When the vacations roll round, many professionals discover themselves in work limbo, uncertain of once they can actually unplug from the job. For CEOs, the final stretch of 2025 is not any completely different: Many discover it exhausting to step away from work, particularly as companies increase through the festive season. However chief executives are taking again their vacation downtime with small wins of their work-life preparations.
Regardless of the vacation season clearing out workplaces, sending hundreds on trip, and shutting down shops early, CEOs inform Fortune their work lives are nonetheless intense. Most say they’ll by no means actually unplug from the job, all the time on name if enterprise beckons them again to their laptops. However leaders are nonetheless discovering little methods to catch a breather from being CEO. Cooking helps one chief government join together with his household, whereas one other swears by the vacation season as a “utterly sacred” time to unplug and decide up a guide.
CEOs inform Fortune completely unwinding through the vacation season is simpler mentioned than completed, however they’re making it work by setting these boundaries:
One week of adventures and no set conferences
“To some extent, as a founder & CEO of a big and fast-growing firm, particularly one answerable for affected person well being and outcomes, I’m on 24/7, and I will be reached anytime with out boundaries,” mentioned Sami Inkinen, the CEO and cofounder of Virta Well being Group. “My unplugging is extra every day in that I allocate time for sports activities (particularly biking, my pastime), my household, and my partner.”
“I do attempt to have every week or so with out organized work conferences,” Inkinen continued. “Typically this week contains backcountry adventures the place I can’t be reached, [for example], path operating within the Himalayas in Nepal.”
Cooking for his household
“I’m within the restaurant trade—there isn’t a unplugging—however on a severe word, unplugging for me is cooking. I’m all the time cooking, particularly with my youngsters. I’ve 5, I’m all the time plugged in,” mentioned Derrick Hayes, the CEO and founding father of Huge Dave’s Cheesesteaks.
Two hours of no cellphone time
“I actually strive my hardest to place my cellphone down for a minimum of two hours a day. For me, that actually helps me actually unplug, recharge and spend devoted and high quality time with my household,” mentioned Seth Berkowitz, the CEO and founding father of Insomnia Cookies.
Energetic ‘Preserve the Lights On’ mode
“We’re a small crew and everybody wears loads of hats, so I attempt to make the vacations really feel as restful as attainable. We do one thing we name KTLO—’Preserve the Lights On.’ Mainly, we cancel all inner conferences and restrict exterior ones so folks can truly step away,” mentioned Ryan Lupberger, the CEO and founding father of Clear Cult.
“The one expectation is to remain on high of electronic mail and Slack so nothing pressing slips via,” Lupberger mentioned. “It offers everybody room to breathe and be with household, whereas nonetheless preserving the enterprise operating at a degree that works for a lean crew. It’s been a very nice steadiness for us.”
Drowning the noise with snowboarding and Legos
“I unplug by creating moments that really feel shielded from the noise of the world,” mentioned Ricardo Amper, the CEO and founding father of Incode. “My mornings begin with quiet and low earlier than my cellphone wakes up. That hour resets me. Once I go snowboarding, I disconnect utterly as a result of the mountain calls for my full consideration. And at residence, my daughter pulls me into her world.”
“It’s not possible to consider deepfakes whereas we construct a Lego tower collectively. These easy moments hold me grounded,” Amper added.
Actually unplugging with books
“For me, the vacation season is totally sacred—I take this break day and actually unplug. Within the week between Christmas and New Yr’s, I step away utterly and steep myself in studying, strolling the canine and connecting with folks outdoors of labor,” mentioned Sarah Chavarria, the CEO and president of Delta Dental. “Boundaries matter—and honoring them is important to how I keep balanced.”
Annual Costa Rica journey
“I all the time return to my motherland, Costa Rica, for the vacations to spend time with household and associates,” mentioned Alvaro Luque, the CEO and president of Avocados from Mexico.
“Whereas I cherish each second, to be sincere, I don’t unplug that a lot,” Luque admitted. “I examine my messages and electronic mail daily. I’m all the time near the operation—particularly this time of 12 months, when guac consumption is up within the U.S., Faculty Soccer Playoffs are in full swing and Tremendous Bowl hype ramps up. I get pleasure from working, so it’s a superb steadiness for me to do it from a rustic I like a lot.”
Choose hours on-line
“I don’t actually consider in utterly unplugging,” mentioned Cesar Carvalho, the CEO and cofounder of Wellhub. “What works higher for me is integration. I coordinate schedules with my crew and household forward of time so everybody is aware of what to anticipate, and I hold a few hours every day after I’m out there if one thing pressing comes up.”
“I discover this strategy extra sensible and fewer traumatic than attempting to be ‘all in’ on one factor or one other,” Carvalho continued. “The identical manner I don’t need to solely work throughout work days, I don’t need to completely disconnect throughout break day. It’s extra about discovering concord between work and life.”
