Why Smart Leaders Unplug: The Hidden Power of a Summer Break

Do you have summer vacation plans?

When I say ‘vacation,’ I don’t mean checking email less often when you’re at the lake, but actually unplugging—phone off, laptop away, with an out-of-office message—giving yourself a chance to rest and reset.

I am always surprised by the number of leaders who don’t take vacations. This tendency appears to be most prevalent among mid- to upper-level managers who are still seeking to establish their credibility.

There is a fear of falling behind, that things will unravel without them, that stepping away will put too much pressure on their team, or that it signals a lack of commitment.

So, even if they take a few days, they end up checking emails or reports in the morning while the family is asleep, saying it’s more stressful not to check-in. ‘It allows me to be more relaxed while on vacation,’ is a familiar refrain.

While sacrificing summer fun may seem like an admirable sacrifice for the team, in reality, nobody wins. Leaders get burnt out, and they model a negative work-life balance behaviour to their team.

I need a vacation! 

Why is a summer break so important? It’s not all about the tan. Have you ever noticed that you get your best ideas and inspiration when you are rested and relaxed?

Creativity gets a chance to bubble up when you’re not focused on the day-to-day grind.

We know that fatigue creeps up quietly, leaving us feeling fog-brained, drained and sluggish.

Taking the time to feel the sand between your toes, fly a kite with your child, or enjoy a book under a shady tree will ensure that you return to work as a better version of yourself, with improved ideas, decision-making, motivation, focus, and efficiency.

Finding new leaders 

When leaders activate their email auto-responder, the team around them gets a valuable opportunity to step up. They get to decision make and solve problems—without deferring to you.

It gives your staff a chance to rise outside their comfort zone and grow professionally. It’s healthy for the organizational culture when employees feel empowered. If you never take a vacation, you’ll never see who’s got the chops to take on added responsibility.

 Another significant benefit is the credibility you gain by endorsing a healthy work-life balance.

Delegation removes technological temptations

In today’s wired world, it’s too easy to stay constantly connected. Even when you plan to step away, you might tell your team, "If it’s truly urgent, just send me a message."

But if you’re taking a quick call on the beach, you’re not vacationing. Here’s a more relaxing way to get away.

Set clear expectations before you leave. Inform your team, clients, and stakeholders that you will be away for a few weeks and will be entirely offline.

If you don’t think that’s possible, then you’ve got bigger issues to deal with. Time away is a good test to see if any problems arise. In most cases, when leaders haven’t made this leap, they come back and are amazed by how smoothly it ran during their absence.

 For this to happen, you need to delegate clearly. (If you need help on how to delegate effectively. I do workshops on it—it’s an essential skill for leaders.)

To delegate effectively, you need to identify trusted team members, decide who will be responsible for what, share information, and set clear expectations—and then you hand the ball off and have trust.

 Proper delegating removes the temptation of checking your devices, which you shouldn’t have with you in the first place!

Pro tip: Many of us have that familiar annual getaway to the lake or cabin. While routines can be comforting, they can also slip into monotony and that’s when your mind might wander back to work. Try adding something fresh or different to your trip that keeps you fully engaged and present.

 Back to work, slowly

Before you return to work, ensure you have a re-entry plan in place. Don’t schedule a marathon of meetings your first couple of days back because you feel guilty for using your vacation days.

Give yourself at least one buffer day or two when you’re not in meetings. On the first day back, try to catch up on emails and messages. On your second day, you will be reprioritizing and conducting a check-in with your team.

Remember that taking a work-free vacation permits others to do the same. It sends a message that, yes, we care about performance, and we care about people; both matter.