Unplug to Lead Better: A Wake-Up Call for Auto Repair Shops

In a recent Just ONE Thing episode, Rick White delivered a message that cuts through the noise: unplugging isn’t a perk—it’s a leadership tool. For auto repair shop owners and managers running on fumes, this truth hits hard. Skipping time off doesn’t make the business stronger. It makes you weaker—and eventually, it shows.

Here’s why unplugging needs to be part of your leadership strategy, and exactly how to do it without sacrificing control or performance.

Time Off Isn’t Optional—It’s Essential for Auto Repair Shop Owners

Most shop owners avoid taking time off because they think it’s selfish, risky, or just not possible. But the real risk is burning out while pretending everything’s fine.

Three reasons time off feels impossible:

• Guilt: You’ve worked hard to step out of the day-to-day. Now you don’t always see the impact you’re making, so taking time off feels undeserved.
  
  
• Fear of chaos: You assume that without you, the shop will fall apart—and the mess you come back to won’t be worth the break.
  
  
• Need for control: It feels safer to hold the reins tight than trust someone else. But that mindset blocks growth—for you and your team.
  
  

The truth is this: burnout is real, and it’s avoidable. When your energy is drained, your judgment slips, your relationships suffer, and your passion fades. And you may not even realize it’s happening until you finally step away—and feel the difference.

Unplugging Reveals the Gaps in Your Auto Repair Shop

When you're constantly in the shop, you naturally fill in the gaps. You follow up, double-check, and fix things without even thinking about it.

But when you unplug, you see the cracks for what they are—processes that aren’t working, team members who need support, and systems that fall apart without supervision.

That’s not a problem. That’s an opportunity.

You can’t improve what you can’t see. Time away gives you a clearer picture of where your shop needs attention. It also shows you how capable your team really is when they’re given space to own their roles.

Breakthrough Thinking Happens When You Unplug

Unplugging isn’t just about recovery—it’s about clarity. When you’re stuck in the grind, your brain gets noisy. You’re reacting instead of leading.

Stepping back creates space for new ideas, clearer thinking, and better decisions. Some of your best thoughts won’t come while staring at a ticket—they’ll hit you on a walk, in the shower, or during a quiet moment.

Unplugging also reignites passion and creativity. It reminds you why you started the business in the first place. When you feel recharged, you show up better—for your team, your customers, and yourself.

How to Unplug Without Losing Control of Your Auto Repair Shop

The idea of disappearing for a week might feel impossible. So don’t start there.

Here’s a simple, five-step system to build the habit of unplugging into your schedule—without derailing your shop’s operations.

1. Daily: Take a Real Lunch Break

Step away from your work. No email. No problem-solving. Use this time to refuel your mind. Read a leadership book. Watch a podcast episode. Journal. Do something that feeds you.

2. Weekly: Move Your Body

Exercise isn't just about fitness—it sharpens focus and boosts energy. Whether it’s a walk, a gym session, or stretching, movement helps you mentally reset.

3. Monthly: Unplug for One Full Day

Pick one day a month to fully disconnect from the shop. No calls. No texts. No checking estimates. This day is for mental and emotional recovery—which you probably don’t even realize you need.

4. Quarterly: Take a Full Week Off

Use this time to reconnect with your family, your goals, and your life outside the shop. Waiting until things slow down won’t work—they never do. You have to schedule it and protect it.

5. Annually: Plan the Next Year

Block off one week a year for strategic planning. Get away from the business and look ahead. Review what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change. Build the next version of your shop with intention.

Create Boundaries That Let You Truly Unplug

If you don’t create clear boundaries, your “time off” won’t be real. You’ll just be physically away—still checking in, still stressing, still reacting.

To actually unplug:

• Turn off notifications.
• Prep your team ahead of time.
• Trust the systems you’ve built—or learn where they need work.
  
  

Stop waiting for the perfect time. It’s not coming. Schedule your time off now and build your shop to run without your constant input. That’s not lazy—that’s smart leadership.

Even Engines Need Rest—So Do You

Think of your shop—and your mind—like an engine. If it’s always running, eventually it ceases. Not from weakness, but from neglect.

You’re not a machine. You’re a leader. And leaders know when to push—and when to pause.

Unplugging isn’t about slowing down your growth. It’s how you fuel it.