If you’re reading this on December 25th and already feeling the itch to “just check one thing,” this is for you.
For the next seven to ten days, I want to challenge you to do something that’s probably really really hard for you (they are for most founders):
No work
I want you to sit in the discomfort of not working.
For 7-10 days.
Not because you’re lazy.
Not because the business is done.
But because taking a short, intentional break is one of the smartest leadership moves you can make right now.
A real pause lets you:
-
recharge your nervous system
-
gain perspective you can’t access while sprinting
-
come back with clearer judgment, energy, and creativity
What if this week wasn’t lost time - but preparation time?
Why “Balance” Fails - Especially This Week
Let’s get this out of the way: balance isn’t real.
Not in startups anyway. Not in your brain.
When people say “balance,” they mean 50/50.
But startup founders don’t work that way.
If you’re thriving in one area, something else is usually getting less attention.
That’s normal. That’s human.
And if you’re an all-or-nothing person, just like me, this week is especially tricky:
-
When you work, you’re all in
-
When you stop, your mind keeps running (mine does all the time)
So instead of resting, you hover:
-
half-present with family
-
half-checking Slack
-
half-guilty no matter what you choose
I don’t want January 5:th to arrive and you realize:
-
you didn’t fully rest
-
you didn’t fully disconnect
-
and you didn’t fully enjoy the time you’ll never get back
-
And worst of all is if you still feel exhausted when the new year just begun
A One-Week Reset (That Actually Works)
You’re not redesigning your life.
You’re just choosing to use this one week differently.
Here’s how to do it - starting today.
1) Decide your “closed for business” window (today)
Right now, decide:
-
Are you fully off for the next 7–10 days?
-
Or are you working one short, intentional block on one or two days?
Both are fine.
What doesn’t work is constant low-grade working.
If you must work:
-
pick the exact day
-
pick the exact time
-
decide what “done” means
Then stop.
(Founders burn out not from working - but from never being off.)
What decision can you make right now so your brain can relax?
2) Create a “mental off-ramp” for the next 72 hours
Your mind won’t shut off just because your laptop is closed.
So give it somewhere safe to land:
-
write down everything you’re worried about (I call it my Brain dump - and it is magic)
-
list thoughts that keeps pulling you back to the business right now
-
list open loops for January
-
note ideas instead of chasing them
Then tell yourself: “This is handled. I’ll come back to it.”
This is how you stop thinking about work without forcing yourself not to.
3) Protect presence, not productivity
For the next few days, don’t aim to be “efficient.”
Aim to be present.
That means:
-
phones down during meals
-
no “just one email” during conversations
-
no mentally rehearsing investor updates while sitting on the couch
Presence is a muscle - and this week is training.
Because the memories you don’t make during the holidays won’t come back in Q1.
But there will always be one more important task, email…
4) Do one thing each day that actually recharges you
Not “rest” that looks productive.
Real recharge.
Pick one per day:
-
a long walk with no podcast
-
a nap without guilt
-
journaling without an agenda
-
sitting quietly and doing nothing
-
play with your kids without checking the time
This isn’t indulgence.
This is maintenance for your leadership capacity.
I’m curious - What genuinely restores you - not just distracts you?
5) Set up January Future-You (in under 60 minutes)
At some point this week - once, briefly - do this:
(My recommendation is to do it towards the end of this period. Once you have slowed down you will see priorities clearer)
-
Write down:
-
top 3 priorities for January
-
biggest constraint you need to fix
-
one system or habit you’ll simplify
That’s it.
No planning marathon.
No 30-page strategy doc.
Just enough clarity so you can rest without anxiety.
What happens when unplugging
When founders truly unplug for a short, intentional break:
-
Decisions get cleaner
-
less reactivity
-
better prioritization
-
stronger conviction
-
Energy returns faster than expected
-
not because the work disappeared
-
but because the pressure paused
-
January starts with momentum, not recovery
-
you move forward
-
instead of digging yourself out
The Bottom Line
You don’t need months off.
You don’t need perfect balance.
You need one real week.
One week where:
-
the business doesn’t own every thought
-
your nervous system gets a reset
-
you remember why you’re building in the first place
So for the next 7–10 days:
-
choose when you’re off
-
be fully off
-
recharge on purpose
-
and trust that rest is part of the work
Your startup will still be there.
But this week won’t.
Give yourself this one week.
Because in the end, no one ever wished they'd spent more time working themselves to death.
Don't forget - you only get one life.
That's all for this year!
I hope you’ll find some inspiration in this challenge.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year!
See you next year!