Summer Breaks Make Better Entrepreneurs. Here’s Why.
Is your business giving you time for moments like these? The beach days. The backyard giggles. The memories you don’t get a second chance to make. Real growth doesn’t come from non-stop hustle. It comes from strategically building a business that gives you the freedom to LIVE. One that fuels your life, not consumes it.
I was inspired by a recent post from Renee Frojo, where she shared how she intentionally designed her business to take summers off and spend time with her kids. The freedom she’s created? Brilliant. I love that she’s built a business that works for her.
In much of Europe, August is sacred. Shops close. Cities quiet down. People retreat to the coast or countryside. It’s not indulgence. It’s rhythm. A collective understanding that humans need rest. Moreover, the pause doesn’t hurt their momentum. It fuels it.
And, science agrees. A 2021 NIH study found that just two weeks after returning from vacation, participants cited a 15% increase in creativity. A 2025 University of Georgia meta-analysis, spanning 32 studies, found that those who fully unplugged during time off returned with measurably higher productivity and performance.
Meanwhile, here in the US, slowing down feels impossible. We wear burnout like a badge of honor and look down disdainfully upon rest as weakness. The impact? Too many of us push through exhausted, uninspired, and white knuckle our iced coffees like life support.
What if we took a cue from the rest of the world and (gasp) listened to the research?
What if taking a break wasn’t a threat to your success, but the fuel behind it?
What if you designed your business to work for you?
What if August was for sticky popsicles, long days, and loud backyard laughter?
Rest Is the Strategic Move Everyone’s Ignoring
This isn’t just a love letter to summer. (Although I do love summer.) Taking time off is a strategic investment in your business. Stepping back creates space for clarity, creativity, and increased productivity. (You know, the stuff needed for growth...) Pushing through might seem productive, but over time, it leads to burnout.
Moreover, the way we build our businesses should reflect the lives we want to live. You started your business for freedom, flexibility, and fulfillment. So, let's not recreate the grind we walked away from.
Here’s your permission slip: clear your calendar. Protect your peace. Your inbox will be fine. Your clients will survive. And your business? It’ll be better for it, stronger, sharper, and more sustainable, because you will be. Rested. Creative. Recharged. A break is not an indulgence. It's smart business.
Go live the life you're working so hard for. After all, as Ferris Bueller wisely said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while you could miss it.”
A big thanks to Renee for the gentle nudge and for living the message so many of us need to hear. Her example is a reminder that freedom is a strategic choice. Now, go make yours.
Fifteen years of my summer snapshots. These are the moments that shaped my life and the reason I built a business that gives me time to live it.