"I would tell people to take time off, but my tone was like, "Take only a week," or "take just enough." One of our top-performing employees takes long vacations, but then they're unbelievably productive. I would always be like, "Should you be taking that time off?" I was feeling resentful and annoyed, even though, logically, I shouldn't feel that way. They're so good."
"Reaching 'terminal burnout' I see a lot of people my age focused on achieve, achieve, achieve - get into a great school, get a prestigious job. And then you're in your mid-30s, and you're like, "What am I working toward?" That type of anxiety makes you always look for endorphins and achievement, and that's what I was tortured by a lot on vacation last year."
A New York–based startup CEO struggled with persistent guilt about taking vacation because his entrepreneur father never took time off. He advised employees to take limited PTO while resenting longer absences, especially from high-performing team members. Marriage exposed contrasts in work–life balance, and vacations often brought anxiety and inability to mentally disconnect. He pursued a 10-day silent retreat after reaching a state he describes as terminal burnout, marked by constant achievement-seeking and overwhelm. The retreat changed his perspective on time off, helping him recognize that disconnecting from work can restore presence, productivity, and enjoyment in personal life.
Read at Business Insider
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