When I worked in higher ed, the entire university shut down between Christmas Eve and the first Monday after New Years.

Aside from a short stint in an agency job where that was not tenable, I’ve continued to maintain that break. Having two weeks off at the end of the year is one of my favorite things.

There are a few reasons I make space for that break:

1. It’s not totally unreasonable, as there are far, far fewer people working during that time. Most “new” business is on hold until mid-January.
2. My kids have that time off, and I like to spend it with them. Plus, my wife cannot take that time off without using vacation days.
3. It means I don’t have to think about work.

I don’t Have to Work

The operative phrase there is “have to”. Traditionally, I’ve still thought about work, and in-fact, have even stolen a few hours here and there to do some things.

But, crucially, it’s stuff I feel compelled to do. It’s the creative work, the big picture planning, and the small optimizations (I call these the “Honey Do” list of the business).

As you’re reading this, I have 9 working days left in 2025. My first official day out of office is December 19th, to coincide with the last day of school (which is a half day filled with Christmas fun).

So with just over a week, am I freaking out? Nope.

In fact, right before this I planned my week and I struggled to find things to put on my task list. Not because things are slow (anything but); because my systems are working.

I’m ahead on my content schedule, And my team is taking care of anything that’s already recorded and ready to go.

I have a bunch of proposals out for sponsors and clients. And my current client work has a clear schedule for the rest of the year.

How to Prepare

How did I prepare for this? A few ways:

I know at the beginning of the year that there are a few “no work” weeks for me. Any planned vacations, the week of Thanksgiving, and the 2 weeks at the end of the year (counting weekends, the break is 17 days this year).

Those are marked on my calendar as soon as possible, so I will have no meetings then. I also have tasks for 1-2 months out (depending on the length of the break) to communicate to anyone I do work for that I’ll be unavailable.

Then it’s about managing my time and projects. Earlier this year I shared exactly how I did it for my Family Trip to Disney World.

I follow a similar playbook each time. When I’m at home, I shut down my main computer. That means no big work without me willingly turning the machine back on.

Everyone knows I’m OoO. Most people won’t even be able to contact me.

Why This Matters

But why is this important?

Because you need time to recharge. Reset for the year and come back refreshed. Take some time to assess your business.

Because I’m taking this time off, I already have big plans for 2026. I’m launching a new publication. And I’m focusing my services work even further.

I’m not saying don’t work at all — I will invariably do some work. I’ll at least write.

But I’m not on the hook for anything. No one is expecting me to be on calls or deliver goods or services. I’m doing the work I want to do, when I want to do it.

How are you preparing for the break? Are you taking time off? Write back and let me know.