The night before we left for Europe, I was still up at 11:45 PM—wrapping up the last few pieces of content, double-checking automations, and setting that final “out of office” email reply. I told myself I’d be ahead of the game this time. But let’s be honest… there I was, one more late night deep in Google Docs, just trying to make sure nothing fell through the cracks.

I’d planned this trip for months. Dreamed about it for years. And yet, even with all the prep, I still found myself sprinting to the finish line.

Can You Really Unplug When You Run a Business?

This trip was more than just a vacation. It was a homecoming. I was born and raised in Germany until I was eleven, and taking my own kids back to those childhood spots was something I’ll never forget. Sitting on the same bench my mom used to sit on while I played—only now watching my own four kids run wild on the same playground? It was like life folded in on itself in the most beautiful way.

But even in that moment, there was a tiny voice in my head whispering, “Did I prep enough? Will everything run like it should?”

If you’ve ever tried to truly unplug from your business—especially as a mom, a multi-passionate entrepreneur, or someone who wears 87 hats—you know that feeling. The hope that everything will keep moving without you… but also the low hum of worry that it might not.

So today, I wanted to give you a real look at how the trip went, what actually worked behind the scenes, and what I’ll be doing differently next time.

What Sparked This Whole Reflection

We spent two weeks hopping across Germany, Switzerland, Italy—and even had a little accidental adventure through France (thanks to a GPS reroute and one my navigation skills).

The trip was packed with special moments:

• Celebrating my grandma’s 90th birthday on my aunt’s farm, surrounded by family I hadn’t seen in years.
• Introducing my husband to the country where I grew up (yes, after 17 years of marriage, this was his first time there).
• Eating chocolate-filled croissants on a mountain in Italy.
• Hiking beside cowbells in Switzerland with the most unreal backdrop of rolling hills and alpine lakes.
• Driving some of the narrowest, scariest mountain roads known to man (would not recommend with kids in the back and a cappuccino in hand).

And all the while? My business kept running. Sales came in. Newsletters were delivered. Clients were booking. Blog posts went live.
My business? Completely automated.

What I Realized

I realized that rest isn’t just a nice idea. It’s necessary.
I realized that no matter how well I plan, it’s okay if things aren’t perfect.
I realized that the life I actually want doesn’t involve always being plugged in—even if I love what I do.
And I realized that I don’t have to earn my time off by sprinting to burnout before I go. I can simply plan, prepare, and allow the systems I’ve built to do their job.

Honestly, there’s something wildly freeing about knowing your business doesn’t fall apart without you. That’s the real magic of automation and systems. And it’s taken me years to get here.

What Helped Me Unplug Without the Panic

1. Batching Content Ahead of Time

Yes, it made the week before we left a little wild—but I scheduled everything from blog posts to Pinterest pins to email campaigns. If I had to do it again, I’d probably give just take two weeks off instead of trying to do two weeks of work, in the month prior.

2. Letting Go of Perfection

Not every post needed to be Pulitzer-worthy. Not every email had to be long. The goal was consistency, not perfection. Showing up, even while I was offline, was enough.

3. Using Automations

I leaned on my email software (hi, Flodesk!), and my blog to do the heavy lifting. These systems are designed to work for you. Let them. I wrote extra in the weeks leading up to the trip, and scheduled all the content to be released while away. It worked perfectly.

4. Trusting the Process

This one’s hard, especially for control-loving entrepreneurs. But when you’ve done the work? You have to step back and trust it. That trust is what lets you actually enjoy the pasta and the cowbells and the long walks through cobblestone streets. As the years have gone by, I’ve gotten really good at this. I used to put business first. Worked around the clock. Looked at late nights as some kind of proof that I was doing the work. Never took a day off. Today, life looks a little different. A little slower. I don’t want to rush through life. I want to soak in these moments. I want to be present, and truly there in the moment. I can work hard in my business, but also have learned to close my laptop and simply enjoy my life.

5. Building for the Long Game

I’m not here to be viral. I’m here to be consistent. And when I focused on evergreen blog content and Pinterest strategy, it built a kind of momentum that doesn’t disappear the second I log off. And each year I get to continue building on to a business that is designed to last.

The Details That Made This Trip Special

Let’s talk about a few of the little things that made this trip so beautiful. Because sometimes it’s not the big moments, but the ones that sneak up on you and steal your heart:

• The ice cream shop in my old German hometown that still exists, right in the same spot on the same street. I took my kids there almost every day and instantly turned into my 8-year-old self again.
• Watching my kids play at the same park I played at as a child, while I sat on the same bench my mother did. That moment? I think I’ll carry it forever.
• The sound of cowbells echoing through the hills in Switzerland. Literal magic.
• Chocolate-filled croissants in Italy that were so good.
• Watching my kids play with kids from other counties and getting interested in learning German and Italian.
• My husband experiencing Europe for the first time with me. Seeing him meet my family, try my favorite childhood foods, and fall in love with the countryside I grew up in.

When I look back at that trip, it’s not just the mountains or the family gatherings or the chocolate croissants that make me smile—it’s the quiet confidence I had knowing I’d built something that could carry on while I rested.

One Last Thought

What if you turned off your phone, shut the laptop, and didn’t check in on your business for two full weeks?

Would it keep going? Would your content still show up? Would sales still come in? Would your people feel supported, even without you present?

If that question makes your stomach turn a little—you’re not alone. I’ve been there, too. That quiet fear that everything will fall apart if we stop showing up… it’s a common one for entrepreneurs. But it’s also a sign. A little nudge that maybe—just maybe—it’s time to build something more sustainable.

Something that gives you space to rest without guilt.
Something that runs while you’re at your kid’s soccer game or exploring a trail in the Alps.
Something that still serves and sells, even when you’re completely offline.

This doesn’t happen overnight, but it is possible. I know because I’ve built it, tweaked it, tested it, and watched it keep working while I stepped away.

You don’t have to flip your whole business model today. But what’s one thing, just one, that you could shift this month to move closer to that kind of freedom?

Maybe it’s turning your most popular post into a Pinterest pin.
Maybe it’s setting up a simple opt-in that grows your list on autopilot.
Maybe it’s carving out time to finally map out your evergreen content.

Start small. Start where you are. But whatever you do, start.

You deserve a business that runs without you… so you can fully live the life you started it for.