What Are Your Summer Plans? A Lesson in Rest I Brought Home from Brussels

As I'm getting ready to unplug for a week in Maine, I keep thinking about something I learned during the five years my family and I lived in Brussels.

Every June, people would ask each other, "What are your summer plans?" It sounds like a throwaway question, but what struck me was that everyone had an answer.

Some were taking two weeks at the beach. Others were hiking, visiting family, or just disappearing for a while. It wasn't a luxury or a reward. It was simply part of life. And I really loved that.

When I came back to the U.S. and eventually started Attention Comms, I wanted to bring a little of that mindset with me.

Our work is demanding. Our clients are tackling important challenges, and there are moments when everyone has to dig deep. But I also want this to be the kind of place where people take real vacations, disconnect, and come back with stories to tell.

Everyone on our team gets 25 days of PTO each year. More importantly, they're expected to use it.

So this week, that's exactly what I'm doing. My wife and I – and, of course, our dog, Dr. Zaius – just arrived in Acadia National Park for a week of hiking, lobster, and, if all goes according to plan, spending a little less time looking at screens. (And yes, I really did take the sunrise photo this morning…at about 4:30 a.m.).

The agency will be just fine. In fact, that's one of the things I'm proudest of. We've built a team that trusts one another, steps up for one another, and knows that taking time away isn't a sign of less commitment, it's part of doing great work over the long haul.

I hope everyone gets the chance to step away this summer – and has a good answer when someone asks, “What are your summer plans?”