I’m writing this from Portugal.
Not from a desk or between meetings, and not with emails open in the background.
Properly away.
It’s made me realise something that sounds obvious – yet most of us ignore it.
Stepping away from work isn’t a luxury. It might actually be the most productive thing you do all year.
Distance Changes Everything
When you’re in it every day, it’s hard to see clearly.
You’re reacting, responding, dealing with whatever’s in front of you. Even when you feel like you’re on top of things, your attention is still being pulled in a dozen directions.
Here in Portugal, that’s gone.
No constant interruptions or background noise. No low-level anxiety that something urgent might land at any moment.
Just space.
And that space does something really important: it gives your brain a proper chance to catch up.
What Happens When You Give Yourself Headspace
In the last few days, I’ve made decisions I’d been putting off for weeks, solved a couple of problems that had felt stuck, come up with new ideas I hadn’t even considered before, and finished things that had been quietly lingering.
None of that came from forcing it. It came from having the headspace to actually think properly.
That’s not a coincidence. That’s what proper rest does.
It’s Not Just Mental – It’s Physical Too
There’s something else that’s easy to overlook: energy.
The routine out here has been simple. Gym in the morning, plenty of sun, eating properly, using the spa, actually relaxing. Nothing extreme, just consistent.
The difference in how you feel is noticeable.
More energy.
Clearer thinking.
Better focus.
All of which feeds straight back into how you work.
What LMI Has Been Teaching for Years
One of the core ideas behind the LMI programmes is that productivity is not about doing more. It’s about doing what matters, with clarity and intention.
You can’t do that if you never step back.
If you’re always in the work, you never get above it. You don’t review or reflect and you don’t think strategically. You just keep going.
Which sounds productive. Often, it isn’t.
The Trap Most Business Owners Fall Into
There’s a quiet belief a lot of us carry: “I can’t step away right now, things are too busy.”
That’s exactly when you need to.
Busy doesn’t always mean effective. Working more hours doesn’t always mean you’re moving things forward. Sometimes it just means you’re stuck in the loop.
What Stepping Away Actually Gives You
It’s not just a break, it’s something far more useful.
- Clarity, so you can see what actually matters right now.
- Perspective, so you can assess what’s working and what isn’t.
- Space for better decision-making, without the noise.
- Room for creativity, ideas that simply can’t surface when you’re heads-down.
- The energy to come back and execute at a higher level.
This isn’t about escaping your business. It’s about giving yourself the conditions to think about it properly. There’s a real difference between the two.
A Simple Question Worth Asking
When was the last time you had real space to think?
Not an hour between meetings or a slightly quieter Friday afternoon.
Proper space.
If you can’t remember, that’s probably telling you something.
A Final Thought
This week hasn’t slowed things down. If anything, it’s done the opposite.
I’m clearer – more decisive, more focused. I’ll go back with better thinking, not just more effort.
Sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is step away.
If this resonates, it might be worth having a conversation. The EPP programme is built around exactly this kind of thinking – helping leaders get back time, think more clearly, and focus on what actually moves the needle. If you’d like to find out more, get in touch here or take a look at how the programme works.
