The last time I spent any significant time in France over the summer was when I burnt out when I was still in my full time role in 2017. I spent a month there, completely exhausted, piecing myself back together.

This summer, I spent two and a half months in France. But this time, it was under very different circumstances.

It wasn't because I'd burnt out. It was because I was choosing how and when to work in a way that sustains me. The difference between these two experiences reminded me of everything I need to know about sustainable performance.

France 2017 - The great escape

In 2017, I arrived in France as a refugee from my own life. I was completely burnt out from my work, running on empty, and desperately needing to escape the relentless pace that had become my normal.

I was here to recover, not to work. To sleep for 12 hours a day because my body demanded it. To sit in the sun doing absolutely nothing because I literally couldn't do anything else. To try to remember what it felt like to not be constantly stressed, or busy, or active, or deciding…..

I was treating France like a repair shop for my broken system. Hoping that a month of not working would somehow fix what months of overwork had broken.

But you can't sustainably run yourself into the ground and then expect a holiday to fix everything. Recovery isn't the same as prevention. Treating rest like a reward for burnout is a dangerous game.

France 2025 - The intentional approach

This summer, I spent over two months there, but I was still working. The difference was that I was working intentionally, not reactively.

I woke early to open the shutters and let the cool air in. I closed them by midday to keep the heat out. I sat under the oleander and trimmed the olive tree between calls. I took proper lunch breaks outside in the sunshine instead of scrolling through my phone.

It wasn't a holiday. But it was intentional.

I wasn't there to escape my work. I was there to demonstrate to myself that I could work differently. That I could be productive without being frantic. That I could maintain my business while also maintaining my wellbeing.

The micro-pause revelation

One of the biggest difference between 2017 and 2025 isn't the amount of work I'm doing. It's the micro-pauses.

In 2017, I was so burnt out that I needed macro-recovery. Weeks of doing nothing. Complete disconnection from work. Total system shutdown. I found myself moving between bed, lounger and dining table in a zombie state.

In 2025, one way I manage my energy is with micro-pauses. Five minutes trimming the olive tree. Ten minutes sitting in the sun. A proper lunch break, looking at the vineyard instead of my laptop.

These aren't rewards for working hard. They are part of working well.

Research shows that regular micro-breaks can reduce fatigue by up to 50% and improve focus by 23% (University of Illinois). More importantly, they help to prevent the kind of accumulated stress that leads to burnout in the first place. Like trickle charging a battery.

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The difference between reactive and intentional

In 2017, I was reactive. I worked until I couldn't work anymore, then crashed. I treated rest as something I earned after exhaustion, not something I needed for sustainability.

In 2025, I am intentional. I work when my energy is at its best. I take breaks before I need them. I design my day around my natural rhythms, not around other people's expectations.

The difference isn't just in how I feel. It is in the quality of my work. When I work intentionally, I am more creative, more strategic, more present with my clients. When I was working reactively, I was just surviving.

What sustainable performance really looks like

Sustainable performance isn't working less. It's working differently.

It's recognising that your energy is finite and managing it accordingly (I have a lovely download on managing your charge – drop me a message and I’ll send it to you 😉). It's understanding that rest isn't a luxury, it's a requirement for peak performance.

It's building micro-recovery into your day, not just hoping for macro-recovery at the end of the quarter.

In practical terms, it means:

Designing your environment to support your wellbeing, not just your productivity. Working under the oleander instead of at the kitchen table. Opening the shutters for light and air, not just pushing through in artificial environments.

Protecting your energy rhythms instead of fighting them. I work best in the morning, so I protect those hours fiercely. I fade in the afternoon, so I use that time for admin or planning, not creative work.

Taking breaks before you need them instead of waiting until you're desperate. The olive tree gets trimmed when I notice it needs it, not when it's completely overgrown.

Viewing rest as productive instead of seeing it as time wasted. Those moments watching the light change across the vineyard aren't empty time - they're when my best ideas emerge.

There is a clear business case for sustainable performance

The productivity obsessed won't tell you that sustainable performance is actually more productive than burnout culture.

According to the World Health Organisation, burnout costs the global economy $300 billion annually in lost productivity. Meanwhile, companies that prioritise employee wellbeing see 31% higher productivity and 37% better sales performance (Gallup).

When I was burnt out in 2017, I was working longer hours but producing lower-quality work. I was reactive, stressed, and making poor decisions. I was busy, but I wasn't effective. And just imagine what kind of leadership shadow I was casting…. 😳😬

In 2025, I work fewer hours but produce better results. I am strategic, calm, and make thoughtful decisions. I am productive, not just busy (mostly… I am also still human!).

Your sustainable performance audit

If you're reading this thinking, "I'll worry about sustainable performance when I have more time," you're already in the 2017 mindset. You're treating your wellbeing as a luxury instead of a necessity.

Ask yourself:

Am I working reactively or intentionally?
What micro-pauses could I build into my day?
How am I designing my environment to support my wellbeing?
What would sustainable performance look like for me?

What’s your intention?

The difference between France 2017 and France 2025 wasn't just about location. It was about intention.

In 2017, I was trying to recover from unsustainable performance. In 2025, I was demonstrating sustainable performance.

One is reactive. One is intentional.

One is about escaping your life. One is about designing your life.

You don't have to wait until you're burnt out to start working differently. You don't have to earn rest through exhaustion.

You can choose sustainable performance right now, wherever you are.

Your future self will thank you.

Do you want to design your own sustainable performance approach? My S.T.R.E.S.S.™ framework helps you identify what's creating stress in your work and life, so you can address it before it becomes burnout. If you’re ready to work intentionally instead of reactively drop me a message or book a free 30-minute consultation call.