Confession: I just came back from one of those rare, actually restorative breaks.
We celebrated our son’s college graduation with a long weekend in New York City. No alarms. Sleeping in like it was an Olympic sport. Wandering through lights and storefronts. Eating our way across the city like it was a carefully researched full-time job. And -- this is the important part -- I didn’t think about work for the better part of a week.
It was glorious.
And then I got home.
Cue: a couple of sleepless nights.
Cue: my brain helpfully reminding me of all the work transitions coming in 2026.
Cue: the quiet, 3:17 a.m. existential question of every entrepreneur over 50:
Do I still have another decade of grind energy in me?
If this sounds familiar, congratulations. You are human. And science is very much on your side.
Why Time Off Works
(and Why It Sometimes “Stops Working” So Fast)
Here’s what the research tells us, and what I see every day in high-performing leaders and teams:
Time off isn’t a luxury.
It’s biological maintenance.
When we work continuously, our bodies carry what researchers call allostatic load, basically the wear and tear that comes from living in a constant state of “on.” Stress hormones stay elevated. Sleep gets weird. Creativity flatlines. Even joyful things start to feel like effort.
Real time off interrupts that cycle. Cortisol drops. The nervous system downshifts. The brain’s Default Mode Network (the part responsible for creativity, meaning-making, and big-picture thinking) finally gets some airtime.
This is why vacations help us feel more like ourselves again.
The Fade-Out Effect
(a.k.a. “Why Am I Stressed Again Already?”)
One of the most surprising findings in the research:
For many people, the benefits of vacation fade within days of returning to work.
Not because the vacation “didn’t work.”
But because we re-enter chaos, overload, and unrealistic expectations.
This is what shows up as:
• Post-vacation stress spikes
• Re-entry shock
• The emotional whiplash of going from “human being” back to “task machine.”
If you come back to an overflowing inbox, zero coverage, and pressure to sprint immediately, your nervous system snaps right back into fight-or-flight.
The takeaway is blunt but important:
PTO policies without re-entry support are incomplete interventions.
Think Like an Athlete (Not a Machine)
Here’s the metaphor I keep coming back to:
We would never expect a high-performing athlete to train at peak intensity year-round with no recovery and then shame them for resting.
Yet that’s exactly what we do in work culture.
The best athletes:
• Train hard
• Rest intentionally
• Recover strategically
• And come back stronger
Your brain and nervous system work the same way.
What Actually Makes PTO Work
(Especially Over the Holidays)
Based on the research (and a lot of lived experience), here’s what helps time off stick:
Before You Go
• Wrap what truly needs wrapping; let the rest wait
• Set a real out-of-office message (not the “I’ll be checking periodically” lie)
• Hand things off clearly so you’re not carrying it all in your head
While You’re Away
• Detach. Seriously. Thinking about work counts as working
• Do things that restore you, like sleep, movement, novelty, connection
• Let your mind wander; that’s where insight lives
When You Come Back
• Ease in if you can
• Triage instead of tackling everything at once
• Notice what your break clarified about what matters—and what drains you
Leaders: this part matters especially for you. Modeling disconnection gives everyone else permission to do the same. Time off signals human value, not weakness, and it’s linked to lower burnout, better engagement, and stronger retention.
A Holiday Wish
(From Someone Who’s Also Figuring It Out)
As this year winds down, my wish for you is simple:
Take your time off.
Really take it.
Detach. Rest. Eat the good food. Look at the lights. Sleep without guilt.
We’ll sort out 2026 together.
For now, be off.
Warm wishes for a restorative, disconnected, deeply human holiday season.
See you on the other side.
With love,
Sally