How Two Weeks away from work made me a better leader
Like many leaders, I enjoy what I do. I care about my team, the people I serve, and the leaders I coach. I also realized I took too long taking some time off! And when you are on the go for too long, burnout starts to turn into something real. So I scheduled two full weeks away from work.
Of course, I hoped to return rested and ready to dive back in. What I didn't expect was how much stepping away would reap more benefits than just relaxation. These realizations didn’t happen to me while planning my time off, but when I created enough space to think. So if you haven’t taken time off in a while, schedule it and hopefully you reap the same benefits I found below:
1. If everything falls apart when I’m gone, that's a leadership problem; not a badge of honor.
My team didn't need me for every decision. They moved projects forward, solved problems, supported one another, and exercised good judgment. If they truly required my input, they knew they could reach me.
As leaders, we often feel an obligation to always be available. We convince ourselves that our constant presence is what keeps things running. But a good leader doesn’t make themselves indispensable. You build capable people, establish clear hand-offs, create trust, and empower others to make confident decisions. If your team can thrive while you're away, it's evidence that you've invested in building something sustainable.
2: I need to stop giving my calendar to work more often than I give it to my friends.
This one I instinctively know but still catches me by surprise. Throughout the year, I spend countless hours on Zoom calls, leadership meetings, coaching sessions, and conversations with people I've only recently met. I know these conversations matter and are an important part of my work. But when was the last time I consistently and intentionally scheduled time to simply catch up with a close friend?
During my vacation, I made plans with family and friends, laughed, told stories and talked about life rather than deadlines. Even more importantly, we made future plans.
The personal relationships we hold most sacred deserve the same intentionality we naturally give our professional calendars. Our careers introduce us to incredible people, but the friendships that have supported us through every life season should be protected and given the same or higher level of importance.
3: My brain doesn't need another goal. It just needs a break.
I didn't spend two weeks calendaring out my time to get the most productivity out of it. Instead, I did things that I enjoyed. I organized closets and the garage (believe it or not, I enjoy this!), read books, recommitted to my exercise routine, and stayed fully present during dinners, conversations, and everyday moments with family and friends.
We believe every moment has to produce something measurable that moves us toward our life goals. But our brains don’t need to operate at full capacity every hour of every day. Sometimes the most productive thing we can do is something that appears completely unproductive. This is not laziness. It's maintenance. Each activity gave my mind permission to slow down, rest and reset.
4: White space creates clarity.
When we're constantly moving from meeting to meeting, we are just operating in response mode. We solve today's problems, answer today's emails, and prepare for tomorrow's agenda.
When we step outside of the day-to-day and give ourselves space, we can ask bigger questions:
Am I spending my time on what matters most?
What can I start doing that will bring me joy?
What should I stop doing that no longer serves my life?
Some of my best thinking happens during a walk, lounging in the back yard or just simply having uninterrupted conversations with people I love.
5: I can return to work with more rest as well as perspective.
Heading into work, I bring back a fuller picture of where to best spend my renewed energy. I've also returned with a renewed commitment to protect what matters outside of work so I can sustain my energy levels and give time to those efforts. Family, friends, hobbies, health, travel, or lazy moments… they are not in competition with work or my leadership abilities. They make me a more present, thoughtful, and effective leader.
Bottom Line:
One of the biggest misconceptions in leadership is that taking time away demonstrates less commitment. It’s the opposite.
Time away is an investment in the leader you are when you return. You come back with clearer priorities, greater creativity, more patience, renewed energy, and a deeper appreciation for the people around you. You also give your team the opportunity to grow, make decisions, and prove just how capable they are.
Work will always be there. What might NOT be are opportunities to reconnect with friends, spend uninterrupted time with family, rediscover forgotten hobbies, move your body, or simply let your mind breathe.
Sometimes the best thing you can do for your career is step away from it for a little while. This is what often makes our best work possible.