In a few days, I’m leaving for my annual 30-day vacation.

❌ No email.
❌ No meetings.
❌ No Slack.
❌ No “just checking in.”

And if I’ve done my job right, no one will miss me.

Because here’s the truth: If your business needs you every day, it isn’t a business. It’s a bottleneck.

This is why, once a year, I run what I call The 30-Day Vacation Test…a system stress test disguised as paid time off. (Ok, so maybe it’s also paid time off.) 😉

Here’s the playbook…

Step 1: Choose Your “Vacation” Dates (4 Weeks)

You don’t need to know where you’re going. You just need to get it scheduled. The act of blocking the time triggers the changes.

Types of 30-Day Vacations:

  • Good: 1:2:1 – Work remote/part-time for 1 week, then actually “leave” for 2 weeks, then ease back in for 1 week before officially returning to work.

  • Better: Full 30 – Four full weeks away, no contact.

  • Best: 1:4:1 – Work remote/part-time the week before, take a full 4-week vacation, then ease back in for 1 week before returning.

Step 2: Send the Vacation Email

Here’s the exact email I send to my leadership team:

❝

Subject: Upcoming Vacation

Hey all,

I want to give you a heads up that I’m going to be out of the office for 4 weeks.

During this time, I don’t plan to attend any meetings (virtual or otherwise), nor will I be checking email or logging into Slack.

If there’s a major emergency, [Emergency Contact] will know how to reach me, but the goal is to avoid the emergency option.

To that end, I want us to start planning now for how the company is going to thrive while I’m away. So please reply with what (if anything) you think is likely to break while I’m gone.

Not only will this ensure I actually enjoy my vacation, but it will force us to build some much-needed systems while creating new opportunities for many of you.

I look forward to reading your ideas…and mostly I look forward to eliminating me as the primary bottleneck in the company’s growth.

-Ryan

Step 3: Triage and Document

Once the replies start rolling in, you’ll begin to see a list of tasks, responsibilities, and recurring obligations that depend on you. These fall into three categories.

  • First, some things will need to be completed ahead of time—these are tasks that only you can realistically handle (like pre-recorded content).

  • Second, there will be items you can simply pause. We call this a “stop test”: stop doing them and see if anyone notices or if anything breaks.

  • Third, and most important, are the tasks that should be delegated entirely.

These are your systems-in-waiting, and documenting them (via Loom, step-by-step guides, or checklists) allows others to take ownership before you leave.

Step 4: Field Test Before You Leave

Don’t wait until the first day of vacation to see if the handoffs work. In the final week before you step away, begin operating as if you're already gone.

Let your team execute the documented systems and watch how they perform.

  • Where do they get stuck?

  • What questions do they still ask you?

This gives you a safe window to adjust and reinforce your systems while you’re still available. By the time you step away for real, your business has already practiced functioning without you.

Step 5: Actually Take the Vacation

This is where the magic happens—but only if you fully unplug.

No Slack. No secret inbox checks. No “just 5 minutes” project tinkering.

The quality of your systems will reveal itself only if you let them.

You’ll come back not just refreshed, but informed. You’ll know what worked, what broke, and what never needs to return to your plate again.

Your 30-day vacation isn’t the reward. It’s the test.

If you pass, it means your systems are working. If you fail, it means your business still depends on you...and now you know where.

⚡ Action Step: Pull up your calendar, pick a 4-week window at least 3–6 months from now, and block it off—starting today. You don’t need a plane ticket…you just need a plan. Let the countdown (and the system-building) begin.

Stop letting broken systems hold you back. Let’s create a plan that “de-bottlenecks” you from your business so you can scale your company…without sacrificing your soul. Schedule a free “Scale Session” today.

Quick Hits

Here’s some other content from the Scalable network you might have missed:

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Want more from us?

Whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways we can help you scale your business (without sacrificing your soul in the process):

  1. Download the “$200M Operating System Case Study.” This 46-page “manifesto” (and accompanying video) reveals how we’re scaling six (6) different businesses simultaneously inside our $200M holding company using the Scalable Operating System™.

  2. Get a free copy of my book. If your goal is to own a business that can run and scale without you, then Get Scalable is your playbook.

  3. Work 1-on-1 with me and my team. If you’d like direct, 1-on-1 support systemizing and scaling your business, you can get more information and schedule a complimentary Scale Session here.

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