So my vacation could have gone one of two ways: I could have spent 3 weeks in Southern California with my family sans cellphone and with intermittent email access and hated it, or I could have done it and loved every minute of it. I chose the latter.

For years now, my motto has been “work hard, play harder.” I am the first to admit that I don’t do it enough, but the truth is that all of us need to. Whether it is practicing an instrument, getting up at 5 AM for an early-morning run, twirling your kids around the living room to lively music before dinner or sitting near a fountain at your favorite park or outdoor mall and tuning the world out for 15 minutes while you catch some Vitamin D, I am convinced that the world would be a much happier and more fulfilling and productive place if we all spent a little bit more time doing the little things we enjoy.

I admit to having been that boss (before I had kids) who didn’t understand people’s innate need to take a great family vacation at least once a year and disappear for a solid week or two. I would always take a day off here and there and that would be enough for me. This summer’s adventure was our first family vacation (where I didn’t really work) in 10 years! Nightly family dinners are great, but a family vacation can be your recharge station away from the crazy world around us.

I am not a phone maniac anyway and don’t ever plan to have “Blackberry thumb,” but the past 3 weeks gave me perspective, rejuvenated my work drive and renewed my resolve for the things I love to do and those that I don’t (but that I must do anyway).

In Israel, we are facing a challenging September from a work and management perspective. We’ve got only 13 work days this month due to the Jewish holidays, and looming deadlines as we try to finish projects and deliverables by year-end. My best advice is not to ask your staff to work around the clock to make it happen. Too many times, I have seen great technology start-ups fall apart when their company morale disappears from excessive overtime or overly aggressive development schedules.

Most of us can work all night when and if we need to, but the quality of our work suffers and it is generally a downward spiral. Do it for 3 or 4 nights in a row and you will find yourself only able to work at 20-30% capacity during both the day and at night. (When you work out the math of the actual additional night hours you can conceivably work versus how ineffective you become the next day, it just does not pay). Family life suffers, your health suffers and the ends just don’t justify the means. In my experience, it also almost never results in exceptional products or output and everything else around you suffers as a result.

So yes, the holidays are coming and you and your employees will get less done that you had hoped, planned, calculated and promised. But do yourself a favor and give your people the time off in a stress-free and guilt-free manner. They will come back eager ready to work, and you'll all be happier for it.