At Lawyerist – and our sister company, Affinity Consulting – we closed the business for an entire week. Again.
No team. No meetings. No sneaky inbox checks “just in case.” Everyone unplugged. Everyone offline.
And no, it didn’t happen by magic.
It wasn’t easy.
This didn’t happen because we could afford it.
We did it because we planned to.
“It’s nice, but it’ll never work” – and other lies we tell ourselves
We hear this all the time. Whether it’s a week-long office shutdown, a team retreat, or a six-week sabbatical abroad, the answer is often the same:
“It seems incredible. But we will never achieve it.”
We’ve helped our clients prove otherwise. And now we’re showing what’s possible by doing it ourselves.
The reality is that you can do difficult things when you plan intentionally and build systems that make rest, flexibility, and sustainability truly achievable.
Shutting down the business for a week wasn’t a reward, it was a management decision. One that required forethought, communication and a little courage.
Why we did it (again)
This was the second year in a row that we closed the business during the week of July 4th. We chose this week strategically because it:
- naturally coincides with lower customer activity
- marks a mid-year reset point
- sets a cultural tone that says: “We mean it when we say we value wellness. »
Plus, we know what it’s like to try to rest while the world keeps turning. Even the best-intentioned vacation falls apart when your inbox keeps buzzing or your team is still online.
So we turned off the lights – on purpose – and asked everyone to really log out. No guilt. No stress of catching up. Just space.
Rest requires as much planning as work
It was neither luck nor luxury. It was deliberate design:
- We informed customers well in advance
- We have adjusted deadlines and deliverables
- We enabled team members to plan ahead
- We gave our entire team permission to unplug without anxiety
This is the same thinking we encourage our customers to incorporate into their own systems. Want to go abroad for six weeks with your family and come back to a company that hasn’t missed a beat? Do you want your team to set real boundaries and feel supported in respecting them?
Then build the infrastructure that makes this reality possible.
We are not just coaches. We are builders. And this rupture is something we built with intention.
Rest sends a signal. Here’s what ours says.
In the legal world – and in most professional services – there is an unspoken belief that continued availability is the price of credibility.
We reject this.
We’re not just here to build businesses look healthy. We help them be healthy. And a healthy team needs wiggle room, not just workflow optimization.
This company-wide shutdown is more than just a pause. It’s a statement.
A message to our team, our customers and our industry:
We don’t just preach balance. We operationalize it.
We don’t wait for burnout. We intentionally plan to rest.
We believe in building businesses that breathe – and we do it.
The results speak for themselves
One of our team members summed it up best:
“It’s an incredible feeling to work for a company that truly prioritizes wellness. I haven’t opened my laptop once, and that freedom to completely unplug it made all the difference. Now we are back with new energy and focus, ready to serve our customers and each other.
This energy? You can’t pretend.
It only comes from space. And space only exists when you intentionally carve it out.
It’s not “Can you?” » – It’s “How are you?” »
So here is the real question that leaders reading this are asking themselves:
What would have to be true for you to close your business for a week?
Not: “Why won’t it work.”
But: “What needs to happen for this to work? »
It’s change. And that’s where the transformation begins.
We are proud to say that we not only survived a week, we came back better.
And we’d love to help your business do the same.
Last updated July 16, 2025
