“Take a vacation.” This is my favorite advice to give to the owners or executives who are my clients.

They don’t like it. Nine times out of ten, I hear excuses about why they can’t.

So, here’s the deal: Taking a vacation is one of the most potent organizational development exercises you can implement. But only if you take one the right way.

Two Reasons Why Vacations Help

REASON #1

Owners can’t sell businesses that can’t operate without them. Executives can’t grow businesses that need their hands in daily decisions. Healthy and robust teams don’t require your constant presence. Only weak and dependent ones do.

I know you want to argue with that statement. Good luck.

It’s an irony that most owners and executives struggle with: The best-led and structured outfits are the least dependent on their senior leaders. This is because those leaders have built:

• A team of responsible leaders, managers, and professionals who know what they should do.
• A team of qualified and skilled individuals who know how to do it.
• An empowered team, unified with a shared vision, who want to do it.

But don’t wait until you’ve built this dream team to take your vacation. Schedule a vacation right now. Then get hustling. Build what you need to build so things run smoothly in your absence.

REASON #2

Think of the top two or three best ideas you’ve had so far this year. Chances are supremely high that at least one if not all, occurred outside of work. Maybe you were in the shower, walking the dog, or at a BBQ.

Our brain often works its best magic when we aren’t in the middle of having to get stuff done. Our subconscious is clicking away in the background all the time. But we are usually too busy, stressed, and scheduled to give it any notice.

Vacations are great for letting things clear out a bit. For allowing perspective to return. To connect dots that we previously overlooked.

Also, most vacations expose us to new people, conversations, and experiences. It bumps us out of our ruts. It breaks us out of homeostasis. It fires up the creative and curious side of our brains. We notice new things. We make new innovative observations. We’re introduced to new ideas.

Take a vacation.

How to Take a Vacation Without Hating Yourself (The Right Way to Take a Vacation)

One reason leaders don’t like to take vacations (or insist on working all the way through them) is because of how much work it takes to before you leave and when you get back.

Proactively prepare for this:

Delegate or delay work. 

Delegate responsibilities and tasks to others. This teaches you to be clear about what you want and to let go. It teaches them to carry more and improves their appreciation for higher-level leadership. It’s an opportunity to build (or practice) trust. Responsibly delay what you can’t delegate. 

Block 2-5 days in advance to prepare.

Keep your schedule light before your vacation. Don’t schedule extra meetings. Tie up loose ends. Clear your desk or work site. Plan to come to a smooth stop. Not an abrupt crash where you spend the first 2 -3 days of vacation just trying to unwind.

Protect your time during the vacation.

Don’t let work seep in. Remember, this vacation is not about having fun. (I’m joking.) It is about work. You are learning to build a healthy and robust team and giving yourself space to think differently. But don’t intentionally do work. [i]

Block 2-5 days to re-enter/catch up.

Plan for a smooth ramp back up. Again, keep your schedule light. You’ll need time to get caught up. Give yourself time for this. Create space to do something with one or two epiphanies you had while you were gone. Take time to appreciate your team’s good work in your absence.

Conduct an AVR – After Vacation Review.

You can do this on your own as well as with your team. Ask:

• What did I try to do (so that my presence wasn’t necessary?) What actually happened?
• What went well and why?
• What can be improved (for the next vacation) and how?

Plan your next (longer) vacation.

Your first try might be a little clunky. Keep practicing. You’ll get it.

Your Employees Need Vacations Too

For all the same reasons that you need to take a vacation, your employees do too. The practice of vacationing well forces your company to cross-train, systematize, understand each other’s roles better, and so on. It makes your company stronger.

And their preparation should follow the same patterns described above.

Conclusion

Get out of here. Go on. Git.

I don’t care if you fly to the other side of the world or take a “staycation” and putter in your garden. A relaxing vacation that isn’t bookended by high-stress takes preparation. And that preparation is where the real gold is for your organization. That is where the true growth is.

Have fun!

Christian

[i] I’m not completely opposed to working during vacations. There is a place for it. But I am opposed to moving your office to Hawaii, or to a resort, or the mother-in-law’s basement. That’s remote work – not a vacation. That keeps your team dependent on you, which is what we are trying to fix. For the purposes of this exercise make sure that your vacation feels like one and you can unplug and detach.

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