The Discipline of Stepping Away: Why Creating Space Might Be the Boldest Move You Make
If You Can’t Step Away From Your Business, It’s a Leadership Problem
I practiced what I teach.
And I’ll admit, it made me a little nervous.
For my entire career, since becoming an entrepreneur in 2003, I’ve worked through every vacation. Not in an overwhelming, burnout-inducing way. But consistently. Predictably. A check-in every day. An hour here, a quick response there.
Just enough to never fully step away.
And if I’m being honest, I told myself that was balance. At times, it was out of balance. It did consume more than one vacation when something went really sideways.
But maybe the point is that it’s all out of balance.
The Vacation Practice I’ve Been Avoiding
Last month, I headed out on an adventure I’ve dreamed about for a long time.
Just me and four girlfriends.
Structured for fun and cultural immersion. And for part of the trip, no cell service.
Because I didn’t know exactly when that would happen, I made a decision that felt bigger than it should.
I unplugged completely for 10 days.
No email.
No “quick check-ins.”
No staying loosely tethered to work.
A full stop.
Why This Feels So Uncomfortable
You’d think this would feel easy by now.
It doesn’t.
The week or so leading up to travelling, I felt the tension:
What if someone needs me?
What if I miss something important?
What if things don’t run as smoothly without me?
But underneath all of that is a deeper truth.
I’ve trained myself always to be available.
And now, I’m asking myself to do the opposite.
That’s not just a logistical shift. It’s an identity shift.
The Lie of “Staying Lightly Connected”
So many of us tell ourselves:
“I’m not really working—I’m just checking in.”
But those small check-ins?
They keep your brain tethered.
They prevent full rest.
They keep you in a constant state of low-grade vigilance.
You never fully exhale.
And without that exhale, something critical is missing.
Space.
Why Space Is a Growth Strategy
We often think growth comes from doing more.
More strategy.
More action.
More optimization.
But the next level, the one that changes your business and your life, often requires something uncomfortable.
Less.
Less noise.
Less input.
Less constant output.
Because space is where:
Clarity sharpens
Creativity returns
Better decisions get made
You reconnect with what really matters
For women leading businesses, teams, and families, this isn’t indulgent.
It’s essential.
The Real Work Isn’t What You Think
It’s easy to believe the hard work is in the doing.
But often, the harder work is in the not doing.
Trusting your team.
Trusting your systems.
Trusting that everything won’t fall apart without you.
And maybe most importantly.
Trusting that you don’t have to earn your rest.
This Is My Experiment
This trip wasn’t just a vacation.
It was an experiment in:
Letting go of control
Redefining productivity
Creating real space
I didn’t know exactly how it would feel when I’m in it.
But I did know this:
If I want to continue growing personally and professionally, I need to build the muscle of stepping away.
Because the woman who builds the next level of my life and business?
She doesn’t operate in a state of constant reactivity.
She creates space and leads from it.
A Question for You
How do you manage your vacations?
Do you fully unplug?
Stay lightly connected?
Or find yourself working more than you planned?
And maybe the more important question:
What would it take for you to create real space, not just on vacation, but in your life?
If You’re Ready to Create Space (Without Everything Falling Apart)
This is exactly the work we do inside Pocket Coaching.
Because creating space isn’t just about turning off your phone for 10 days.
It’s about:
Building a business that doesn’t rely on your constant presence
Strengthening your decision-making so you trust what happens when you step away
Breaking the patterns that keep you over-functioning
Pocket Coaching gives you direct, real-time support to:
Work through the decisions you’re avoiding
Set boundaries that hold
Build the kind of leadership that creates both growth and space
If this blog hit a nerve, it’s probably time.
Press the button below to book a free 30-minute call with me and kickstart your process to creating space.
Let’s create the space you’ve been putting off.
