Welcome to the Higher Version Podcast – the space where HR professionals and leaders like you explore intentional leadership, executive growth, and the messy but beautiful balance between work and life.
Here’s a reflection for you today:
Do you need a break from what you’re supposed to do?
Not because it’s wrong. Not because it’s overwhelming. But because even the good things can become heavy if you never pause.
Today I’m sharing a personal story about family dinners, quiet nights, and how a shift in routine helped me reconnect with what really mattered – and how this applies to you as an HR leader trying to balance your work and your life.
Let’s talk about how breaking the pattern, just once, can actually bring you back to center.
Why Consistency Isn’t Always the Ultimate Goal in HR Leadership
One of the rhythms my husband and I held sacred while raising our kids was dinner at the table together. No TV, no phones – just us. It was one of the ways we stayed grounded and connected.
In many ways, it was our family version of a “core value” – something you’d probably write on a cultural charter if it were a company.
I loved that time with the kids where we could talk about their day, hear about challenges and share wins.
On the occasional Friday night though when the kids had friends over, we’d shake things up. We’d let the kids get a pizza and head down to the basement with a movie.
I have to admit that I secretly looked forward to those nights. Not because I didn’t value family dinners—but because I needed a break from the routine. My husband and I would sit down – just the two of us – for a quiet dinner.
Your HR Routines May Be Values, But They’re Not Vows
In Human Resources, we love routines. Systems. Calendars. Procedures. We teach them, we champion them, and we live by them.
But here’s the leadership truth:
Even the best systems must be flexible. Even values need room for recalibration.
Goals don’t have to be rigid, but they do have to be intentional. You don’t lead with integrity by following your routine to exhaustion – you lead with clarity by knowing when to pause.
Those Friday nights, our “routine” took a break. And it was good.
The Kids Wanted Pizza. Their Friends Wanted Presence.
Here’s the part that caught me off guard:
Sometimes, the kids’ friends didn’t want to eat in the basement.
They asked if they could sit at the table with us.
Because family dinners weren’t part of their lives at home.
And to them, our ordinary routine was something extraordinary.
That moment humbled me.
It reminded me that what you normalize, could be someone else’s dream – and also, that I was running on autopilot with no margin for myself.
I had become productive without purpose. I was doing the “right” thing with no rest baked in.
How Human Resource Professionals Can Model Work-Life Boundaries
So let’s bring it back to you, HR leaders.
You are the ones who preach boundaries.
You build burnout prevention strategies.
You draft flexible work policies.
You coach others on saying no and honoring capacity.
But how often do you give yourself that same permission?
We’re often too committed to our own internal policies – scheduling every minute, holding every 1:1, attending every cross-functional meeting – until we’re drained by doing what we “should.”
Michael Hyatt accurately says:
“If everything is important, nothing is.”
And here’s what I’ll add:
If you’re always “on,” you’re not leading – you’re performing.
HR Leaders Strategy: Schedule the Break, Not Just the Work
I challenge you to stop and think for a moment – what does your ideal week look like. This isn’t a rigid mold but a design blueprint. You should contemplate and identify:
- Your “Big 3” priorities
- Your blocks of time for deep work
- Your recovery time
- And yes… your non-achievement time.
That quiet dinner with my husband was non-achievement time.
And I needed it more than I realized.
You need yours, too.
As HR professionals, we have to lead with our calendar, not just fill it. You don’t inspire trust when you’re constantly reactive. You inspire trust when you’re rested, present, and focused on what matters most.
Flexible HR Routines Can Improve Employee Engagement and Culture
Want to know one of the biggest drivers of employee engagement?
Psychological safety and permission to be human.
When employees see their HR leaders taking PTO, skipping meetings that don’t serve a purpose, or redesigning their days for clarity – not chaos – it sends a powerful message:
“You can be excellent and take breaks.”
It tells your culture that perfection is not the goal – sustainability is.
And if you’re building a culture that lasts, that’s the message you want to model.
Weekly Challenge: Give Yourself Permission to Pause
So here’s your week’s challenge:
Choose one “good” routine you’re going to break – on purpose.
Here are some ideas:
- Cancel a recurring meeting that’s outlived its purpose.
- Skip a task that you normally push through, and take a 30-minute walk instead.
- Let go of a perfectly planned meal and order takeout guilt-free.
- Replace a “productive hour” with quiet thinking or journaling.
Write it down. Schedule the pause. Protect it.
Then reflect:
- Did it refresh you?
- Did it give you clarity?
- What came into focus when you slowed down?
Because productivity isn’t the point – intentionality is.
Closing Thoughts: You Can Lead Better by Resting First
If this episode helped reframe your perspective on routines, rest, or the work-life balance myth, I’d love for you to share it with a colleague or post it on LinkedIn.
Remember: routines serve you—but you don’t serve them.
Sometimes the best way to lead… is to step away.
Until next time, lead well, live fully, and pause when you need to.
