading this, go open up Google Flights or call your travel agent. Whatever you gotta do, go book that vacation. Make it a point to take more vacations this year than you ever have.