A few days/weeks/months off repairs nothing in a lasting way. 

A ‘recharge’ for what?

A return to more of the same drain?

Makes no sense. 

No way to live. 

Better to reset.

Reset hours, resets tasks, reset expectations.

The label ‘stress leave’ isn’t ideal either, this suggests a return to the stress at some point.

Not optimal. 

We need a lasting fix. 

And it likely involves the most difficult word in the English language.

No

No, I cannot meet you after 4pm… ever (or whatever time you call ‘the end’)

No, I don’t take meetings on weekends, or Mondays, or Fridays… ever (again, you choose – just choose!)

No, I am not all things to all people.

In fact most days I barely manage to be some things to some people.

The bottom line – if you’re feeling stressed on a day-to-day basis then a vacation, or a retreat, or a 4 day weekend, heck even a 1yr sabbatical, will not fix the problem.

To recharge and return to the same thing that wore you down is not a winning plan.

Remember those rechargeable batteries our parents bought us for our toys, they got weaker and weaker over time – they never really took a charge the same way again – partly because we stuck them right back into the exact same machine over and over… and over again.

These different sorts and size of breaks, they’re all just band-aids on a cut that won’t stop bleeding.

You need may need stitches… or krazy glue.

In other words you may need to take more drastic action to create a lasting solution to stop the root of the problem.

Pause…

Thinking about it.

What would it take to create lower stress?

What’s one thing you could remove?

Maybe just one client? (asshole)

Maybe just one referral partner? (supplier of multiple assholes)

Maybe it’s a staff member, your office environment, a recurring meeting?

I bet you already know what needs to go, write it downmake it real.

Don’t just write down the thing – write down the action.

And hey, sometimes maybe it’s you that needs to go.

To go somewhere else altogether on a more permanent basis.

Where you can get what you need, on a regular basis?

DW