Head-space in a claustrophobic world: The art of switching off

In business, it's easy to believe that success is directly tied to the hours we work. Many of us feel that if we're not always "on", we're somehow falling behind.

In today's world, where our phones, emails and notifications follow us into every corner of the day, creating real head-space has become a rare skill. For leaders, it's a critical one.

The trouble is, our working days rarely have clean edges anymore. We've replaced clocking off with "just checking one more thing" at 10pm. We start the day with our inbox, end it with our inbox and wonder why we cannot think strategically.

My moment of realisation

I still remember the first night we had new premises at The Cake Nest. We'd spent years running the business from home, where the lines between work and life blurred into one long stretch of activity.

Orders came in at all hours, Google Analytics was constantly refreshing and customer messages never stopped.

That first night, I locked the door, walked away and didn't check a single thing until the next morning. It was freeing.

For the first time in years, the business wasn't physically in my space. In that moment, I realised it didn't have to be in my head-space all the time either.

The hard bit no-one talks about

I wish I could say that was it. That I never looked again after hours and was instantly "cured" of the always-on habit. The truth is, I still felt the itch to check.

In those early weeks, it took real discipline to ignore the laptop, resist opening an app or let a notification slide past unanswered.

It's a bit like trying to give up caffeine or sugar. In the first few days, your brain is convinced something essential is missing. You tell yourself it's just a quick look to make sure everything is fine.

But that "quick look" often turns into half an hour of tinkering, replying and thinking about work again.

Here's what I learned. The more you practise switching off, the easier it becomes. The first few nights felt almost unnatural.

After a couple of weeks, it became a habit that gave me back my evenings, my energy and my ability to think clearly about the bigger picture.

That shift was what made me realise the next step was building a team who could deal with enquiries, orders and operations during the day. Not because I didn't care, but because caring too much without boundaries had started to cost me my focus.

What the research says

This isn't just a "nice to have". The 2025 Workforce State of Mind Report by Headspace found that 71% of employees work beyond their expected hours at least once a week, and three-quarters remain available even when officially off duty. The result is rising burnout, lower productivity and higher staff turnover.

Interestingly, when leaders model healthy boundaries such as switching off devices, taking leave and stepping away at the end of the day, 76% of employees say they feel more able to do the same. That is culture-shaping behaviour.

Even at the highest levels, the message is clear. The Financial Times recently explored how CEOs like Jennifer Tejada and António Horta-Osório are embracing recovery time as a core leadership skill, likening it to elite athletes using rest to build long-term stamina.

Why leaders who switch off lead better

As a leader, you set the tone. If you're online at midnight, your team sees that as the benchmark.

If you never take a proper break, you're telling them, intentionally or not, that they shouldn't either. Even if you say it's just your preferred way of working.

Switching off isn't a sign you care less. It's proof you care enough to protect your focus, your wellbeing and your decision-making capacity.

It also signals to your team that you value their mental health and balance and you aren't sacrificing it for the sake of output.

A question for small business owners

Wellbeing in the workplace often comes packaged as "extras" such as lunchtime yoga, mindfulness sessions or lunch-and-learns. But here's the question.

Are those genuinely helping your team recharge, or are they just adding another obligation into an already crowded calendar?

Sometimes the most effective wellbeing strategy is the simplest one – encouraging people to step away, close their laptops and have a life outside work. The return on that investment is real, with better energy, clearer thinking and a team that feels trusted to manage their time.

How to start

• Set your own boundaries first: Model the behaviour you want to see.

• Communicate them clearly: Let your team know it's OK to step away.

• Design for downtime: Build systems and teams so the business doesn't stop when you do.

• Challenge your wellbeing activities: Make sure they create space, not fill it.

• Practise switching off: It'll feel difficult at first but, like any skill, it strengthens with repetition.

Final thoughts

That night I locked the door at The Cake Nest was more than just the end of a workday. It was the start of a new way of leading. I learned that stepping away is what gives you the clarity to lead well.

It isn't always easy. The temptation to look will always be there, especially when you care deeply about what you've built. But the more you practise, the more natural it becomes. Over time, you realise you haven't lost control but gained perspective.

In a claustrophobic, always-on world, the leaders who create head-space for themselves and for their teams are the ones who will think clearer, last longer and build healthier businesses.

If switching off feels impossible in your business, it's often a sign that your systems, team or strategy need adjusting, not that you need to work harder.

I help business owners step away from the overwhelm and lead with confidence. If you'd like to explore how to create more space in your business without losing momentum, let's talk. Book a discovery call with me now