g’day
i’m back. and it’s been several weeks since the last email.
what took me so long?
well… i am a big believer in tools down. in taking leave.
disclaimer: i am lucky enough right now to have enough funds to have a buffer, and a flexible leave budget. i am aware this is rare.
and yet despite this… since i was a uni grad and on $55k, i have always had strong views on leave.
i believe most people take leave wrong.
if a professional athlete strains a hamstring, they are out for several weeks, no questions.
but why, as professionals - keyboard operators, tradies, founders - do we push on?
what happens when you play at 70%?
output drops, creativity dies, risk of more serious mental injury emerges.
i used to think burnout was a crock: harden up, cup of concrete, etc.
but i’ve spun wheels enough over the years that i’ve changed my mind.
when i’m really inspired and building, i can literally feel myself getting high.
i’m learning to temper that, as i burn out every three months if i’m going properly hard.
the truth is, some people run hot based on how their nervous system is wired. other people can go 6 months or more without frying.
rule of thumb: if you never need recovery, you’re probably not pushing.
if you always need recovery, you’re pushing wrong.
my view now is that life should be a series of sprints.
progress isn’t linear. creativity, motivation and opportunities come in bursts. that’s life.
the goal here is to make sure you’re 100% fit when you need to go hard.
so what’s my leave doctrine?
take more unpaid leave.
(i have been doing this since i was 21 and on $55k p.a.)
people massively underestimate how annoying it is for an employer to find your replacement. which is exactly why employees are scared to ask for more time off. they think they’ll be seen as weak or inconvenient.
in an era of forced leave and rigid structures, it’s time to fight back.
if you have even a little buffer and some savings, going into negative leave is massively underrated. it is a great use of funds, for the creativity, perspective and opportunities it unlocks.
the grail is to create a rhythm where you take 3 weeks every 6 months, and suddenly you’re getting 6 weeks of proper holiday a year, instead of the sad little 2 weeks outside xmas-new years most people put up with.
the 3 week sweet spot
to maximise the impact of leave, you need to a) keep it hygienic, and b) maximise the length.
that means: no email, no computers when on leave. if you’re half thinking, you’re not recovering.
serious stuff can be triaged via message or call. but as a last resort: your company will live.
there are the hacks everyone knows: take back-to-back days. stack weekends. maximise public holidays.
but the key thing is: aim for 3 weeks minimum, if you can.
i’ve found it takes about 12-14 days to actually switch the brain off and reset.
then the third week is where you properly relax.
and if you’ve got kids and you’re parenting while “off work”, without childcare, that third week is even more critical.
you don’t just need time off work. you need time for your nervous system to heal.
turn gaps into proper breaks:
if you have the buffer, you are mad not to turn job changes or redundancies into career breaks.
3 weeks to several months. again, if you can.
this is where true creativity and perspective emerges. the best ideas i’ve ever had came in these breaks, even when i was living in a sharehouse and eating 2 minute noodles.
so here’s to a big 2026 to all my readers.
a hard-earned thirst, etc.
enjoy your tools down.
charlie
ps – i’m going hard on youtube this year, doubling down. so i’m hiring a sydney-based video editor / producer to sit next to me and work a couple of days a week. know anyone? i would be grateful for intros! please share the job ad here
