By Tess Peters, Founder, Accelerator Coaching
What Thailand taught me about true work-life balance.
“You don’t need more time. You need more clarity.”
I am currently writing this sitting on a beach in Khao Lak, a day before travelling home to the UK. The sea is calm, the air is warm, and my phone is, for now, still on. That might sound like a contradiction, because we are often told that a holiday means switching off completely. No laptop. No emails. No thinking about work.
But what if it is not that simple?
2025 has been a landmark year for me. I turned 50, climbed Kilimanjaro, introduced new coaches into our leadership development programmes, and was given a precious gift, time away in Thailand over the New Year. My husband treated me to this holiday, and it felt both generous and grounding. A pause, a thank you, and a reset.
During the first week, I chose to work lightly. During the second week, I intentionally wound things down, focusing on my health and wellbeing: yoga most mornings, running, swimming and time in the gym. I am increasingly convinced that when energy comes first, the rest follows. I felt clearer, calmer and more creative than I have in months.
And interestingly, I still found myself doing a little work. Not because I had to. Simply because it gave me pleasure.
There is a simple but powerful equation here. Passion sits somewhere between two positive emotions, satisfaction and pleasure. I am deeply passionate about coaching and the business we are building. Reaching out to a small number of people I work closely with, simply to say “I’m around if you need me”, brought both. It did not feel like work at all.
Part of that is context. On holiday, I am not cooking, planning meals, or juggling diaries. My only real choices are whether to sunbathe or book a Thai massage. With that mental load lifted, my brain feels freer and more creative.
I have been manifesting and journaling throughout this trip, something I actively encourage clients to do for their wellbeing. Recently, I set an intention using the word “yellow” in my journal. Within hours, I was confronted by an enormous yellow inflatable duck staring at me from a passing boat. An hour later, a man wearing a name tag that read “Yellow” helped me onto a water taxi. Coincidence? Perhaps. But these moments reminded me that when we create space for clarity, the universe has a curious way of responding.
When you are self-employed or running a business, time off looks different. There is no universal rulebook. Some days I will work for two focused hours and then read or study. Other days, I am completely offline. The key word here is choice.
In the UK, full-time employees are entitled to 28 days of annual leave. Yet research consistently shows that many people do not fully disconnect. What matters more than whether people work on holiday is how it feels. Wellbeing research tells us that autonomy, having control over when and how you work, is one of the strongest predictors of wellbeing. Stress tends to rise when work is driven by guilt or obligation rather than conscious choice.
Many leaders I coach say they want better work life balance. When we explore this properly, it is rarely just about fewer hours. It is about energy, fulfilment and self-trust. The real question is what is driving the behaviour.
There is a quote often attributed to Alan Watts that feels particularly relevant here: “Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.” When we allow ourselves to pause, clarity returns. This holiday has given me that stillness, and I want to make the most of the frame of mind it brings.
As I prepare to travel home, I feel grateful, energised and quietly focused. Over the next year, I will continue writing for Northern Insights, exploring the emotional competencies of effective leaders, one issue at a time.
So, do you work on holiday?
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