Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get said enough or might not be easy to accept in our profession: you are not your Executive’s entire world. You’re not the company’s safety net. You’re not a robot. You are a human being with limits, needs, boundaries, and a right to rest. And yet, so many Personal and Executive Assistants go year after year hoarding their annual leave, feeling guilty for wanting time off, and constantly preparing to be “on” no matter where they are.
If that’s you: you’re not alone. But it needs to change and it needs to change quickly.
There’s a quiet culture of burnout in admin roles, one that praises endurance over sustainability. Assistants don’t just manage tasks, you manage people’s mental bandwidth, their stress, their calendars, their energy. You anticipate needs, smooth out issues, and catch what others don’t even realise they’ve dropped. And because you’re so good at it, people stop seeing it as “work” and start seeing it as ‘magic’. That’s flattering… until it traps you in a cycle of over-responsibility. A cycle where you believe you can’t step away, where you convince yourselves that everything will fall apart if you’re not checking your inbox from a beach in Mykonos or ducking out of a family lunch to take a “quick call.”
But here’s the reality: chronic overwork isn’t just exhausting; it’s dangerous. Studies by the World Health Organisation and researchers at UCL have shown that regularly working long hours significantly increases your risk of stroke, heart disease, anxiety, and depression. Burnout doesn’t just show up in dramatic collapses, it creeps in slowly through irritability, insomnia, immune system crashes, emotional detachment, and total exhaustion. And no, the odd three-day weekend doesn’t undo that kind of strain.
Still not convinced? Ask yourself honestly: what are you sacrificing when you convince yourself you’re “too important” to take a break?
One of the most common things I hear is: “But there’s no one to cover me.” And I get it, I’ve been there myself. A lot of companies don’t have the infrastructure to support assistants properly and many won’t bring in temporary help during any absence of leave regardless of the reason. Maybe no one else on your team is trained to jump in or maybe the last time you took time off, you came back to a chaotic inbox, a frazzled Exec, and a week of clean-up. It’s tempting to believe it’s easier just to power through.
But here’s what you need to hear: if your role can’t function for a week without you, that’s not a sign of your value, it’s a sign that your company hasn’t built a sustainable setup. And that’s not your problem to fix by sacrificing your health. What you can do is plan for your absence with the same precision you plan your Exec’s time.
- Start by documenting your workflows, create a simple handover doc with key contacts, task lists, and escalation points. Brief someone you trust (even if they’re not an EA) to cover urgent things or at least triage.
- Block out time on your return to get back on top of things before the meeting avalanche begins. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s coverage and if your organisation won’t invest in cover, that doesn’t mean you don’t go. It means they’ll learn how to manage without you, which, by the way, is exactly what they’d expect you to do if they took a break.
The other big one? “But my Exec always messages me anyway.” Again, valid and frustrating. Many EAs have trained their Execs (often unknowingly) to expect 24/7 access. But here’s the thing: if you never set a boundary, no one will honour one for you. Boundaries aren’t about being difficult, they’re about being clear. A few weeks before your leave, let your Exec know you’ll be offline, that a handover plan is in place, and that someone else is across the basics. Be direct but respectful. Say something like:
“While I’m away, I’ll be offline so I can properly switch off and recharge. I’ve briefed (Name), and they’ll handle anything urgent.”
Then stick to it. Set an out-of-office message that reinforces your absence and includes a redirect. Delete email or Teams off your phone if you have to. You’re not being unprofessional, you’re being a human being who needs rest to perform well. That’s not radical. That’s responsible.
A tough truth I’ve had to learn is that I am not the company. I am not my Exec’s safety net. I am not the job. I’m a professional who does excellent work, but I’m not paid to trade my personal wellbeing for other people’s convenience. And neither are you. Your annual leave isn’t a favour from your employer, it’s part of your compensation. Just like your salary. You wouldn’t work for free, so why would you give up your rest?
And yes, I know, we’re often praised for being “always available,” for being the person who gets things done the right way, for never dropping the ball. But that kind of constant availability isn’t sustainable, and over time, it chips away at your health, your energy, and your love for the role. You are allowed to rest and you need to rest. Not just so you can perform better, but so you can exist outside your work identity.
So. How many days off have you taken this year? Be honest. And if the answer is “not many” or “just a long weekend here and there,” ask yourself what would really happen if you blocked two full weeks, handed over like a pro, and actually disconnected. Would the world fall apart? Probably not. But you might feel better than you have in years.
Take the leave. Seriously. Your job will be there when you get back. And so will your health, your clarity, your energy, your creativity and your sense of self.
You deserve the time. You’ve earned the time. Now go take it.