I drove around New Zealand in this…

Posted on by michael nitschke
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This is your annual reminder that breakthroughs follow breaks. Taking time off as a leader isn’t a distraction; it’s a growth strategy. 

In July, I took 10 days off to travel around New Zealand in a campervan. 

Highly recommend. 

Here are 10 realisations I had on the road. 

Business and leadership insights 

  1. I shifted my leadership approach from ‘what do I need to fix?’ to ‘what questions do I need to ask?’ 
  2. ‘Better before bigger’ principle reinforced – slowing down to solve root causes, not just symptoms. 
  3. Journaling became my primary tool for emotional regulation and decision-making. It’s such an underrated CEO hack. 
  4. I confused being in control with being responsible for everything. They are two different things. 
  5. Winter cashflow pressures led to strategic recalibration. E.g. staying in sales longer, rather than rushing team expansion. 

Personal insights 

  1. Lost 3kg in July through consistent MacroFactor tracking and playing basketball. 
  2. My best parenting happens when my personal systems are in order. As the saying goes, you have to put on your oxygen mask first. 
  3. I can align my internal chaos with external calm through better habits. 
  4. Better work-life balance is a constant struggle. I’ll always need to tend to it. 
  5. Writing = improved clarity in emotionally charged moments. 

I’ve created a little night-time task that helps me close out the day, feeling accomplished. 

I put my air pods in, and record a voice note of my thoughts from the day – what happened, what went well, what needs work etc. Then, I run it through ChatGPT to get insights on how I’m tracking. Give it a go. 

There’s a lot more I took home with me from that New Zealand trip. I revisited my big numbers and targets (and stopped overcomplicating metrics). I refocused our weekly team meetings on deeper connection and accountability, rather than performance gains. 

It was also a chance for me to be absolutely present with my wife and daughters, which is hard to do at home, but essential. The theme of my year has been simplicity. Doing less but doing it better. High-leverage actions and decision-making, rather than hustle mode and growth for growth’s sake. It’s challenging notions and limiting beliefs that come with doing less as a leader. 

Going on trips creates periods away from your usual routine, which can help you break free from your usual pattern of thinking. Sometimes you need help with that short-circuit. Travel is the best way I know how. Call it a CEO sabbatical if you need. Whatever works to help you prioritise breaks that get you out of the office, out of your head, and into your heart. Your instincts and intuition need space to come through. 

Schedule breaks, then build strategies into your daily life, when back home.  This is how you level up from ‘on the tools’ to the visionary leader you know you can be. 

Oh, and go to New Zealand! It’s gorgeous. 

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