Vacation Guilt Is Stealing Your Joy — Here’s How to Take Your Summer Back

You’ve been counting down the days. You’ve blocked off your calendar, set your out-of-office reply, maybe even booked that lakeside cabin. But instead of excitement, a familiar knot settles in your stomach:

“I should be working.”
“Other people can’t afford to take time off.”
“What if everything falls apart while I’m gone?”

Sound familiar?

This is vacation guilt — and it’s one of the most common emotional roadblocks we see this time of year at Lakeside Counseling Center. Whether you’re working 50-hour weeks, raising kids full-time, or juggling both, the idea of truly unplugging often feels… impossible.

But here’s something we wish more people knew:
Rest is not a reward you earn after total exhaustion. It’s a right. A need. A mental health imperative.

Why Is It So Hard to Rest?

We live in a culture that glorifies being busy. Hustle is praised. Overwork is normalized. And rest? That’s often labeled lazy, selfish, or weak.

So even when you finally slow down, your mind doesn’t. You feel the weight of “wasted time,” or the pressure to make every moment count. You may even find yourself anxiously checking your email from the beach.

This guilt isn’t your fault. It’s a reflection of what you’ve been taught — that your worth is tied to how much you produce, help, or give to others. And that belief? It’s driving people into burnout every single day.

The Mental Health Cost of Never Taking a Break

At Lakeside Counseling Center, we help clients recognize the quiet warning signs of chronic burnout, which can sneak up on even the most capable, caring people:

• You’re constantly tired, but can’t relax

• You feel irritable, disconnected, or numb

• You dread small tasks that once felt easy

• You push through pain or exhaustion instead of pausing

Burnout doesn’t always look like collapse. Sometimes, it looks like surviving — while joy, rest, and emotional clarity quietly fade into the background.

So, How Do You Actually Enjoy Time Off?

We believe therapy should help you feel more human, not just more functional. Whether you join us for virtual therapy across Wisconsin or in-person counseling in Madison or Eau Claire, we work with you to gently untangle the guilt, pressure, and perfectionism that keep rest out of reach.

Here’s what that can look like:

1. Rewriting the Story You Tell Yourself
   We’ll help you unpack where your guilt comes from — maybe family, school, or a job that taught you that being needed equals being worthy. Then we’ll write a new story: one where your rest matters, no strings attached.

2. Learning the Science Behind Real Recovery
   Rest isn’t a luxury — it’s brain chemistry. We’ll teach you how recovery protects your emotional resilience, your relationships, and your long-term ability to show up for what matters.

3. Building Boundaries That Actually Hold
   From email habits to family expectations, we’ll help you create simple, sustainable boundaries that protect your peace without guilt or apology.

4. Practicing Rest That Feels Right for You
   Not everyone wants a bubble bath or a beach day. We’ll help you discover what rest actually feels like in your body — and how to return to it regularly, not just once a year.

What If This Summer Could Be Different?

Imagine this:
You take time off and actually feel relaxed.
You return feeling grounded, not guilty.
You stop equating rest with weakness — and start treating it like the essential part of healing that it is.

That shift is possible. And we’d love to help you make it.

Ready to Reclaim Rest?

If you’re tired of living at the edge of burnout, we’re here to walk with you toward something better. At Lakeside Counseling Center, we offer virtual therapy statewide in Wisconsin, as well as in-person counseling in Madison and Eau Claire.

Now welcoming new clients
Virtual and in-person sessions available
Contact us today to schedule your first appointment

You don’t have to earn your rest.
You just have to believe you’re worth it.
We already do.