The Golden Nugget April 2025
taking a break and taking some much-needed time off. Or at least they should. For many of us, it’s so easy to slide from one major project to the next, not looking up for a hot second to take a breath. I recently learned the hard way, however, what happens when you don’t take some time off…you lose time. As in, vacation time. Time is precious, and that couldn’t be more evident than when you transition from one leave year into the next and lose time you didn’t take off. A really smart elected official recently said to me, “what’s the point of having time off if you don’t actually take it?” Good point. I lamented to another elected official one time that I just couldn’t find the time to get away. Their response was, “well, you get to go to conferences!” Yeah, I do, and I’m thankful for that. But that is not the same as leaving the office and disconnecting from work—something that’s necessary to give your brain a break and a chance to reset so you can be more resilient in the long run. Some people make a point to take several vacations a year to make sure they use all their time. I have an awesome manager friend who does this—she takes three vacations a year, come heck or high water. This is why she is awesome.
So how long is long enough when it comes to taking time away? That’s really a matter of personal preference—most of us take a long weekend, or maybe a week off. But for real rest and relaxation, that’s not usually long enough. A good rule of thumb, according to vacation experts, is between 8-11 days. This gives just enough time to completely mentally separate yourself from work, really relax and re-energize, before having to go back.
Now, taking time off doesn’t do any good if you stay fully connected to work while you’re out. My daughter was recently home for spring break. It was wonderful to have her home, but she was stressed about all the work she had to do—while on break. I thought, good grief, what’s the point of having a break if you have to work the whole time? We managers in local government often experience something similar—we just can’t, or we feel like we shouldn’t, fully disconnect. There is always work that needs to be done. However, it’s important to choose to get away—the work will still be there when you get back, and you’ll be better able to manage it because you’ve just had a break. Here are some tips to help with this:
• Keep your elected officials routinely apprised of the status of the projects you’re working on, and what they can expect to happen with those while you are away.
• Check in with your staff before you go to ensure they have what they need to keep things moving along smoothly while you’re out.
• Once you’ve gotten away, stay off email. Keep your phone handy, but let your staff know they can only contact you if there is an emergency.
• If you’ll be gone for an extended period of time, designate a deputy or assistant manager who can be the go-to as needed during your absence (this is especially important if you decide to leave the country on your break).
When you get back, embrace the fact there will be extra stuff to do to get caught up. Set up a triage of “do now, do today, do tomorrow” to help you manage the pile. To help ease the frustration, keep a photo nearby of a fun time you had while on vacation to help you remember why it was important to get away.
Whether you take one long vacation, several long weekends throughout the year, or a day off in the middle of the week, taking time off is necessary for both physical and mental well-being—just do it. You’ll be better for it in the long run (and you won’t lose that hard-earned time off).
Until next time,
Debbie
Welcome to new members:
Matthew Candland, Town of South Boston, Town Manager
Monica Elder, County of Charlotte, Assistant County Administrator
Earl Anderson, County of York, Deputy Director