Last week, I had the true honor of speaking at the SHRM Annual Conference. The event was held in Orlando, FL, home to Walt Disney World, the Happiest Place on Earth. 🏰 While being in Orlando always brings back incredibly fond memories😃, there is one experience which I'd like to forget. It was the vacation I cut short, leaving my family behind, because I "had to" work. ❌❌❌

Friends - taking time away from work isn't a luxury—it's a necessity. Stepping back from the daily grind prevents burnout, sharpens focus, and boosts our efficiency when we return. Just as importantly, real rest protects our physical💪 and mental🧠 well-being and enriches the lives we live outside the office. The evidence is clear: people who take genuine breaks come back more creative, more resilient, and more engaged.💡

In the latest episode of the Like A Boss Podcast, I discuss that this culture shift starts at the top.🔝 Leaders have a responsibility actively to encourage their teams to take time off—and to mean it. That means modeling the behavior ourselves by genuinely unplugging, rather than sending the unspoken message that vacation🌴is optional. It may even mean considering a policy that mandates PTO, so that rest 😴 becomes an expectation rather than a privilege employees feel guilty for using. When leaders treat time away as essential, they build🔨 healthier, happier, and ultimately more productive teams. Let's lead by example!!!

As always, thank you so much for watching, commenting and sharing! ❤️🫶🙏