When Break Week leads to . . . Team Break Week!
Recharging in Mexico
I’m back from Break Week . . . and it was wonderful.
I went to Mexico with my sister. I saw Spiros’ and my wedding venue for the first time, tasted amazing food and drinks, and then stayed an extra few days for some R&R. One of those days looked like ordering room service and relaxing in bed, watching movies all day.
After that, I flew to Florida, where I am now. I spent quality time with my sister, my parents, and myself. I went on walks. I got reinspired to work out and run after feeling like I’ve been “forcing” myself to do it lately. I slept at least 9 hours a night. I watched the whole season of Dirty John, Betty, and now I’m into Workin’ Moms. I went to the spa . . . twice. I spent some quality time with the team. And I will confess: I had one in-person strategy meeting with the team . . . by choice!
I feel energized. I feel inspired. I feel connected to myself. I feel that because I have given to myself, I have more to give others. And I feel this way every single time I’m back from a break, which is why I will continue to hold myself accountable to taking them. I am committing to taking at least one Break Week per quarter, working a limited schedule on Mondays and Fridays so that I have time to think and re-energize, and one more thing that came to me before I took off. . .
. . . a Break Week for our entire team once a quarter.
It started as an idea for only this quarter. I felt that a break was well-deserved, given that from April to June, we: transitioned an entire company; hosted our first virtual Human Leadership Program with 200 attendees; welcomed 150 and counting for our next program in August; and so far have achieved the best year financially that we’ve ever had (at the halfway mark for this year, we have already earned 80%+ of last year's revenue). After hitting the gas for several months, I could sense that the team needed a break. I heard the phrase “I have a lot on my plate” more than I’m used to hearing it. When Amanda suggested that in the future, the team could align their time off with mine, that got my wheels spinning.
If there's one important lesson I’ve learned over the last year and a half, it’s this: Taking breaks is key to avoiding burnout and continuing success. And so, before I flew to Mexico, I brought an idea to our weekly Huddle: How would the team feel about taking a week off at the same time? The rules would be the same rules I gave myself during my own Break Week: Do whatever you need to do for you. Do what you need to do to come back inspired and energized.
They loved it.
Team Break Week begins tomorrow (7/7) right after our weekly LIVE, and the team will come back on Thursday (7/15) of the following week. That means if you reach out to our team during this time, you’ll see an email response that communicates we are off and that we’ll be in touch when we are back. I’ll also be off for a part of this time (celebrating with some friends who are generously hosting a bachelorette party for me), and then I’ll have a few days to work at my pace while the team is off, which will be nice. It will allow me to get ahead on some things, do some thinking, and take a break from team meetings.
And . . . that leads me to an ah-ha: Why would Team Break Week be something that only happens this quarter? Why shouldn’t it happen every quarter?
We have an unlimited paid time-off policy, but the team often has the same challenge that I have when it comes to taking breaks: We don’t take enough of them. When we achieve success, we are excited and want to keep the momentum going. And, because we have such a flexible time-off policy, there isn't really a sense of urgency to use it. If I’m holding myself accountable to taking regular time off, why wouldn’t I hold our team accountable to taking time off as well? Team Break Weeks would guarantee that everyone is taking at least 4 weeks off a year, in addition to the extra time we always take around the holidays, and hopefully, they’ll end up taking even more.
As a team, we believe in the idea of being a calm company, and holding one another accountable to time off is a huge part of that. I believe that this is a conversation every team and organization should have. We are in the midst of The Great Resignation, where many people are questioning whether staying with their current organization is worth it. People want more flexibility and a life where work works with life . . . not takes from it. These aren’t “new” things; I think we’ve always wanted them. It’s just that before the pandemic, maybe we didn’t realize that life could be different. The pandemic, I think, required us to take a pause and gave organizations no choice but to be flexible, and now that we see it’s possible, we want the slower pace and the flexibility to continue. We don’t want to go back to burnout and a feeling of work taking from our lives.
I think that regular, paid, mandatory team-wide breaks are a powerful way for leaders to show their people that they care. I used to think that offering an unlimited paid time-off policy was enough . . . it isn’t. We must hold our people accountable to using it.
For those leading teams, it’s important to pick up on cues: Look out for when people are losing steam or saying they have too much on their plates, and regularly check in with them (a great question to ask: On a scale of 1-10, how energized do you feel at work right now?). Follow your gut when you sense the team needs a break, even if it’s only for one person, even if it’s only for one hour or one day, and even if that person is resisting it. Our people want to be team players and want to make us proud, and sometimes they need to hear us say, “You are taking a break . . . and it’s not up for discussion!” Give breaks after reaching big milestones. It might seem counterintuitive and you might want to keep plugging away, but if you want the success to continue, giving a break is a critical piece of that equation, both for yourself and for your team.
And if you aren’t leading a team, remember that leadership isn’t just a rank or a title. If you feel the need for a pause, start that conversation. Ask others how they feel. Suggest a break and inspire others by taking one yourself. (And it’s okay to start small: a break could be taking a walk away from your computer, for example.) We’ve created a resource to help you approach the topic of burnout with those you work alongside. You can download our guide, which has some starting points for a discussion, here. So many times, the culture in our company has changed for the better because someone had the courage to say what everyone was thinking but not saying aloud.
A final note: Team Break Week means we won’t have a blog next week. I hope that Rachel, the amazing human who helps me publish this blog every single Tuesday, will be sleeping in and enjoying her much-needed and much deserved break!
Alright, my friends. I’ll see you back here on 7/20. I can’t wait to tell you about the team’s experience and all the lessons I know we will have learned from the week ahead.
Hugs through the screen,
Kristen
PS: Our LIVE is on for tomorrow! I’ll be interviewing a special friend and leader, and I hope you’ll join us. The week after, 7/14, I’ll be hosting our LIVE solo. Think of it as a check-in: I’ll tell you all about the ups and downs of the last quarter, what we are currently working on, and what I’ve been learning as a leader . . . all while the team enjoys their break! Our LIVEs happen every Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET, and you can join by registering here: https://bit.ly/3kWe2kT
PPS: Surprise! Early bird pricing for our Human Leadership Program has been extended! Join more than 150 amazing leaders from around the world and learn how to take your authenticity and humanity to another level. Save $100 on the price of your ticket here!
