Most people say they’re taking a break — but the truth is, they’re just working from somewhere prettier. If you’ve ever come back from a vacation, long weekend, or staycation and still felt exhausted, you’re not alone. Real rest isn’t about time off — it’s about how you use it. In this Focus–Align–Act supplement, we break down how to reset your rhythms, set boundaries with intention, and actually decompress — whether you’re heading to the beach, staying home, or just looking to make the most of your Saturday.
By the way - I'm on vacation right now (when you get this) ... so I wrote this three weeks ago!
In this week's Paper Napkin Wisdom Weekly:
- TL:DR
- Paper Napkin Wisdom Preview
- You Left… But Did You Really Step Away?
- Focus–Align–Act: “Make It A Great Escape!"
- The Gratitude Ritual: A Paper Napkin Wisdom Guide
- Week in Review
- Try our NEW Digital Program FREE (usually $200 value)
TL;DR – Step Away, Don’t Just Step Out
It’s not about taking time off — it’s about taking time on purpose.
🧭 FOCUS
You didn’t book time off to think about work the whole time.
You did it to reset, recharge, and come back better.
But stepping away doesn’t just happen — you have to practice it.
Rest is not the absence of effort… it’s the presence of intention.
🔹 Key Question: What kind of energy do I want to return with?
🔹 Napkin Thought: “Breaks don’t refuel you — what you do on your break does.”
🎯 ALIGN
If your rest is ruled by routines, devices, or obligations… you won’t feel renewed.
Instead of defaulting to busy, choose deliberate recovery.
Use the 5-step process:
- Tech Time-Out
- No Phones at Night
- Prioritize Sleep
- Start Outside
- Break the Pattern
🔹 Reframe: “If I’m not producing… I’m falling behind”
→ becomes → “When I recharge, I return with more to give.”
🔹 Mantra: “I create space to come back stronger.”
🚀 ACT
Here’s how to take what you’ve learned and actually make it stick:
🔹 Choose Your Rhythm Reset:
Pick one of the 5 steps and try it for just one weekend or your next day off. No pressure to do it all — just pick one.
🔹 Block the Buffer:
Add 2–3 hours of transition time after your break — so you don’t go straight from vacation brain to inbox chaos.
🔹 Set Your Intention Visibly:
Write your break’s goal or feeling on a paper napkin. Keep it on your desk, mirror, or dashboard as a reminder.
🔁 REMEMBER:
You don’t need to escape your life to restore your energy — you just need to interrupt the autopilot.
Rest well. Return on purpose. Repeat.
Paper Napkin Wisdom Podcast Preview
This is the only place where we give you a sneak peek into what's coming up on Paper Napkin Wisdom. Remember to share this with anyone who needs to hear these messages.
Episode 271: Michael Walsh - Freedom Series, Part 11. Because real freedom is a journey, not a destination. Michael returns with powerful new insights on leadership, leverage, and legacy.
Episode 272: Rainier Mallol - AI meets empathy. Rainier shares how he's using predictive tech to transform global health—and why solving big problems starts with human connection.
Episode 273: Jessica Fabus Cheng - Change the rules, change the game. Jessica reveals what it takes to disrupt legacy industries, lead with clarity, and carve your own lane with confidence.
Episode 274: Michael Walsh Freedom Series Pt. 12:
The evolution continues. In this chapter, Michael explores the connection between freedom and focus—and why designing your time is the ultimate act of leadership.
Episode 275: Jeff Wetzler - Jeff mpowers leaders to uncover hidden truths—asking the right questions in a safe, curious way so that the real ideas, concerns, and insights in your team emerge and drive smarter decisions and breakthrough impact.
Episode 276: Courtney Ramsey - equips us with practical skills in people management, conflict resolution, and strategic alignment to help teams thrive and retention improve.
Episode 277: Michael Walsh Freedom Series Pt. 13:
Dive into what it really means to grow managers — not just as high-performing individuals, but as multipliers of people. We draw distinction between managing for personal results and managing through others to scale impact and build sustainable success.
Episode 278: Rhett Power, co-founder of Wild Creations and a globally recognized author, speaker and coach, Rhett brings powerful insights on what it takes to build teams that thrive.
Episode 279: Steven Langer, CEO of Well by Design team, he brings expertise in and thoughtful solutions that support independence and quality of life for everyone.
Stay connected with Paper Napkin Wisdom on Apple, YouTube, and Spotify to be the first to hear these incredible episodes!
You Left… But Did You Really Step Away?
How to Actually Unplug on Vacation, Staycation — or Just a Weekend
Summer’s here.
And like a lot of leaders, you probably booked some time off. Maybe you went away. Maybe you’re doing a staycation. Maybe you’re just trying to squeeze more presence into your weekend.
But here’s a question: Did you actually take a break… or just relocate your stress?
Here’s what I mean.
Most people don’t take breaks — they just change scenery. They get away, sure, but it takes a day or two to wind down, and then a day or two to wind back up… so when did they actually rest?
I’ve lived this. I’ve done the “out of office” grind with my brain still half-logged in. But I’ve also learned something important: rest is a skill. And it’s one we can practice.
Whether you’ve got 10 days away, a long weekend at home, or just a quiet Saturday — the same principles apply. These aren’t vacation-only tools. They’re life tools.
Here’s my five-step method to decompress faster and more fully — no matter where you are.
1. Create a Container for Technology
The concept: Work will bleed into everything unless you create clear boundaries. Set a short window — 15 minutes max — if you have to check in. Then shut it all down.
- Vacation example: Leave your laptop at home. Check email once after lunch, then log off for the day.
- Staycation example: Put your phone on “do not disturb” during meals or when you go for a walk in your neighborhood.
- Weekend example: Give yourself a no-email Saturday. Let the group chat wait until Sunday night. Try half a day without screens.
Why it matters: Presence is permission-based. And most of us never actually give ourselves permission to stop.
2. No Phones at Night
The concept: Blue light, endless scrolling, and late-night news or notifications hijack your ability to recharge. Sleep is where your nervous system repairs.
- Vacation example: Leave your phone in the hotel safe or in another room. Use a paperback book and a bedside lamp instead.
- Staycation example: Plug your phone in downstairs at 8pm. Grab a journal or play a board game with your family.
- Weekend example: Try one “tech-free” night. No Netflix, no socials — just you, a book, maybe a walk, maybe a real conversation.
Why it matters: Stillness is a discipline. If we can’t unplug at night, we’re never fully offline.
3. Prioritize Sleep Like It’s a Superpower
The concept: Rest isn’t weakness. It’s your edge. You’ll think better, feel better, be better.
- Vacation example: Sleep in. Nap. Go to bed early with no alarm set. That’s not laziness — it’s leadership.
- Staycation example: Let yourself wake up naturally at least once. Give yourself a long morning with no calendar.
- Weekend example: Trade one night out for one night in. Or even just get to bed an hour earlier on Sunday — you’ll feel the difference Monday.
Why it matters: Energy is the true resource we’re managing. And sleep is the cheapest, most effective recharge we’ve got.
4. Start the Day Outside
The concept: Before you reach for a screen, step outside. Your body needs light. Your soul needs air. Your mind needs margin.
- Vacation example: Take a 30-minute walk every morning. Drink your coffee outside. Listen to the wind, not your podcast.
- Staycation example: Water the plants. Walk the dog. Sit in the backyard. Start your day with movement and sunlight.
- Weekend example: Try a Saturday sunrise walk. No headphones. Just quiet. Just breath.
Why it matters: Nature grounds us. Light resets us. And movement shifts our emotional state — instantly.
5. Break the Routine on Purpose
The concept: If you want a different feeling, you need a different rhythm. Shake things up.
- Vacation example: Skip the itinerary for a day. Eat dinner at 4pm. Wear something fun. Say yes to something random.
- Staycation example: Don’t “catch up” on chores. Go to a museum. Take a nap at 2pm. Pretend you’re a tourist in your own city.
- Weekend example: Cancel something you didn’t really want to do. Make pancakes. Watch a movie in the middle of the afternoon.
Why it matters: Our brains are wired to seek comfort in routine — but rest often lives in the interruptions to it.
Real Talk: I Wrote This 3 Weeks Ago
Right now, I’m on vacation. But I’m not behind.
I made a list of what I needed to do for the week before I left, the week I’d be away, and the week after I got back. Then, I chipped away at it over the last three weeks — just a little extra each day. No stress. No scramble.
The work’s done. I’m here. I’m resting.
You can do that too. With a little planning and some new rhythms, you don’t need a remote island to unplug. You just need the courage to slow down.
✳️ FOCUS–ALIGN–ACT
“Make It A Great Escape”
🔍 FOCUS
Shift from Presence by Proximity to Presence by Intention
“Just because you’re not working doesn’t mean you’re resting.”
Whether it’s a vacation, a staycation, or just the weekend, stepping away physically doesn’t guarantee a mental reset. We often carry our habits, devices, and stress with us — and then wonder why we come back feeling just as drained.
To focus with clarity:
- Redefine rest. It’s not doing nothing — it’s doing what restores you.
- Name your distractions. Know what actually pulls you back into the work loop (email? messages? FOMO?).
- Set your intention before your out-of-office. If you don’t define the break, default habits will define it for you.
Napkin Insight: What’s the story you tell yourself about taking time off — and is it helping you, or holding you hostage?
🧭 ALIGN
Reset Expectations, Rhythms, and Responsibility
“Stepping away is only a break if your mind goes with you.”
Too many entrepreneurs and leaders “take time off” while secretly staying online, “just in case.” This creates misalignment — with your team, your family, and your nervous system.
To align with purpose:
- Communicate your boundaries. Let your team know when you’re off, what’s covered, and what isn’t.
- Coordinate before you disconnect. Make a rolling plan for the week before, during, and after — not just the days you're gone.
- Model recovery. Your people take their cues from you. If you rest well, they will too.
Napkin Insight: What expectations have you not clearly reset — with yourself or others — that are keeping you tied to work even when you’re “off”?
🛠 ACT
Build Rhythms That Support Recovery
“You don’t need more time — you need better transitions.”
Leaders often struggle not with the absence of work, but with the presence of pressure. That’s why it’s critical to create simple rituals that reinforce your rest.
To act with intention:
-
Use the 5 Breakthrough Rituals:
- Set a short tech check-in window — and close the loop when it ends.
- Power down all devices 2 hours before bed.
- Sleep longer than normal — and nap without guilt.
- Start the day outside with light movement and water.
- Do one thing that breaks your normal rhythm — on purpose.
- Pre-load your operational work. Like I did: spread it out over 2–3 weeks before you leave. It takes less effort than it seems.
- Re-entry buffer. Don’t book meetings your first morning back. Give yourself room to land before you start sprinting again.
Napkin Insight: What one small action could you take this week to create more space for rest — even if it’s just on a Saturday?
Final Thought:
You don’t need to fly across the world to feel free.
You just need to give yourself permission to slow down — and the structure to support it.
Write your Rest Ritual on a napkin.
Share it with #PaperNapkinWisdom.
Let’s normalize recovery, one intention at a time.
The Paper Napkin Wisdom Gratitude Ritual
We believe wisdom should be simple, powerful, and shareable — and that’s exactly what this is.
Introducing The Paper Napkin Wisdom Gratitude Ritual — your step-by-step blueprint to turning any dinner table into a space of deeper connection, shared wisdom, and lasting memories. Whether it's Thanksgiving, a team offsite, or a quiet evening with loved ones, this guide makes it easy for anyone to lead a meaningful moment.
🖊️ Just grab some napkins and pens — we’ll take care of the rest.
For a limited time, we’re offering this at 50% off — only $2.50. Why? Because we want more families, teams, and circles of friends to start traditions that truly matter.
Create a memory. Start a tradition. Make it stick — one napkin at a time.
Week in Review
In Episode 269, bestselling author and financial advisor Derek Coburn challenges the outdated notion of retirement, urging listeners to stop deferring joy and start designing a life worth living now. Drawing from his latest book Let’s Retire Retirement, Derek reframes retirement as a mindset—not an end goal—and offers practical steps like micro-retirements, intentional pauses, and integrating joy into everyday life. With decades of experience advising high-performers, he emphasizes that fulfillment comes from curiosity, contribution, and connection—not from waiting for someday. This episode is a powerful call to rethink success, legacy, and how we spend our best years.
In Episode 270, David Umansky, CEO and co-founder of Civic Builders, delivers a powerful two-word call to action: Be bold. But his message goes far beyond inspiration—it’s a framework for designing meaningful change. From transforming school infrastructure to scaling equity through system-level solutions, David shares how boldness is about purpose, humility, and action. He reveals how Civic Builders de-risks innovation, builds scalable impact, and listens deeply to evolve with the communities they serve. This episode challenges leaders to redefine boldness—not as recklessness, but as the courage to build with intention.
Want every episode and exclusive bonus content? The only place to get the full Freedom by Design series is by subscribing to Paper Napkin Wisdom—unlock the roadmap to reclaiming your time, impact, and joy, one napkin at a time.
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