You’ve booked your annual leave for a much deserved break. But as it gets closer to setting your out of office, worry kicks in. You need to pack 2 weeks’ of work in before you log off, and plan for every eventuality that might happen whilst you’re not at your desk.
Even when the out of office is set and the bags are packed, your brain quietly buzzes with: “what if something urgent happens? What if I miss something important? What if someone needs me?”. This is sometimes called FOSO (fear of switching off) or Annual Leave Anxiety.
That low hum of anxiety when we step away from our responsibilities isn’t only felt by you, it’s how humans are wired. But understanding why we worry (especially when we go offline) can help us feel better about switching off, resting properly, and taking the annual leave we need without guilt or fear.
Why We Worry
Worrying is human nature. It’s a survival tool, because your brain’s #1 job is is to keep you safe. Thousands of years ago, that meant staying alert to danger, watching the shadows for predators, scanning the landscape for threats. Today, we’re more likely to fear a missed deadline than a wolf attack, but our brain and biological evolution takes thousands of years to catch up.
Internal alarm system
The amygdala (often referred to as the brain’s “alarm system”) reacts to perceived threats (real or imagined) and triggers the familiar “fight or flight” response. When you log off or go on leave, your brain can interpret the lack of control as potential danger. No access to your inbox? That must mean you’re vulnerable. Not monitoring Slack? You could miss something catastrophic. Your amygdala doesn’t understand that a weekend in the countryside isn’t a threat. It just knows you’re stepping away from your normal systems of control, and it can freak out a bit.
Brain forecasting
Alongside the amygdala is the prefrontal cortex, the planning and reasoning centre of your brain. It’s what helps you prepare for meetings, map out projects, and write to-do lists Your prefrontal cortex tries to protect you by imagining worst-case scenarios.
But studies show that we vastly overestimate the likelihood and impact of negative events, especially when we're already tired or stressed. In fact, one study found that 91% of worries never come true and the other 9% aren’t as bad as we thought.
Do you get FOSO (The Fear of Switching Off)?
The Truth: The World Keeps Turning Without You
One of the biggest reasons we don’t fully switch off during leave is control. We’ve been trained to think that being always on makes us reliable, valuable, in control. But that’s not sustainable. And more importantly, it’s not true.
So many guests that go offline for 3 days tell us one of their biggest learnings is “the world doesn’t stop spinning just because I’m offline”. Every time you take proper time off, you prove that the sky doesn’t fall. The business doesn’t collapse. Your inbox doesn’t implode. In fact, rested people make better decisions, communicate more clearly, and work more efficiently.
In one 2021 study, employees who took regular breaks, including short offline moments and longer annual leave, reported higher engagement, less burnout, and better problem-solving abilities.
How to Worry Less
If you’re someone who struggles to switch off, here are a few science-backed tools to help you truly rest without spiralling into worst-case-scenario mode.
1. Create a ‘Worry Window’
Set aside some time to write down all the things you’re worried about. Get them out of your head and onto paper. Then ask:
- How likely is this to happen?
- What would I do if it did?
- Can this wait until I return?
This helps your brain feel heard and gives it permission to rest.
2. Build an ‘If-Then’ Plan
Anxiety often comes from uncertainty. So, give yourself a contingency plan.
- If something urgent comes up, then [person] will call me.
- If a client emails, then they’ll receive my autoresponder explaining when I’ll be back.
The more you reduce ambiguity, the more your brain can relax.
3. Try a Pre-Break Digital Detox
If going from 100 to 0 feels like a shock to the system, try a short offline period before your break. Even a few hours without notifications can remind your nervous system that it’s safe to slow down.
4. Remind Yourself Why Rest Matters
Print this out if you need to:
- You are more than your output.
- Rest is not laziness, it’s essential
- You don’t have to earn rest. You need it.
Worrying when you log off doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It means your brain is doing what it was designed to do, keep you alert. But the good news? You can thank it, reassure it, and still unplug. So this is your permission slip: put your phone in a drawer, trust your team, and take your annual leave properly. The world will keep turning.
