How to Step Away from Your Business and Actually Unplug (Without the Guilt)

Let’s talk about the thing so many business owners fantasize about but rarely do well: taking a real vacation.

You know, the kind where you don’t answer emails at the pool. The kind where your Slack notifications are off. The kind where you’re actually present—with your people, with yourself, with your life.

If that sounds impossible, you’re not alone. I used to feel the same way. As I’ve grown my business—and built a team that can support it—I’ve learned how to unplug without everything falling apart. And now I want to show you how to do the same.

Whether you’re going away for five days or staying home for a staycation, here’s the exact five-step framework I use to step away from my business and still sleep at night.

1. Set the Dates and the Boundaries

Before you do anything else, pick the exact dates you’ll be unavailable—and I mean really unavailable.

Then, decide what “unplugged” means to you. No emails? No Slack? No social media? Great. Now put structure around that. Remove apps from your phone, silence notifications, and communicate those boundaries clearly to your team, your clients, and even your travel companions (yes, they’re your accountability partners too!).

Bonus tip: Block it out in your calendar. Physically. Visibly. Repeatedly.

2. Create a Delegation Map

You don’t need to do everything while you’re gone. In fact, most things can wait. But for the tasks that can’t, here’s what to do:

• Audit your responsibilities – What are the things you do weekly or daily that truly matter while you’re away?

• Decide what must continue – Be ruthless. Most tasks can pause for a week.

• Assign true ownership – Don’t just say “can you check on this?” Say, “You own this. Here’s the decision-making power you have.”

And if they’ve never done it before? Record yourself doing the task. Boom—instant SOP. Give them tools, guidance, and room to succeed.

3. Anticipate Emergencies

Yep, stuff’s gonna happen. Your job is to plan before it does.

Define what qualifies as an actual emergency (e.g., a client injury, major tech failure, cash flow problem) and what doesn't (e.g., a delayed shipment, a typo in an email). Then, create a clear escalation path.

Who handles it first? When do they loop you in? Make that crystal clear.

This isn’t just for your vacation—it’s smart leadership, period.

4. Prep Your Communications in Advance

Please do not sit on a beach writing a newsletter. Schedule everything before you go:

• Email newsletters

• Client updates

• Invoices

• Social media posts

• Blog articles

• Autoresponders (with useful contact links!)

Your future vacationing self will thank you. Trust me.

5. Prepare Your Mindset

This is the step most people skip—and the one that matters most.

You have to believe your business won’t crumble if you’re not watching it 24/7. You have to give yourself permission to rest. You have to allow yourself to feel good about taking a break.

What helps me? I start easing out of work mode a day or two early. I treat the weekend before vacation as a mini-transition, and I don’t book myself to work the morning before I fly. That gentle ramp down helps me actually relax.

Final Thoughts: Your Business Needs a Rested You

You started this business for freedom. So take it.

Schedule your five-to-seven-day vacation—today. (Yes, today.)

And if you do it, I want to hear about it! DM me on Instagram (@melissa_franks) and tell me where you're going. I’ll cheer you on all the way to your unplugged bliss.