In this article, Steve Pickering, the ‘unorthodox’ CEO of independent bed retail chain Sussex Beds, discusses a problem that will feel all-too familiar to many business owners – and may have come up with an answer to switching out of ‘work mode’ …
A few weeks ago, during my monthly one-to-one with my business coach, I raised an issue that many of us face – my recent inability to switch off at weekends and on holiday. My mind remains stuck in work mode, and my moods swing hour by hour with the ebb and flow of sales figures.
He shared some eye-opening research about how long it actually takes to fully “chill down and switch off" during a holiday. While it varies from person to person, studies suggest that around 7-10 days is typically needed for most people to fully detach from work stress and experience significant mental and physical recovery.
The science behind recovery looks like this: short breaks (3-4 days) can help with mild stress relief, but may not fully reset the mind; 7-10 days is the sweet spot for significant stress reduction and cognitive recovery; and 2+ weeks is optimal for deep relaxation, creativity boosts, and long-term wellbeing.
This hit me hard. Reflecting on my holiday history, I realised the last time I had a two-week holiday was in 2009 – that's 16 years ago! Most of my breaks have been 7 days, occasionally stretching to 10.
This summer, this drought ends. My family and I are embarking on a well-earned 2-week family holiday, and we're all stepping away from the business completely.And we’ve made a family holiday pact, implementing a ‘business blackout period’ with strict rules – no-one can check daily sales until close of business each day, and viewing time is limited to just one hour. Anyone caught breaching this rule faces a forfeit!
Discover more of Steve’s thoughts here or listen to his podcast, An Unorthodox CEO
