Stepping away from your business might just be the best thing you ever do for your business.

You might be surprised at what you find out about your team and what that break can do for your company. This can look like time away for vacation, personal development or even parental leave.

As a business owner, it can be nerve-racking to step away but start small. Take a short break, then work your way up to longer ones as you build trust and confidence with your teams.

Stepping away might seem counterintuitive if you’re deeply invested in your business’s success, but taking that space can be the most beneficial thing you can do to drive your organization forward.

It can give an important look into the strength of your systems and operations, a fresh perspective on your company, and it forces you to delegate.

Here’s what I’ve learned firsthand:

1. Visibility into systems and operations

When I first started stepping back from daily operations at Wistia, I was unnerved. I was anxious about missing key hires, not being in the loop on 1-on-1s and losing touch with the smaller details and decisions of the business.

But then I also realized that if your company relies on you to manage everything daily, it might be a sign that you need to rethink your organization’s systems and structures.

The key is building a strong team and structure that runs smoothly without you so that you can focus on the bigger picture. If you step away and quickly find that things aren’t operating as they should, that often indicates that you need to change your management approach.

If that’s the case, work with your teams to better prepare them for success by empowering them with the right tools, systems and guidance. Often, you need space and perspective to come to that realization.

Related: Why Every Entrepreneur Needs an Exit Strategy — and How to Create One

2. An outside perspective

When you’re too close to something, sometimes you miss the obvious. We’ve all been guilty of this.

The same applies to when you’re running a business. It’s easy to spot opportunities and critique other organizations from the outside. But sometimes it’s harder to see the same for your own company.

Because when you’re inside your business, you understand why things are the way they are. You know about that messy organizational structure, that product in development (or the one that failed) or all the complexity that’s holding you back.

But your customers don’t care about this. They don’t care why something’s broken or unavailable — or what the backstory is. They just want it fixed, or they want it to be better.

When you separate yourself from all that internal complexity by taking time away, it becomes easier to spot those opportunities and start seeing your business the way a customer would. And you can see how you show up in the market vs. your competitors. From there, you can pivot as needed.

3. The power of delegation

If you can’t delegate, you can’t scale. And trust is one of the biggest drivers of this.

Empowering your team to make decisions and take ownership, especially when you’re not there, transforms your whole organization. Taking a break isn’t just for you; it’s a chance for your team to step up, grow and solve hard problems with a fresh perspective.

It’s a powerful signal to your team: “I know you’ve got this. I trust you.” It’s the kind of recognition every employee wants – and it pushes them to step up and deliver.

At Wistia, the moment I let go and trusted others to take on some of my tasks, everything changed. Delegating helped free up my time and energy to focus on what really mattered — where I could make the biggest impact and add the most value. It’s simple: when you step back, you stop getting stuck in the business and start working on it. Shifting your perspective isn’t easy, but the payoff is always worth it.

A natural result of this is that you start thinking more long-term. As you give yourself more space, you’ll find that the more time you have for big-picture thinking, the easier it gets to make those tough, short-term decisions.

Related: How to Delegate as a Business Owner

So, at the end of the day, if you’re asking yourself if you can step away, I ask you to consider: “What’s truly the worst that could happen?”

Once you manage to overcome your separation anxiety, I’m willing to bet you can’t afford not to take a break. You’ll soon realize that taking this time becomes critically important as you grow—for yourself and the company. It’s a form of investing in the future.

Lean into the discomfort now — I promise it’ll pay off in ways you can’t even begin to imagine.

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Enjoying life’s pleasures doesn’t have to derail your financial goals. While it’s natural to want nice things, thoughtful spending habits can help you savor small luxuries while staying aligned with your money objectives. The secret to enjoying treats without guilt is allocating a specific portion of your monthly budget for indulgences and respecting those boundaries.

Having a dedicated “pleasure fund” has transformed my view of budgeting. Rather than seeing it as limiting, I now view my spending plan as a tool that empowers me to mindfully enjoy life’s delights. This perspective shift has revolutionized how I think about money. This intentional approach allows me to enjoy special moments while maintaining financial control.

Related: How To Monitor Your Spending Habits

Understanding ‘Treat Yo Self’ — The philosophy behind indulgence

I believe occasional indulgences are essential for emotional well-being and life satisfaction. Studies indicate that planned treats can boost happiness levels when approached mindfully and purposefully.

The psychology of treating yourself

When we reward ourselves thoughtfully, our brains release dopamine — a natural chemical that reinforces positive behaviors. This creates a healthy pattern of effort and reward.

Balancing self-discipline with planned treats leads to greater long-term satisfaction than strict deprivation. Experience shows that setting aside resources for occasional indulgences reduces stress and prevents impulsive overspending.

The key lies in finding harmony between treats and responsibility. Simple pleasures like a soothing bath or a favorite meal can bring as much joy as expensive purchases. By being intentional about how we reward ourselves, we can create sustainable happiness without compromising our financial health.

Remember that treating yourself isn’t about the price tag — it’s about choosing meaningful experiences that align with your values and budget. When we approach indulgences mindfully, they become powerful tools for maintaining motivation and celebrating life’s moments while staying true to our financial goals.

Hedonic adaptation and its effects

I’ve noticed how quickly my mind adjusts to new pleasures through hedonic adaptation. What brings me joy today often becomes mundane tomorrow.

To maintain the special feeling of treats, I make sure to space them out and mix up my indulgences. This approach helps me avoid the “hedonic treadmill” — that endless cycle of needing bigger and pricier rewards to feel satisfied.

Studies show that experiential purchases like attending concerts or enjoying spa treatments create more enduring happiness compared to buying physical goods.

I find that simple joys like reading in nature or experimenting with new recipes can be meaningful rewards that resist becoming ordinary.

Strategic budgeting for guilt-free splurges

Thoughtful budgeting allows you to enjoy treats while staying aligned with your financial goals. Success comes from designating specific funds and planning ahead for purchases that spark joy. I suggest opening a dedicated savings account just for special purchases. Regular contributions help make indulgences feel guilt-free.

Begin with a realistic monthly amount — even $20-50 can accumulate nicely. Setting up automatic transfers on payday helps maintain consistency.

Monitor your fund with these simple steps:

• Define clear savings targets

• List upcoming planned treats

• Keep track of money going in and out

A dedicated treat fund gives you permission to spend on yourself while protecting your main budget.

Related: This Financial Expert Reveals the Simple Spending Hack That Will Make You Happy, Even in a Recession

Incorporating splurges into your budget

I’ve found that zero-based budgeting works wonderfully for managing treats. This means assigning a purpose to every dollar, including fun money.

Organize your treat budget into these categories:

• Monthly pleasures (coffee, entertainment)

• Mid-size purchases (wardrobe, hobbies)

• Major treats (travel, electronics)

Keep treats within 5-10% of your take-home pay to maintain a healthy financial balance. Plan bigger treats well in advance. I prefer saving gradually instead of using credit cards.

Ideas for responsible splurging

I’ve learned that spending wisely on meaningful purchases doesn’t require excessive spending. The key is focusing on experiences and items that provide lasting satisfaction rather than momentary pleasure.

Experience the joy of a spa day at home:

Creating a relaxing spa environment at home helps me save money while achieving genuine relaxation. My bathroom becomes a sanctuary with calming activities that fit my budget.

Here’s what my home spa ritual includes:

• Luxurious bath with Epsom salts

• Natural face masks using kitchen staples

• Soothing background music and flameless candles

• Comfortable robe and slippers

• Hot herbal tea in my cherished mug

Setting the right atmosphere is crucial. I lower the lights, silence my phone and dedicate at least an hour to complete relaxation.

Engaging in low-cost leisure activities:

I’ve found numerous free or inexpensive activities that feel special. Reading brings me immense pleasure — I borrow books from the library and create an inviting reading corner with soft blankets and cushions.

Finding treasures in thrift stores:

Thrift shopping allows me to discover unique items at incredible prices. I approach it like a treasure hunt with a modest budget.

Tips for successful thrifting:

• Shop at stores in affluent areas

• Look for premium brands

• Check items thoroughly for wear

• Visit during weekday mornings for the best selection

I maintain a wishlist and visit stores regularly. This patient approach helps me find quality items at significant discounts.

Safeguards to prevent financial overindulgence

A robust emergency fund serves as my financial safety net against overspending. I make it a priority to set aside 3-6 months of essential living expenses in an easily accessible savings account.

Building financial stability begins with saving money before considering any indulgences. This way, when unexpected expenses arise, I won’t need to tap into my discretionary spending budget or rely on credit cards.

I maintain my emergency savings in a dedicated account, separate from my day-to-day spending money. This separation helps prevent accidentally dipping into these crucial funds for non-emergency purposes.

Related: How To Save Money: 10 Tips to Build Your Savings

Setting limits to your ‘Treat Yo Self’ expenditures

I establish clear monthly spending limits for personal treats. I typically allocate 5-10% of my take-home pay after covering essential expenses and savings goals.

For larger treats over $100, I implement a 48-hour waiting period before purchasing. This cooling-off period helps me avoid impulsive buys I might later regret.

My treat budget remains separate from regular expenses. Once it’s depleted for the month, I stop — no borrowing from other categories or future allowances.

Whether you’re the boss or a working professional, you can understand the interest in working remotely — flexible hours, less commute time, and a better work-life balance. But remote or hybrid work can only be successful if you have the right tools at your disposal.

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HP is laying off up to 2,000 people of its 58,000-person global workforce. The computer and printer giant disclosed the news in an SEC filing on Thursday.

“HP expects incremental gross workforce reductions of approximately 1,000 to 2,000 employees,” the filing reads. “The changes to the workforce will vary by country, based on local legal requirements and consultations with employee works councils and other employee representatives, as appropriate.”

The layoffs are expected to occur before the close of HP’s fiscal year 2025, which ends in October. The cuts could help HP save up to $300 million, per the filing.

HP has not specified the departments set to be affected by the cuts or the roles that will be impacted. CEO Enrique Lores told Bloomberg on Friday that the latest round of layoffs will occur “all over the company” and that HP has been “very selective and very strategic” about where to make cuts.

Related: HP Wants You to ‘Never Own A Printer Again,’ Launches Rental Subscription

“It’s not only cuts, we are also doing rebalancing,” Lores said. “At the same time, we’re investing in other areas.”

Lores specified that HP’s high-priority investment areas include AI and customer experience.

^{HP CEO Enrique Lores. Photographer: Annabelle Chih/Bloomberg via Getty Images}

The layoffs are part of HP’s cost-cutting initiative “Future Now,” which the company introduced in November 2022, per The Wall Street Journal.

The initiative originally aimed to lay off 7,000 employees. With the new round of cuts, the total number of laid-off workers could tick up to 9,000 employees, with overall savings reaching $1.9 billion.

The layoff news arrived as HP posted its fiscal first quarter 2025 earnings on Thursday. Net revenue for the company was up 2.4% year-over-year, reaching $13.5 billion.

Related: Humane’s ‘Ai Pin’ Wanted to Be the Next Smartphone. Now the Company Is Being Sold to HP For Parts.

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Citigroup made the mistake of crediting $81 trillion to a customer’s account instead of $280, according to a Friday report from the Financial Times.

The multi-trillion-dollar error occurred in April 2024 and was overlooked by both a payments employee and a second employee assigned to check the transaction before it was approved to be processed. A third employee caught the mistake 90 minutes after the payment was posted, leading Citigroup to reverse the transaction several hours after it had been submitted, per the outlet.

The value of the transaction far exceeds the gross domestic product of every country in the world, including the $29.72 trillion GDP of the U.S. It also surpasses Citigroup’s own $147 billion market capitalization.

No funds left the bank. Citigroup disclosed the “near miss,” or the term for a bank processing a wrong amount but recovering the funds, to the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Related: Citigroup Is Sticking With a Hybrid Work Schedule. It Gives the Bank a Competitive Advantage, According to Its CEO.

A Citigroup spokesperson told Business Insider that the incident was an “inputting error” and that there was “no impact to the bank or our client.” They also stated that the transaction was so large it could not have been processed.

“Despite the fact that a payment of this size could not actually have been executed, our detective controls promptly identified the inputting error between two Citi ledger accounts and we reversed the entry,” a Citigroup spokesperson told BI.

The bank also told the FT that it would push to eliminate manual entry and work on automating the inputting process.

^{Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser. Photographer: Paul Yeung/Bloomberg via Getty Images}

This isn’t the first time Citigroup has made a massive inputting error. FT reported that 10 near misses of $1 billion or more occurred at Citigroup last year, down from 13 cases in 2023.

In August 2020, Citigroup accidentally sent $900 million to the creditors of cosmetics company Revlon instead of a $7.8 million interest payment. It took the bank two years of legal action to recover most of the money. The episode led to the early retirement of then-CEO Michael Corbat and a fine of $400 million from U.S. regulators over “unsafe and unsound banking practices.”

Citigroup’s current CEO, Jane Fraser, stated when she was named to the CEO role in September 2020 that she would work to ensure that employees “operate in a safe and sound manner” by investing in infrastructure, risk management, and controls.

Two years later, a Citigroup employee accidentally added an extra zero to a trade, sparking a stock selloff that wiped out about 300 billion euros, or $322 billion, from European stocks. British regulators fined Citigroup about 62 million pounds, or around $78 million, over the issue last year.

Related: Citigroup Eliminated More Jobs This Week. Here’s Which Roles Were Affected.

U.S. regulators also fined Citigroup $136 million last year for not correcting gaps in operations.

Citigroup isn’t the only major bank that has incurred fines over operations. JPMorgan Chase, the largest bank in the U.S. with $3.9 trillion in assets, was fined nearly $350 million in March 2024 by U.S. regulators for operating trades “without adequate oversight.”

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This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with GumGum Advertising CEO Phil Schraeder, who’s had a successful side hustle appearing as a contestant on game shows. The piece has been edited for length and clarity. 

I’m originally from a small town outside of Chicago. My brother, sister and I were on the swim team in the summers, which meant early 6 a.m. mornings. This was back in the ’80s, where after swim practice, you’d go outside and play with your friends until dark, but in the mornings, no one else was awake. So, when we got home from swim practice around 7:30 a.m., my mom would make us breakfast and put on the TV — and my siblings and I would watch game shows.

I became fixated on those game shows, ones like The Price Is Right and Sale of the Century, and I’d play them with my siblings. I’m super competitive. I love trivia and winning prizes.

Related: ‘Jeopardy!’ Champion Buzzy Cohen Reveals 5 Surprising Parts of the Game Show That You Don’t See on TV

Fast forward to after I graduated from college: I worked in Chicago for a short time before deciding that I needed to find myself. I wanted to come out of the closet. I felt very held back from my authentic self. I wanted a change, so I moved with a friend to Los Angeles.

When I arrived, all I had was my car and what I could fit inside of it. I had no job, and I was in credit card debt. I needed to figure out a way to earn money. Luckily, I’ve always been focused on accounting and finance. My background is in business. So, I wasn’t worried about being able to find a job, but I still needed a way to make ends meet in the short term.

That’s when I started a fun and unique side hustle: competing on game shows. I ended up going on The Price Is Right with Bob Barker — and won. I walked away with $900 in cash, an amusement park popcorn cart and a grandfather clock. I was like, Wow, this is incredible. Not only did I love the experience, but I was also living out my childhood dream. I also loved knowing that my family was able to enjoy watching me do it.

Related: I Made Over $400,000 From a Side Hustle on Top of My 6-Figure Salary Last Year. I Love Diversified Income — and This Game-Changing Money-Saver.

Even as I progressed in my finance career, ultimately becoming a VP, I continued with the side hustle and kept a pulse on game show opportunities. Because Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world, a lot of first-time game shows have their start there, and they look for contestants locally. So, it’s not that competitive to apply; it’s not a nationwide search.

When I heard about the new show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, I knew I wanted to apply. And, being a 29-year-old finance and business accounting professional from Chicago, I provided an opportunity for them to try out a contestant who wasn’t in the entertainment industry. Still, it was a long audition process. But I was invited on the show and given about 10 days to prepare.

I wasn’t going to squander the chance. I went to the kids’ homeschool store, and I bought all the third, fourth and fifth-grade books. I bought world geography. I bought measurements. I bought flashcards of the presidents. Every day after my life partner Wes and I woke up, I would study, then go to work. On my lunch break, I would study more. Later in the evenings at home, I’d study until I was falling asleep on the couch.

I ended up winning $175,000 on the show. It gave me a lot of financial freedom.

Related: Two Knicks and a Businessman Walk Into a Studio — And Turn Their Side Hustle Into a Booming Business. Here’s How They Did It

This side hustle provided other exciting chances to make money over the years. I also appeared on the Dick Clark Pyramid Show, where I won $22,500. I literally took the day off work, called my brother after I won and said, “Oh, that was a good day of work.”

But this sort of side hustle comes with some limitations, too. You can only go on so many game shows over the course of 10 years. Now, if the right opportunity presented itself, I’d consider taking it. I still love game shows and appreciate that they helped set me up financially, but at this point in my life, I’m in a different situation, so if I were to appear on one and win, I’d likely donate the money.

My game show side hustle definitely helped shape me as a business leader.

In the beginning, I was afraid that I might not be taken seriously as a seasoned executive business professional in finance because I enjoyed competing on game shows. But those were my own ideas about societal expectations and being boxed in, and it actually helped me realize that as a CEO and leader myself, I don’t want anyone to feel that their interests or side hustles negatively influence how they’re perceived professionally. We want to celebrate those interests and side hustles; we want to encourage them.

At GumGum, we’re in 20 countries and have over 500 people, so I’ve implemented what I call “starting classes”: whoever started in Q1 of this year would be in the Q1 2025 starting class. And I ask them a lot of questions. What are some people’s side hustles? What are they interested in? It’s amazing to watch everyone light up. There are DJs, macrame crafters, influencers and opera singers. Then, I think about how we can translate those passions into our culture and encourage and support each other in the community.

Related: How to Balance a Full-Time Job With a Side Hustle

From my experience on Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? in particular, I learned the value of listening to yourself and following that instinct. I was in a situation where I was unsure of the answer and had to decide if I wanted to risk it all and go with the kid’s answer. If the kid’s answer was correct, I could have won $300,000, but if it were wrong, I would have dropped down to $25,000. Since the kid wasn’t certain about the answer, I stuck with my own and kept the $175,000.

As it turned out, the kid’s answer was right, so I would have won $300,000. But it was still an important lesson in listening to myself — because although it would have felt great to win $300,000, it would have felt far worse to lose $150,000. In the end, I was completely fine with not winning more in order to protect what I already had. You need to stay true to what works for you and what you are comfortable with. Don’t think about what others might have or do, and then compare yourself.

My game show side hustle also taught me a lot about my personal motivations — and how those values can translate to leadership.

On Are You Smarter Than 5th Grader?, I received a surprise video message from my mom, who is an educator and my fifth-grade teacher. I get emotional on the show because my mom’s wishing me good luck. That moment made me realize that, yes, this is super fun, but whatever this is, it’s nothing compared to how lucky I am with the other aspects of my life. It reaffirmed what really matters.

Related: I Turned My Side Hustle Into a Passive Income Stream That’s Earned More Than $1 Million — But Making Money Isn’t Even the Best Part

When it comes to business, the most successful leaders are going to be the ones who can go very deep in humanizing us and themselves. I try to stay away from encouraging leaders to be “authentic” because the opposite of that is “inauthentic,” and I don’t think people try to show up inauthentically. They’re just trying to be more transparent.

So that’s my one big push, especially as it relates to the advertising industry: If you’re a leader in this field, the ultimate goal is connecting with someone deeply on an emotional level or a needs level. The best leaders need to show up prepared to do that every day.

As of Thursday, Meta has fired around 20 employees for spilling “confidential information” to the press and other parties outside of Meta.

“We recently conducted an investigation that resulted in roughly 20 employees being terminated for sharing confidential information outside the company, and we expect there will be more,” Meta spokesperson Dave Arnold told The Verge. “We take this seriously, and will continue to take action when we identify leaks.”

Arnold said that when employees join Meta, they are made aware of the company’s strict no-leaks policy, which prohibits staff from revealing internal information.

Related: ‘There Are Repercussions’: Meta Reminds Staff of Its Strict No-Leaks Policy — That Has Since Been Leaked to the Press

Meta cracked down on leaks after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg held an all-hands meeting last month — and a recording leaked to multiple outlets almost immediately. That same day, The Verge also obtained an internal memo sent to staff by Meta’s Chief Information Security Officer Guy Rosen warning them against sharing confidential information.

During a company Q&A earlier this month, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth noted the “tremendous number of leaks” from inside the company and warned employees that Meta was “making progress on catching people.” A recording of the meeting also leaked to the press.

Related: Meta Confirms It Is Doubling Executives Bonuses to ‘Motivate’ and ‘Reward Them’ a Week After Layoffs

Meta conducted performance-based layoffs on February 10 that affected 5% of its 72,000-person workforce or about 3,600 employees who weren’t meeting standards. The cuts surprised some affected workers, who said they had a “solid” track record of performance at the company.

Meta has also recently made sweeping changes to how content is moderated on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads with the decision to roll out Community Notes, a system that enables users to flag misleading content and write explanations citing their sources. The new system replaces the independent fact-checking one that Meta had in place for eight years.