A mentor of mine at BP once told me something that has never left me: “When it’s calm, take a rest, because you never know if tomorrow there will be a storm and you need to be rested and ready.”
I carried that advice from corporate boardrooms in Europe to the jungles of Costa Rica, where my wife Silene and I built Kalon Surf from the ground up. And after more than a decade of running a luxury surf resort—welcoming hundreds of driven, successful people through our doors—I can tell you that advice was right. The people who perform at the highest level aren’t the ones who never stop. They’re the ones who know when to pause.
I see it in myself. I work in very intense, hard energy bursts where I get a lot done. But sometimes I forget to take a moment to recharge before I tackle the next project. If I had just waited a week, I might have performed the next burst even better. When I finally do step away—when I paddle out and catch a few waves—that’s when the solutions come. Problems I’ve been grinding on for weeks suddenly have answers. It’s not magic. It’s what happens when you give your brain room to breathe.
I’m far from the only one who’s discovered this. The data backs it up, and some of the world’s most successful leaders swear by it.
It’s no secret that Americans are hard workers. Most C-level executives clock around 60 hours per week. Elon Musk has famously credited his success to 80- to 100-hour weeks. But when do you take a breather? Richard Branson is a huge advocate for stepping away from the daily grind—he credits his vacations to his massive success, and encourages all Virgin employees to do the same. Former eBay CEO John Donahoe took a six-month break before leaving the company, just to spend time with his family.
Most executives who believe in recharging do so for a common reason: it helps them think better.
Still not convinced? Here are three reasons why a vacation is exactly what you need.
1. Vacations Give You More Inspiration
The most successful CEOs and executives share a common habit: they take time to unplug. It’s not about forgetting what they do. It’s that stepping away helps us rethink our approach to the problems we’re trying to solve. Donahoe credits his most successful ideas to completely disconnecting—when he does, new solutions and innovations come to him organically, ideas that never would have surfaced inside his office.
Tony Schwartz, CEO of The Energy Project, believes that a real reprieve is how we rediscover who we are and redefine our purpose. Steve Jobs was famous for believing that every single day should be inspirational. And Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran takes a more goal-oriented view: when we know a vacation is coming, we’re more likely to push ourselves harder to earn it.
I see this play out at Kalon Surf constantly. The people who come to us are often very hardworking and successful—executives, entrepreneurs, professionals at the top of their game. But like all of us, they sometimes hit a wall. And what we’ve seen time and time again is that an escape where you’re actually active—where you put your brain into a completely different zone—is where you start to unlock creativity. There’s a real connection between surfing and mindfulness that goes beyond just exercise—it forces you into the present moment in a way few other activities can.
It’s not just the surfing, though the surfing helps. It’s the combination: being in a different country, hearing another language, waking up in a completely different environment. Meeting like-minded people who might be in the same industry or something completely different. Just hearing fresh perspectives—and sometimes not talking about work at all—unconsciously helps us recharge and reconnect with what drives us.
One of our repeat guests, Ned, has returned more than fifteen times. He once wrote that Kalon has become “a home away from home, a place where I escape from a busy life and unwind and relax while chasing the perfect wave and hanging out with interesting, friendly people.” He’s met people from every background and profession—and it’s common for guests to keep in touch long after they leave. That kind of connection doesn’t happen in a boardroom.
2. Vacations Make You More Productive
Nearly 90% of executives cancel vacations due to work. And most of us tend to think that taking time off makes us less effective. But it couldn’t be further from the truth. A study by Harvard Business School found a strong correlation between taking time off and a sharp increase in productivity, creativity, and attention to detail.
It makes complete sense when you think about it. Spending a week catching waves, sharing meals with new friends, watching the sun set over the Pacific—it doesn’t make you soft. It makes you sharper. You come back to work with new ideas and a clarity you didn’t have before. Surfing isn’t just good for your mind, either—it’s one of the best sports for your physical and mental health, which only compounds the benefits when you return to work.
Guest after guest tells us the same thing. One TripAdvisor reviewer wrote that even though Kalon has good WiFi, “the surroundings made it easy to detach from the stress of my job and enjoy the tranquility.” Another guest, Kris, pointed out something that sets the Kalon experience apart from a typical resort: the operation is run with real business rigor. “It was started by business-oriented folks who wanted to create a world-class experience built around surfing,” he wrote. That resonates with our guests because they recognize and appreciate that standard—and it lets them fully relax, knowing every detail is handled.
3. Vacations Make Your Employees Better at Their Jobs
Long gone should be the days of thinking “everyone’s at play while the boss is away.” Studies show that when bosses step away, not only do their interim replacements do a better job, but employees are happier and more productive. Recharging is great for your mental health, physical health, and creative energy—and in turn, it’s what’s best for business.
Research audit firm EY (formerly Ernst & Young) ran an internal study on how their vacation policy affected performance. The results were striking: for every 10 vacation hours an employee took, their performance reviews were 8 percent higher. On top of that, their vacation policy led to a lower attrition rate. Think about that—more time off, better performance, and people sticking around longer.
If you’re looking to increase employee happiness, productivity, and retention, you may want to step away for a while—and tell your team to do the same.
The Bottom Line
You should’ve taken your vacation yesterday. Or last week. Or maybe the month before. Step away from the office—everything will be just fine. You need time to recharge, and it will help you find creative solutions to the problems that have been keeping you up at night.
And if you’re going to take a vacation, make it one that actually rewires your brain. Paddling out on the water, catching a few waves, feeling the salt on your skin—there’s a reason surfers seem so calm. They are. Surfing forces you into the present moment in a way that very few activities can. And in that presence, your mind opens up. If you’ve never surfed before, don’t let that stop you—Costa Rica is one of the best places in the world to start.
At Kalon Surf, we’ve built our entire experience around this idea. From the moment we pick you up at the airport in San José to the final sunset dinner overlooking the Pacific, everything is designed so you can do one thing: let go. Expert surf coaching, gourmet meals, yoga, a mid-week massage, and a community of like-minded guests who become friends by day two. As one guest, Sam, put it, “It felt like staying with great friends more than going to a hotel.” Don’t just take our word for it—read what our guests have to say.
Virtually everyone who comes to Kalon likes to work hard and wants to feel fulfilled. But sometimes, just like them, I forget to take time for myself. And what I’ve learned—what my mentor at BP told me years ago, what the research confirms, and what our guests discover every week—is that the pause isn’t a luxury. It’s what makes the next sprint possible.
When it’s calm, rest. Because the next storm is coming, and you’ll want to be ready.
Ready to recharge? Check our rates or browse our FAQ to start planning your week with us.
