‘Freizeitstress’: Why leaders struggle to switch off—and how to truly rest this summer
You have finally closed the laptop. Your out-of-office reply is on, your diary is empty, and the summer break you have been looking forward to has begun. So why can’t you relax? Instead of relief, you feel restless. You check your phone. You begin planning activities. Perhaps you tell yourself that you are only monitoring an important project, yet within minutes you are back inside the world you…
The stress associated with free time, known as Freizeitstress, impacts leaders more acutely due to their reliance on work for structure, status, and a sense of purpose. When work demands temporarily cease, leaders can feel adrift without the mental stimulation that work provides. Consequently, rest can become a performance goal rather than a genuine opportunity for recovery.
Leaders often treat their vacations like work by scheduling activities and monitoring their phone for potential work-related tasks. This mindset keeps them mentally present in the professional sphere, even when they are physically away. This phenomenon can be attributed to an unconscious fear of free time, perfectionism, and the fear of falling behind.
The solution lies not in imposing a digital detox or creating a perfect relaxation routine, but rather in embracing the discomfort that comes with a pause. Leaders should use this time to ask themselves three questions: Who am I? This involves recognizing the identity tied to their work title and responsibilities and identifying the parts of themselves that have been overshadowed by their professional lives.
Next, leaders should contemplate the question, Why am I here? This inquiry is about identifying what truly matters and what they want to contribute. It encourages them to look beyond their professional obligations and consider the people and activities that hold genuine value for them.
Finally, leaders must reflect on the question, How will I live? This question involves considering ways to integrate insights gained during the break into their daily lives. This could mean setting boundaries, removing recurring meetings, or designating time for uninterrupted thought and reflection.
Embracing this approach means that rest does not have to be uncomfortable. It is an essential opportunity to reconnect with oneself, reset perspectives, and return to work with renewed clarity and purpose. The summer break should not be viewed as another performance target, but rather as an invaluable chance to step away from the demands of work and reconnect with the authentic self.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
