You sit down at your desk with a freshly made coffee and stare at 847 unread emails, a back-to-back calendar, 150+ unread notifications in Slack, and feel a shiver up your spine at the thought of opening your project management system to see the notification number there too.
This is the general M.O. of "welcome back" routines after time off.
So intensely focused on the exit of time off, that we've built a bridge to nowhere.
We get really good at tactical exit planning:
The firefighting.
The immediate delegation.
The "who can handle this while I'm gone" scramble.
But we're missing the bigger opportunity.
This gap showed up perfectly in a client call just before my break.
He was preparing for time away and feeling anxious about both leaving and returning. We spent our session on what seemed like standard exit planning—creating structured time blocks, setting up delegation protocols, organizing handoffs.
But halfway through, he said something that revealed the real issue: "I'm already dreading coming back. I know I'll just jump right back into the chaos."
This feeling, this dread that sets in when you think about returning, is why we don't just focus on doing crisis management on the way out.
We also gather intel for a better system.
Because if I've learned anything from my own time off errors (hello working from cellular service in the backseat while on a roadtrip to my own wedding 🫠) and working with countless clients, it's this:
The fires you're putting out before you leave are showing you exactly what needs to change.
Instead of just stopping the bleeding, what if we used that pre-vacation scramble as data collection?
What if we designed exits that not only manage the immediate crisis but also set us up for sustainable re-entry?
This is where the WEAL Method becomes incredibly useful for strategic time off:
Witness + Explore (happening simultaneously): While you're firefighting, you're also noting patterns—"Why am I the only one who can do this?" "What systems are we missing?" Then you're exploring both immediate solutions, designing intentional re-entry protocols, AND setting aside important info for future review.
Adapt: This is simply the act of living through your exit, time off, and re-entry plan as you've laid it out, taking notes that you'll review during the next phase.
Learn + Loop: Post-return review of what you witnessed, what worked in your re-entry, and how to make the next cycle even smoother.
When we don't design sustainable exits and returns, we default to proving we're "back to normal" as quickly as possible. We overcompensate by immediately saying yes to everything, staying late to "catch up," and sprinting back into the exact patterns that necessitated the break.
But when we use time off as a continuous improvement cycle?
The benefits compound instead of evaporate.
TRY THIS: DESIGN YOUR STRATEGIC EXIT + RE-ENTRY
Instead of just firefighting your way out the door, let's turn your pre-vacation scramble into system building.
While You're Firefighting, Gather Intel:
Note every "only I can do this" moment.
Track what you're scrambling to delegate last-minute.
Observe which systems are missing or broken.
When firefighting, use the 4 D's (Do it before you leave, Delegate it with clear handoffs, Delay it intentionally (not by default), or Delete it entirely) to get your plate clear.
Design Your Exit as Return Prevention:
Address immediate fires AND note root causes (or where to look deeper for root causes) for later.
Set up delegation with "how can we systematize this next time?" in mind.
Create boundaries that will still serve you when you return.
Plan Your Re-Entry Ritual in Advance:
Block catch-up time in your calendar for your first few days back.
Draft "I'm back but transitioning" message templates.
Decide what you'll say no to in your first week to preserve momentum.
Set Up Your Post-Return Review:
Schedule time 1-2 weeks after you're back to review your notes.
Ask: What patterns did I notice? What systems do we need?
Use these insights to make your next time off even smoother.
The goal isn't perfection—it's turning each time off cycle into an opportunity to build more sustainable systems. Designing your departure so thoughtfully that your return feels like a natural continuation rather than a jarring restart.
BEHIND THE SCREENS
I've been thinking about the gap between knowing and doing often lately. But if I'm being reallllly honest, it's been a topic at the top of mind for years now.
It's so easy to look outward at other people—online or irl—and feel like everyone else is executing on everything easy, perfectly, and better than you are.
This feeling is probably one of the biggest barriers to sharing more of my personal systems in real time as I use the WEAL method in my own life.
Because living it often feels messy and frustrating.
Because sometimes I don't realize I'm working on it until I'm mid-Adapt phase.
Because as much as I'd like, systems don't always fit in nice, neat boxes.
Because I may be a subject matter expert in these things, but integration is a lifelong process.
Which is probably all the more reason to share things in real time. It's also why I'll never talk about my work like a guru.
Because if there's one thing I know for sure, it's that we're all figuring this out as we go... and the older I get, the more I'm realizing that's exactly how it's supposed to be instead of something to get away from.
Currently Obsessed
Do Nothing Time. I try to schedule at least 3 blocks of "do nothing" time into my schedule throughout the week. My phone gets set aside. No music. Just sitting in my office (usually on the floor) with no distractions, a notebook, and I just sit there. I've never walked away from a session without at least a couple pages of notes which end up being a mix of ideas and braindump items. Main goal: No expectations. It is often the most difficult and most beneficial block on my calendar each week.
Rompers. The more I dress for sensory needs, the easier life gets. Rompers = less decision fatigue over everyday things, less laundry, less overstimulation. It's a win-win-win.
Jello. I don't know if it's summer or what, but jello and I are having a bit of a renaissance. I'm working my way through re-trying different flavors (last week was strawberry and A+++) and this week is going to be orange. I remember as a kid, my grandparents would always mix a bunch of cottage cheese into the jello before setting and I will report back on whether it's just nostalgia or actually tastes good. 😂
P.S.
Strategic exit + re-entry planning is exactly the type of gap where custom bridge-building matters. Your re-entry needs will be different from mine, different from your colleague's, different depending on how long you were away and what you were recovering from. But the framework—the intentional design of transition rather than hoping it happens naturally—that's universal.
This same approach applies to your daily energy management. The solution isn't just building better systems—it's building systems that work with how you're actually wired.
That's what my Energy Alignment Intensives are designed for. In this 90-minute session, we'll map your natural daily energy cycle, review your calendar together to make alignments, and dig into wherever you're feeling most stuck. It's like getting a mini personalized energy blueprint plus clarity on your next right step. Book yours here.
