I feel like im getting better at going on holiday and properly switching off from work.

I used to be pretty bad at that, checking Slack at least 5 times a day to see if nothing was on fire, and then of course getting stressed out when something was on fire and I wasn’t really in the position to help out out that fire.

The last two holidays I’ve been on, however, I’ve switched off almost fully. I’m super grateful to be working with some people that I trust to do the job more than I trust myself doing it, and as a result I can relax more and be a more effective team member when I return after my holiday.

Some thoughts:

• Deleting the Slack app off my phone during holidays makes all the difference. It just adds that additional barrier to get involved in the stress of day to day business. It does add a little bit of additional work on your first day back to sift through unread messages, but it’s worth it.
• Most people in the leadership team have my phone number, they can reach out for really important stuff.
• My role is all about setting out longer term strategy and structure, not managing the day to day running of the team.
• I trust my team enough to not create major issues, and minor mistakes are almost always reversible. It also helps show the areas where additional coaching or documentation is needed.
• Taking proper breaks sets the right example for the team, and helps me think sharper.