You’re not gonna believe this…

For the first time in what feels like forever – I took a proper holiday. Not a business trip disguised as a break. Not a quick 24-hour trip to attend a Villa away match. A full-blown, no-laptop, no-work, feet-up-and-forget-it holiday. And the best part? I didn’t check my emails. Not once.

Now, I know what you’re thinking – “Big deal.” But here’s the thing… I’ve tried before. Loads of times, actually. Told myself I’d step away. Promised I’d leave the laptop zipped up and the inbox untouched. But every time, I caved. A little peek here, a “just-in-case” there… and before I knew it, I was knee-deep in freight quotes and shipping schedules from some sun lounger in Espana. Because deep down, I was worried that I’d miss out on something. That someone would need me and I’d let them down. That if I wasn’t watching, something might slip through the cracks.

But this time? I did it properly. Set the out-of-office. Pointed folks to the right people on the team. Gave them the reins. And then I walked away. Didn’t check my phone. Didn’t “just log in quickly.” Didn’t even open the app. And guess what? The world didn’t end. Freight still moved. Clients were looked after. The business ran beautifully. Because I’ve got a cracking team in place. People I trust. People who care. People who don’t need hand-holding every five minutes. And the truth is, stepping away showed me something I wish I’d learned 10-20 years ago: If your business can’t survive without you for two weeks… you haven’t built a business. You’ve built a trap.

Now, don’t get me wrong – I love what I do. I live and breathe the freight world. But being glued to the job 365 days a year isn’t the badge of honour we make it out to be. It’s just daft. Taking a break is a critical part of being a business owner. And when you do? You come back clearer, fresher, sharper. With more energy. More headspace. 

So if you’re like I was – constantly plugged in, “just in case” – take this as your sign. Book the holiday. Set the out-of-office. Trust your people. And if you’re not there yet? That’s alright. Start small. Build the systems. Nurture your team. Get it ready. Because when you can step away – and everything still ticks over – that’s when you know you’ve built something worth having.