Here's how you can manage guilt or pressure when taking personal time off as a media production worker.

It's not just mobile phones that need batteries, we do too! We need to recharge. For various reasons. One of them is that we'll probably even become better professionals! And why is that? Because by being in a calmer, in a more relaxed state of mind, our work will eventually become better!

Sometimes its important to look inward, we all need to recharge batteries at some point. No reason to feel badly about taking some time, especially when you think of all the long days, extra hours in the pitch, the edit or on the shoot!

The workload in media production, especially as a producer, is enormous. Reflecting on my freelance days, I often worked 200% of a usual week, including weekends and nights, juggling multiple projects simultaneously. Working for a film company can be even more intense, as saying no to projects or taking breaks is rarely an option. It's crucial to recognize signs of burnout early. I used to take a week off after major media projects to rest and recharge. Others may work half a year and then take time off. Find what works for you. Listen to your body, take breaks before it's too late, and maintain healthy habits on set. Your well-being should stand first.

Planning is the key to everything, right? Whether it's a holiday, everyday life or even (as in this case) work! With time, everything can be done. By knowing in advance which days we will (and need to!) stop, we can anticipate work and, more importantly, delegate if necessary.

Personal time is essential, not only because as human beings we need to rest, but because it will most likely enhance our work when we return, relaxed and with more energy and commitment. What is an emergency? When can I be contacted if I'm on holiday? Defining these criteria is the key to an invigorating period off and a return to work with full power!

If you have a good idea of what's coming you can plan or assign people to things. Perhaps you need to get in someone to help over a time when there are a lot of people on leave and it suddenly got busier than expected? If it's complex, setup a meeting to take them through the nuances of the task/project.

You have to trust. Trust that the time we need on holiday is a necessity, that the world will continue to turn without our presence and that those who will replace us during our absence are just as, if not more, capable than us!

In our industry particularly I think its fair to say, MOST of us work REALLY hard. So when it comes to have some time off, it is usually well needed, and well deserved. If it is truly urgent and you can't get what you need, I am a phone call or message away. But usually I have a very detailed handover with all current and pending things laid out and instructions so that there is not normally a need to contact me. Setup an auto response to your mails so any queries and clients know whom to speak with in your absence.

Trust. Trusting that everything will work out during our absence is one of the important points so that we can really ‘switch off’ from work during vacations and get the well-deserved break that is so essential for all of us. Stopping, sometimes, is the right way to move on more quickly!