They take their job somewhere with a better view.

Laptop. iPad. Phone. Early email sessions. Mid-day “quick calls.” All in the name of being too important to unplug.

Here’s the truth:
If you can’t step away, the problem isn’t your job—it’s you.

I learned this the hard way.
My wife once told me I gave her the worst vacation of her life. She wasn’t wrong.

I was working the entire time. Thought I was killing it. I was actually killing the vacation.

Eventually, I changed. It took some trial runs, a little trust, and a hard look at how I led. But now, I take actual vacations. No laptop. No meetings. Just presence.

The Wake-Up Call

It was a trip to Miami. Our first vacation after our son was born.

I spent most of it on the phone—making deals, putting out fires, convinced that no one else could handle it.

At the end of the trip, my wife didn’t sugarcoat it.
“We just wasted a bunch of money so you could work remotely. This was the worst vacation I’ve ever had.”

And she was right.

The Half-Measure Phase

After that, I tried to do better.
I worked during “off hours.” I answered emails early in the morning. I tried to sneak in calls while she was doing something else.

What I really did?
I just got better at working vacations.

I was still cheating myself out of the mental space I needed.
Still cheating my family out of time they deserved.
Still pretending I had balance, while my phone sat between us at dinner.

The Shift

Eventually I realized:
I didn’t want to work on vacation—I wanted to stop thinking about work altogether.

So I tried something radical.

Before my next trip, I told my team:

“I'm going on vacation. I'm not bringing my laptop or iPad. I’ll have my phone—but only for emergencies. (And I mean real emergencies. Like the building burned down.) I trust you to make the call. I believe 99% of the time, you’ll make the same decision I would—and for the other 1%, you can call me.”

Now, I did bring the laptop and iPad that first time—but I never touched them.
I checked email a couple times on my phone - but didn’t respond.
And after a few days, I stopped checking altogether.

The Payoff

That was 7 years ago. And I’ve never looked back.

I was present. I relaxed. I reconnected.
And I realized how many years of family experiences I’d diluted by trying to be “just available enough.”

So if you’re still taking your job on vacation with you, here’s the hard truth—and the good news:

5 Things to Remember Before Your Next Trip

1. You’re not that important.
   If you won the lottery and quit, would the business fail? No? Then it can survive a week or two without you.

2. If you’ve built a strong team, act like it.
   Trust them. Empower them. They’ll grow from it—and you will too.

3. Almost every decision is fixable.
   Even the bad ones. Don’t let fear of mistakes be the reason you miss your life.

4. If you’re a micro-manager, get help.
   And I’m not joking.

5. If you’ve got FOMO, ask yourself why.
   That’s not hustle. That’s insecurity in a nicer suit.

Vacations matter.

Your body needs the rest. Your mind needs the space. Some of my best ideas have come after I stopped trying to think about work.

So, next time you write “Out of Office” in your email signature…

Mean it

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It had been a couple of weeks since I got on the Peloton, and let’s just say the bike wasn't the only thing gathering dust. I’m not one of those faithful, seven-day-a-week riders—I’d like to be that guy, but then life shows up with a to-do list and says, “Not today.”

Here’s what I’ve learned about myself: when the schedule gets tight, my workout is the first thing to go. Not because I don’t care—but because I default to everything and everyone else. That’s why I don’t work out in a regular gym, and instead, I train in someone’s garage. (Yes, I have a trainer. No, it’s not as expensive as you’d think. More on that in a future post.) But the real trick? When I make an appointment with another person, I show up. No questions asked. That’s just how I’m wired.

Now, back to the bike.

Full disclosure: I never wanted a Peloton. We bought it for my wife, who actually likes spin classes. I was resistant. It looked like another trendy piece of gear destined to become an expensive clothes hanger. But eventually, I caved. I hopped on one day, earbuds in, and... I liked it. Like, actually liked it.

You have to find your instructors. You need the right music. But once you do, there’s something magic about tuning out the world and sweating it out in the bonus room.

And no, this isn’t some paid Peloton pitch. This is a pitch for you to make time for you. Whether it’s on a bike, with a trainer, or just walking your dog—whatever. Just make the time.

If you’re already on Peloton and want to connect (and maybe hold me accountable?), look me up: Game0nPeloton (with a zero). It’s always better to ride together, especially when life keeps throwing curveballs.

See you on the leaderboard.