Don’t Drift Through Summer. Design It.

By Scott Rechler

Summer changes the rhythm of work. People take vacations, offices empty out on Fridays, deals take longer to close, and everything seems to move a little slower. For leaders who thrive on momentum, that can be frustrating. There are plenty of Friday afternoons when I’m trying to move something across the finish line and can’t get someone on the phone. Business doesn’t stop simply because the calendar says it’s summer.

That’s why clarity becomes even more important during this season. When the pace around you slows, you need to be crystal clear about what actually matters. Your team should know the priorities, understand the timelines, and stay focused on the work that moves the business forward. Otherwise, important projects can quietly disappear into what I think of as the “summer malaise.”

At the same time, summer offers something that’s just as valuable: the opportunity to recharge. Too often, we think of taking time off as the opposite of productivity. In reality, the ability to step away, reset, and return with fresh energy is part of performing at your best.

I’ve learned that longer vacations don’t always accomplish that for me. The longer I’m away, the more I start thinking about what I’m missing and how much work will be waiting when I return. Instead, I’ve found that shorter, intentional breaks—a long weekend or a few days away—often leave me feeling more energized than disappearing for weeks at a time.

What matters isn’t the length of the vacation. It’s the intention behind it.

One lesson I’ve learned over the years is that vacations deserve just as much thought as work does. We spend hours planning meetings, projects, and deadlines, yet many people approach their time off with no plan at all. Then they wonder why they don’t feel refreshed when it’s over.

When I plan time away, I ask myself what will actually make it rewarding. Sometimes that’s reading books I wouldn’t normally have time for. Other times it’s exploring a new place, exercising, spending uninterrupted time with family, cooking, or simply experiencing something different. The goal isn’t to do nothing. The goal is to come back with more energy than you left with.

There’s an important difference between relaxing and feeling rewarded. Relaxation is passive. Reward comes from experiences that engage you, challenge you, or reconnect you with the people and activities that matter most. Those experiences tend to restore us in a much deeper way.

The beauty of summer is that you don’t always need a full vacation to create those moments. A slower Friday, leaving the office a little earlier, having more relaxed conversations with colleagues, or creating space to think instead of constantly reacting can all help you reset. If you’re intentional about them, those small moments can have an outsized impact.

Everyone recharges differently. Some people need longer vacations to fully disconnect. Others, like me, find that shorter breaks fit better with the rhythm of work and life. Neither approach is right or wrong. The important thing is understanding what actually leaves you feeling energized.

Time off shouldn’t simply happen. It should be designed with purpose. Because the people who come back with the most energy aren’t always the ones who took the longest vacations. They’re the ones who made the most of the time they had.