In this special holiday episode of Time, Fuel, and Money, Deborah, Karim, and Vassili sit with a familiar tension for high performers: why does “time off” sometimes feel anything but restful?
Rooted in the rhythms of Thanksgiving and year-end, they unpack the strange mix of boredom, anxiety, and urgency that can show up when the calendar slows down but your brain doesn’t. From hourglass metaphors to last-minute M&A closings at family dinner, they explore what it means to love your work, struggle to unplug, and still try to be present with the people who matter.
Vassili brings in the neuroscience — how dopamine, cortisol, and uncertainty shape our motivation and holiday mood. Deborah reflects on boundaries, “checking out” versus simply shifting focus, and why rest feels different for different people. Karim shares his love–hate relationship with the classic “What are you grateful for?” circle, and how even well-meant gratitude can land painfully for those who feel behind, burnt out, or in a hard season.
Together, they offer a more compassionate frame for the holidays: less performance, more awareness. Less judgment (of yourself and others), more permission to do this season in a way that actually works for you.
🧠 Topics we explore
- Why founders and operators struggle to truly “switch off” for holidays
- Dopamine, cortisol, and the neuroscience of uncertainty around family and time off
- The difference between not working and actually resting your mind
- Redefining “lazy” and why doing nothing can be deeply productive
- How gratitude circles can unintentionally sting — and how to make them gentler
- Being mindful of others’ invisible seasons while still honoring your own wins
- Letting go of holiday guilt and choosing the version of rest that fits you
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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