You’re staring down two weeks of annual leave, but instead of excitement, you’re flooded with guilt. You worry about leaving colleagues in the lurch, wonder if the pre-holiday chaos is worth it and  you ask yourself: Will I actually be able to switch off? You’re not alone. According to Breathe HR, 35% of UK workers take fewer holidays than they used to, despite being more burned out than ever.

For ambitious women, the pressure to always be “on” is uniquely intense. But switching off isn’t indulgent—it’s essential. In fact, stepping away may be the smartest career move you can make.

You make the best decisions when you’re unplugged

New York Times bestselling author Mel Robbins has spoken at length about the transformative power of stepping away, noting that many people make life-changing decisions while on holiday. Have you ever been mulling over a pivot in your career or wondering whether you should really take that promotion, but just haven’t had the bandwidth to give that decision the time and attention it deserves? Travelling and physically getting away from work can help free up the mental space to make the decisions that can propel us in the direction we truly want to go in. I’m sure many of us can relate to that feeling of strolling through a new city and questioning whether what we’ve been doing for so long is actually fulfilling us. Getting some distance can give us new perspectives.

The burnout problem is real

We keep hearing the term “burnout” thrown around again and again, but when 94% of women experience high or extreme levels of pressure or stress in the past year, compared to 89% of men, it’s clear it’s something we should be paying attention to, rather than just another buzzword. Travel offers an antithesis to this epidemic. Not only does scheduling out-of-office time force us to rest, but it also gives us a chance to engage our senses, which can help us be more mindful. Whether you’re admiring architecture, slowing down for a stroll or trying a local delicacy, these experiences offer a rare chance to tune into how we feel without urgency, expectation, or performance. And equally important, we’re making time for pockets of joy which can be hard to come by when navigating the slope down into burnout.

Travel disrupts our day to day

Women are often the ones who carry invisible labour at home, at work and in relationships. Research shows women are more likely to take on non-promotable tasks that drain time without advancing careers. But, travel can shake us out of autopilot. Interestingly, 84% of solo travellers are women and the desire for women to take a break from their responsibilities, and immerse themselves in a new place or culture, is only growing! This kind of travel helps to build a sense of confidence that we can take back to our everyday lives. 

Keeping us curious

Travel naturally sparks curiosity by immersing us in unfamiliar cultures and ways of life. It reminds us that there’s no single “right” way to live, work, or even relax. Exposure to new art, food, languages, and traditions awakens our senses and stimulates creative thinking. Bringing that curiosity back to work can be transformative. It helps us approach challenges with fresh eyes, stay open to new ideas, and collaborate more effectively across teams. When we experience firsthand that problems can be solved differently in different places, we start to question our own assumptions and that’s where real innovation begins.

The most successful women aren’t the ones who never stop. They’re the ones who know when to pause. So go ahead and set the OOO. You’ll come back not just rested, but ready for your next step.