02/12/2026
Last weekend, I celebrated my wedding anniversary with a weekend at Disney World, and at one point I found myself answering emails from the line at Toy Story Mania. There I was, surrounded by families, laughter, and oversized crayons… and my brain was still in “work mode.” It struck me how normal that feels for so many of us in the legal field. We pride ourselves on being reachable, responsive, and responsible. But somewhere along the way, we start believing that stepping away—even briefly—means we’re falling behind.
Halfway through the day, I realized I wasn’t actually on vacation. I was physically in Hollywood Studios, but mentally still in my inbox. I was carrying the very responsibilities this trip was supposed to give me a break from. And the truth is, we deserve that break. Attorneys and mediators work hard. We hold space for conflict, for crisis, for other people’s stress. Rest isn’t indulgent; it’s necessary. Being connected every minute doesn’t make us better at what we do—it makes us more anxious and tightly wound, like we’re gripping the wheel long after the road has straightened.
So I put my phone away. I let myself be present. And the world didn’t fall apart. My clients were fine. My work was waiting when I got back. But I returned with more calm, more patience, and more joy than I left with. A reminder to myself—and maybe to you—that we’re allowed to unplug. In fact, we’re better for it.
Do you have a hard time stepping away from work on vacation? What helps you unplug?
