Feeling fatigued, frazzled or fried? You’re not alone. +MORE Ambassador Jehan Casinader challenges us to have the summer break we really need.
Last week, a new phrase entered our national conversation: “The Great New Zealand Shutdown”.
A simple LinkedIn post sparked a fascinating conversation. Is our summer break too long?
The PM dodged the question, while Simon Bridges – now head of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce – said there was “objective merit” in the idea.
“People will say in November, ‘I will come back to you in March’,” he noted.
And he’s right. What used to be a three-week shutdown has quietly stretched into a 10-week slowdown.
From the end of November, we hear things like: “Well, it’s pretty much the end of the year.” “The silly season has already begun.” “No one makes decisions between now and Christmas.”
Even in late January, it’s hard to get the wheels moving. There are anniversary weekends. Short weeks. Kids going back to school. In reality, some businesses aren’t powered-up until after Waitangi Day – almost the middle of February.
What’s the reason for this extended slump in productivity? The simple explanation is that people are tired. And they are. But that’s not the whole story.
One of the reasons our summer break keeps stretching longer is that our rest isn’t necessarily restorative.
A couple of decades ago, if you went on holiday, you were totally offline. Cellphones weren’t available, so no one could reach you. Wifi wasn’t a thing, so you couldn’t work remotely. You were detached from your workplace.
In 2025, even when we’re on “leave”, we’re always connected. And if you’re a business owner or leader, you often carry additional responsibilities during the summer period.
If a customer has a “quick question”, the office line diverts to your cellphone. If a supplier’s payment was missed, you’re the one who has to jump in and pay the invoice. If a new sales enquiry comes through, it’s your job to respond to the email.
These may seem like little interruptions, but they come at a cost. Research shows that broken rest is not refreshing – in fact, it can prolong fatigue.
That’s why, when you come back to work in January, it often feels like you haven’t been away at all.
Maybe “The Great New Zealand Shutdown” isn’t our problem. The real issue is that when we do shut down, we aren’t shutting down hard enough.
Many of us simply aren’t getting enough rest to sustain our energy throughout a demanding year of work.
We all know people who’ve “hit the wall” and been forced to take sudden leave – or even receive medical care – because of overwork.
A common misconception is that burnout is caused by a single stressful event. In most cases, it’s actually the result of cumulative stress: a slow, steady, “drip, drip, drip”, over many months or years. One day, you discover that your energy reserves have run out.
It’s been six years since Covid crashed into our lives. The pandemic placed remarkable stress on many business leaders. As New Zealand’s economy has deteriorated, each year has brought new challenges.
Last year, an MYOB business monitor survey found 37% of Kiwi SME owners have experienced mental distress since starting or taking over their business.
When asked about the factors that affect their wellbeing, 32% cited work-related stress. The same proportion reported a lack of sleep. Other challenges included the state of their personal finances, their general workload, and political uncertainty.
Each of us has to take responsibility for wellbeing, and make changes – to ensure we’re getting the rest we need.
If you run a business, work out how to share the load over the holidays. Rather than having all calls diverted to you, create a roster and split the responsibility with a couple of trusted staff.
Set some boundaries. If you need to check your emails, choose a specific time to open your inbox each day – and turn off your phone notifications, so you aren’t being pinged.
During summer, it’s tempting to try and catch up on the avalanche of books, articles and podcasts that have been recommended to you. I’m a big fan of personal development, but I also believe that rest does not need to be “productive”.
Filling your head with work-related content is likely to pull your focus back to the office. That’s the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve.
It’s okay to lie in a deckchair without listening to a podcast. It’s okay to stop following the news. It’s okay if there’s an ever-growing pile of business reads on your bedside table.
For a couple of weeks over summer, it’s more valuable to swim. Play boardgames. Stare into the fire. Read some fiction. Blast your kids with water pistols. And nap. (Seriously, how good is an afternoon nap?)
After a short period of genuine rest, you’ll likely find your attention drifting back to work – but in a more natural, healthy, curious way.
Having time off is one of the best ways to strengthen our cognitive performance, boost our creativity, and enhance our problem-solving abilities.
If you want to go far (and fast) in 2026, the best thing you can do right now: turn off the engine.
+MORE Ambassador Jehan Casinader is a public speaker, communications coach and small business owner. Connect with him on LinkedIn to share your story or insights.
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