A founder's guide to going on holiday
Why taking time off is really good for you and your business
Talking about holidays and time off is a taboo topic for lots of senior leaders and founders.
But I really believe in the power of time off and away from what you're doing. I came up with the idea for The Lowdown whilst I was taking a short sabbatical from my corporate job, and don’t think the business would exist had it not been for spending weeks driving around New Zealand with my partner, letting my brain become creative again.
Throughout my twenties I spent all my money on holidays, festivals and trips with my friends. Becoming a founder has meant dialling that back a lot, but I still ensure I have a 7 day break planned every 3 months. I’m now working in sprints and if I don’t take time off, my work and business suffers.
I also encourage the same of my team. The difference I notice in our CTO Marija when she comes back from a week off is incredible. She is so much more positive about whatever new, complicated idea we have. Plus I get a week to pretend I know how to manage developers, and get to know her team.
Every employee at The Lowdown gets 30 days plus bank holidays - and I expect them to be fully offline on holiday, no email and no messaging. ‘Go away’, is what I say to anyone who pops up on Slack. Even if the Queen is about to die.
If your team or business can’t cope without your input for 7 days, something is wrong. No one is that important or indispensable. It’s a great chance for leaders to show they can step up and also for the team to develop their own culture, away from you.
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How to actually go on holiday
The key to a good break is preparation. Firstly block it in everyone's diary so they know when it is and remind everyone you’re away so to speak to you about whatever they need to before you go. Write a handover doc with all random thoughts and things that you think are important. Make sure you and your phone is decoupled from key processes, and archive all the founder groups and investors you chat to on WhatsApp so they’re not on your main screen when you open your phone. You can unarchive them when you’re back, it just helps you forget about work when you’re messaging your villa mates about picking up more Aperol.
Plan your first week back before you go. If you can afford it, block 3-4 hours in your diary for ‘no meetings’ for your first day back, so you can clear your inbox, review all your numbers and remember what your name is. I find this time really helps with any coming back to work anxiety.
Timing is key. I’ve learnt not to take holidays if I’m fundraising, pre term sheet. Unless I’m really burnt out, that is not a time to be offline. The guilt is too much. Make sure you take a good break before you start fundraising, and try and close your round just before something fun like Glastonbury✌️
I never used to take time off in August as it’s so expensive, but have now realised that with all our investors on their superyachts, it’s silly not using this down time effectively. See also Christmas; the whole world is on holiday, enjoy it.
The holiday itself
Now, for the actual trip itself. The first 24-48 hours are the worst. You’re normally so exhausted and filled with guilt that you should be enjoying yourself that you feel like a useless, pale, grumpy lump. No one has sex, or has fun for the first 48 hours. It’s like going cold turkey, and you’re not relaxed enough for your mind to have eased into looking around and enjoying where you are. If you’ve had a delayed flight or your luggage has got lost, you’re likely to not react well to this news and think the world has ended. Your partner will accuse you of being a horrible person and deep down you’ll agree with them.
Just ride this out. Importantly, try and do an activity like skiing, scuba diving or sailing. Something that gently distracts and absorbs you. Sitting on a sun lounger is too cold turkey for me. I know I still need to have some routine of doing something to cling onto when I’m coming out of work, so plan some things to cling onto in those first few days.
What really helps me is being around people. Going on a group holiday has many benefits as I find socialising a brilliant way to get out of my head and into other peoples. Nothing beats really catching up and spending time with people you can only snatch a Tuesday night dinner with twice a year. My partner is so bored of hearing me talk about work that he appreciates the respite too.
By about day three on holiday you will normally get ill. When I retire I’m most looking forward to not getting a horrible cold every time I go on holiday. With the stress hormone cortisol leaving your body, it’s actually proven to lower your immune system.
Then around day 5 you’ll start to feel better. You’ll notice you’re not reaching for your phone in the morning and doing your autopilot activities. Maybe your bowel movements are becoming more normal, and the work thoughts slightly less. You realise you’re starting to relax. This is why you’re doing this.
I start to become creative, start thinking about my life and business with a different perspective. I start writing random notes about things I want to do or people I want to see. I often close out a holiday by researching and booking the next one. Seems strange to do that whilst you’re on holiday, but having the time and space helps.
Around day 5, once I’ve slept, read a fictional book, had sex, got drunk and laughed with a load of friends I feel refreshed.
Coming back to work after a holiday is like coming back home. Everything in your house or street looks slightly different for a while, but familiar, as if you rediscover it. You can open a new page in your notebook and start to look at the overall ‘where are we going?’ stuff.
Within 48 hours the stress will be back, but your stocks of sun, energy and sleep have been replenished and will stay and help you as you face the rollercoaster of startup life.
Take a holiday please, it’s totally worth it.
This was a really great read Alice and a lot of your points resonated with me, even though I’m not a founder.