Re-entry from vacation hit harder than I expected

Re-entry from vacation hit harder than I expected…

And not because anything bad happened. It’s just… hard.

I prepped like a pro:

• Told clients I’d be offline (and gave them solid backup options)

• Filtered emails so I wouldn’t dread opening my inbox

• Left Sunday afternoon wide open to ease back in

• Light Monday meeting load to reorient

Still? This week felt heavy.

Not because of what was waiting for me.
Because of the internal pressure I put on myself.

Pressure to catch up.
Pressure to instantly shift from vacation mode to leader mode.
Pressure because I felt guilty — even when I know I did everything “right.”

Let’s be honest:
We tell ourselves that we deserve rest.
But the minute we take it, we make ourselves earn it back with stress.

That’s not endurance.
That’s not sustainable.
That’s not leadership at its best.

If you're preparing for a break, do what you can to set yourself up for re-entry — but also give yourself permission for it to feel messy. Let the dust settle before you expect your full stride.

And if you’re back from vacation and feeling behind?

You’re not behind.
You’re just human.

White space this weekend is calling. I’m leaning into it — not to “catch up,” but to recenter.

Rest is a strategy, not a reward.

Let’s stop treating it like a detour and start seeing it as part of the route.

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