Let’s talk about how easy (or not!) it is to take a break from work…

You work hard all year to earn your holiday that not only is your contractual right, but something your company are actively encouraging you to take wholeheartedly with full disconnection. Last year L’Oréal published its Recovery Pact with a commitment to recharge during holidays “just because you can join remotely doesn’t mean you should”. And I’ve been encouraging my teams to fully disconnect for years.

Ergo, it should be easy to put my work phone down. Especially since I have the ultimate set up… a work phone and a personal phone.

Yet for the last 20 years, I’ve been a “semi-on” kind of girl … and now we have the pick-and-mix of myriad screens… check my emails here (while the kids are playing), reply to a few WhatsApp there (when at the morning bakery), read a couple of articles uploaded on Teams (in the car) … maybe a call or two…

It’s no secret that I love my job, checking in is therefore quite nice. Plus, I don’t have to worry about workload when I get back. Oh and with my Red-Yellow insights profile, this low-level activity reassures my sense of responsibility, my love of results in real time and my passion for always sending the ball back.

Could disconnection be a THE new leadership skill in a world of "Always on"?

Since we’ve been focusing on recovery at work at L’Oreal with the best minds in the world explaining why recovery is essential, I start to wonder if I’m missing out on the secret to true relaxation & the opportunity for deep family connection – followed by the amazing uplift in performance that ensues. ?A well-rested leader is happier, more patient, empathetic, resilient, creative , faster at making decisions… the list goes on. A team also needs to see leaders fully switch off to truly believe it’s not expected of them. It’s the best way to say “You’ve got this.. and I fully trust”.

Therefore For this 1st??holiday in my new role, 6 days in the Alpilles region of France, ?I decided to truly embrace the discipline of recovery.

I’ve got one life. I’m 43 now… I’m bursting with personal passion projects. Plus, my eldest is 10. In less than another 10 year, family holidays won’t look the same. I don’t want to miss a moment.

Not as easy as it sounds to FULLY disconnect. It takes discipline to not get a cheeky email fix when noone’s watching???

So, I’m celebrating:

??The only 3 emails sent in 6 days.

??The muting of all of my professional Whatsapp and Teams groups.

??The discomfort of not replying, and the speed at which it passes.

??The knowledge that topics that are so important that they can’t wait are super rare (not only on this holiday but when I reflect back over the years too).

But also and more critically:

??The feeling of ultimate energy as I return to work today. The confidence that a brain full of ideas and fresh eyes gives you. The calm that this perspective gives you making you more resilient than a few days ago.

??And the best one, “mummy that was the best holiday ever” echoed by all 3 children from the back of car as we pull into the driveway of our new Parisian home.

Did my team miss me?… Not at all. Did I drop a ball? Not at all. Was the day 1 back workload a little overwhelming. Yes but I managed and it was worth it.

So here’s to making Recovery a badge of honor and the norm for my teams & for my family so they don’t have to unlearn bad habits like I do. Unlearning is harder than learning after all. ?

#ArtOfRecovery #NoRecoveryNoPerformance #TeamsDoTheirBestWorkWhenTheyLiveTheirBestLives