The Illusion of Rest: When Time Off Isn’t Time Off

Hello, LinkedIn! Welcome to my very first LinkedIn Newsletter.

I’m Laurie McGinley, and I’m super f’n magic. What does that mean? It means we can go way faster on the path to transformation because I can feel what you feel and we don't have to waste time talking about that. I work with World Changers including climate leaders, high-achieving dreamers, and impact changemakers to help them stop surviving their way to success.

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How to stop pretending to take time off

It’s that time of year. The lights are up, the snow is falling (if you’re lucky), and everyone swears they’re taking time off. Maybe you post the annual family photo—everyone smiling, everyone relaxed. You even caption it with something appropriately festive and vague: Grateful for a little rest and reset.

But it’s not the full story, is it?

Because if you’re being honest, that photo is the only truly calm moment of the day. The rest? A flurry of trying to relax but failing miserably. Stressing about work while you try not to stress about work. Snapping at your inner circle loved ones because you should be enjoying this time together, but you can’t seem to get there. Scrolling through emails on your phone, swearing it’s just a quick peek. And then… eff it, you’re opening your laptop. Maybe you’re even drafting responses—scheduling them to “send later” so you can keep up the illusion of vacation.

If this sounds like you, congratulations: you’re a closeted workaholic. And how can you not be? You’re doing work that really, truly matters in this world and you can’t ignore the fact that the world is on fire.?

Saving the world, one burnout at a time

In the world of climate leadership and sustainability, the stakes are impossibly high. We are not just working on projects or initiatives; we are working to fundamentally change how we live on this beautiful spinning rock. Every hour, every email, every idea feels urgent. How do you hit pause on work that matters this much? How do you justify rest when time feels like it’s running out?

You can’t. Or at least, it feels like you can’t.

The burnout statistics reflect this pressure: 40% of sustainability executives report burnout. That’s nearly half. Almost half of the people charged with leading us toward a livable future are stretched so thin they can barely function. The holidays don’t fix this; they amplify it. The guilt of rest compounds when you work on something as important as the survival of our species and our planet.

Here’s the truth – taking time off is hardest for those of us who love our work and know we’re making a difference. And the even harder truth is that we all feel like we’re alone, because we don’t talk about the fact that taking time off is tough. When someone asks: “How was your vacation?”, we always respond with “Great!!!!!!”?

We know we’re supposed to be grateful for the time off, and we know we’re supposed to have used our time off wisely.

The holidays can be hard, and that’s okay

Let’s stop pretending this season is easy. It’s not. And there’s science behind why it’s not. Cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone, tends to stay elevated during periods of intense work. When you finally step away, your body doesn't immediately relax. It takes time for cortisol levels to stabilize and for your nervous system to downshift.

Research shows that it often takes 2-3 days of rest for cortisol to drop, which explains why the start of a vacation can feel even more stressful as your body transitions out of a heightened state. It’s essentially a physiological “detox” period as your brain and body learn to trust that it's okay to slow down.

The pressure to perform—to rest perfectly, to show up for your loved ones, to stay on top of your mission—is exhausting in its own right. And the truth is, no amount of snow-dusted photos or scheduled “send laters” will change that.

So here’s a radical idea: What if you didn’t hide it? What if you admitted to yourself—and maybe even to your loved ones, your colleagues, your peers—that rest doesn’t come easy for you? That you care so deeply about the work you do that it’s hard to put it down? What if you were honest about how hard it is to let go?

What might change if you can catch yourself surviving your way to a successful vacation and actually slowed down? What might be possible if you asked your loved ones to help you with this??

If you were detoxing from an exogenous substance, would you ask for help? Or just sneak off to take one more dose when you think no one is watching?

Because the first step to finding real rest isn’t faking it. It’s acknowledging how much you need it—and how hard it is to give yourself permission.

What if you tried being kind to yourself as you are easing into your time off? If you can notice that you don't feel well, what if you chose to pamper yourself and choose something new??

I walk super ambitious World Changers, just like you, through the journey to be able to both rest AND hit higher goals than you've ever hit before.?

The two are intertwined and I know the way to get both of them.

If you’re having trouble “unplugging” as you get ready for the holidays, let me help you. Book a 30-minute call with me, or call/text my Google voice number at +1 (612) 504-2180. Text me if you want to talk before the new year – my Calendly is full until Jan 2nd, but I’m around for you. Let’s get you recharged so you’re at the top of your game to do the work that matters in 2025.?