This upcoming week, I’ll be doing something that many professionals struggle to prioritize: fully stepping away from work.
I’ll be disconnecting for a celebratory cruise to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, taking time to rest, reflect, and recharge.
Like many people in leadership roles, taking vacation does not always come naturally. There is always one more email to answer, one more meeting to attend, one more project to move forward. In academic technology and higher education, the work is meaningful, fast-moving, and often deeply connected to the success of students, faculty, and staff. That can make it easy to convince ourselves that now is not the right time to step away.
If I’m being honest, taking vacation can create its own kind of anxiety.
There’s preparation before leaving. Making sure priorities are covered. Wrapping up loose ends. Setting the out-of-office reply. Then there is the knowledge that when I return, the inbox will be full, decisions will be waiting, and there will be people to reconnect with quickly.
Sometimes it feels easier to simply stay connected and skip the time away.
But easier is not always better.
Why Disconnecting Matters
The truth is that rest is not separate from good leadership. It supports it.
When we never pause, we can stay productive while slowly losing perspective. We continue checking boxes, but creativity shrinks. Patience gets thinner. Strategic thinking becomes reactive thinking.
Stepping away creates room to reset.
Time away helps remind us which issues are urgent and which are simply loud. It helps us return with fresh energy and a clearer sense of priorities. It gives us the mental space to think beyond the next message or next meeting.
That kind of reset is valuable for anyone, but especially for leaders responsible for supporting others.
What I’m Looking Forward To
This trip is a celebration, and I’m grateful for the chance to enjoy it.
I’m looking forward to ocean views, sunshine, new experiences, and the opportunity to be fully present with family and the moment. I’m looking forward to not checking notifications every few minutes. I’m looking forward to the mental quiet that comes when you finally let yourself unplug.
Most of all, I’m looking forward to returning renewed.
The emails will still be there. The projects will continue. The priorities will wait their turn.
But I hope to come back with sharper focus, more energy, and gratitude for both the work I do and the life beyond it.
A Reminder for Other Leaders
If you have been delaying time off because work feels too busy, too important, or too dependent on you, consider this your reminder that stepping away can be one of the healthiest decisions you make.
Strong teams and sustainable organizations are not built on constant availability. They are built on trust, planning, and leaders who understand that renewal matters.
This week, I’ll be embracing that reminder myself.
Final Thought
Disconnecting is not abandoning responsibility. It is investing in your ability to carry it well when you return.
If your institution needs help building sustainable academic technology operations, resilient teams, or stronger leadership practices, I’d be glad to help. Contact me for a consultation: https://evinsmj.net/contact/