As March rolls into the distance, I’m thinking back about my favorite month of the year that has the distinct honor of including “spring break.” Question: Once our kids are grown and out of the house, do we still get to use this time as excuse to sneak away somewhere sunny? Yes, absolutely and we shall.

My friend and colleague Mark Mohammadpour is the champion for coaching professionals on the need to take time off of work to rest, recharge and gain perspective on the bigger things in life. He reminds us that as bosses and leaders, we set the tone for our organizations. If we don’t take time off, then our teams don’t think they can either. If we leave for vacation but are still readily accessible on our phones and laptops, that’s not really “taking time off.” I get it – it’s a hard balance at times as we are tasked with running our businesses, caring for clients, managing people while also showing up for our families and selves.  

With our firm’s current structure, it feels almost impossible for me to completely disconnect for a week, but that’s really more of a mindset block of my own versus anything based in reality. Time to put our own egos aside and realize that none of us are so important that our teams can’t keep things running while we are on vacation for a week or two. We built our businesses and created teams, structures and processes so all of us (including us owners) can take time to enjoy experiences that bring us meaningful joy. While our careers and businesses are core to who we are, they aren’t the end all be all. At the end of this life, no one is going to care about how much you worked, money you made or titles you held. We care about the impact we make and that comes through living, interacting and experiencing our big desires.

While spring break is now in the rearview mirror, summer is straight ahead of us. As we stare it down (sunglasses firmly in place), book the trip, make the reservation, call the friends – now. After all, half the fun is in the anticipation!  We are all at our best when we have renewed energy and enthusiasm and in this season of new beginnings, it’s time to chart your course for the rest of the year. Happy living!