Q: I want to use my vacation time, but we’re so busy at work. Should I wait?
I hear this all the time, especially from high performers. You care about your team, you don’t want to leave anyone short-staffed, and you feel guilty taking time away when there’s so much to do. But here’s what I’ve learned after years in corporate and coaching professionals: if you keep waiting for work to slow down, you may never take your vacation.
Most organizations will always have another deadline, another urgent request, or another project. If you don’t intentionally protect your time away, work will gladly consume it.
Taking vacation isn’t about escaping your responsibilities. It’s about sustaining your ability to meet them. Rest improves your decision-making, creativity, patience, and overall performance. It also sends a healthy message to your team that well-being matters.
Plan ahead. Give your manager plenty of notice, document your work, delegate where appropriate, and set your out-of-office message. Then disconnect. Resist the temptation to constantly check email or join meetings from the beach. Need additional tips to help you break free from hustle culture? Check out the linked video from my YouTube channel on how to break free from hustle culture.
Remember, your job is important, but so is your health. Vacation isn’t something you have to earn after you’ve exhausted yourself. You already earned it.
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