The Business of Rest
Chamber President & CEO Andrea Copeland gets personal about a wake-up call that came at 4am during what was supposed to be a restful holiday break. Her reflection on burnout and the necessity of rest sets the stage for our new Health & Wellness Series and reminds us all that sustainable success requires more than just running in fifth gear.
Lessons Learned from an Unexpected Shutdown
Well, here we are starting another new month in 2026. Seems like we were celebrating all the end-of-the-year and new year holidays just last week. The older we get, the faster time seems to move. Just as I was ready to belt out “Happy New Year!” to family and friends, the stores were pushing me to wish them “Happy Valentine’s Day!”.
There are nearly 10 holidays between the months of September and February. The pace at which they come and go is indicative of the pace at which many of us live our lives: fast. And, it’s rare that we take meaningful time to rest during or between the 10 of them.
I started 2026 off energized, excited, and refreshed, but this renewal came about from a forced rest. An unexpected shutdown.
For much of my career, December brought with it a natural pause. Having worked in the public school system, I was used to having the last two weeks of the year off. When I became employed with the Chamber, I continued that tradition of using the time to rest. This past December, I had some additional vacation time to use, so my year-end break was a little over two and a half weeks long. Sweet! I had a plan. I would do a little work only for the first couple of days of my break, then do absolutely no Chamber work after that.
Did I stick to my plan? Not at all.
That Sunday after Christmas, I sat down for what was supposed to be only an hour of work. Then, one hour turned into two, two hours turned into four, and so on. As I pushed through to complete more work, my body decided it had enough. Around 4am, I was suddenly overcome with chills, body aches, a rising fever, and abdominal pain. I dragged myself to bed to wrap myself in an electric blanket set on high. This was serious, yet my mind was still racing about everything that I was leaving undone. Reality eventually set in early Monday morning, so I cancelled all plans for the week. My work list was replaced with a simple order of strict bed rest and a simple diet. No medications, just rest. And rest I did, for six straight days.
Always in Fifth Gear
Sickness forced me to rest. It provided me with a deep, sound, restful, restorative sleep I hadn’t experienced in many months. This forced rest forced me to confront a hard truth: I am always, as a friend shared a few months ago, in fifth gear.
I encourage my team to prioritize their well-being, yet I wasn’t modeling this myself. I was burning the candle at both ends. I foolishly thought that completing one more task would catch me up only to find that every crossed-off item was replaced with five more.
I’m not alone in this struggle to pause, rest, and disconnect. Recent studies show that more than 65% of executives are experiencing burnout. When we’re always in fifth gear, we’re creating a culture that never turns off, thus increasing staff stress levels by 40%. This all negatively impacts performance, morale, and retention and it’s all bad for business. It was time for me to start downshifting.
Lessons Learned
If we’re willing to pause and reflect, even difficult moments can bring valuable clarity. This unexpected shutdown reminded me of a few important truths:
Rest is a necessity, not a luxury.
Intentionally allowing the body to recover is a form of self-respect and discipline.
The work is infinite.
There will always be something to do. The goal is not to do it all, but manage our priorities well and steward our time wisely.
Lead with intention.
The example we set as leaders shapes the culture around us. Choosing balance, boundaries, and rest gives others permission to do the same.
Commerce in Motion
This reflection makes the timing of our new Chamber Health & Wellness Series especially relevant. Business success should never come at the expense of personal well-being, so we are doing our part to support both.
On February 6th, we kicked off our first Netwalking with the CEO at Brooks Family YMCA. Jessica Taylor, CEO of Piedmont Family YMCA, was our first guest walker. Netwalking with the CEO is a monthly Friday-morning wellness and networking experience designed to bring Chamber members together for fresh air, meaningful conversation, and authentic relationship-building. Held at rotating walking spots throughout Charlottesville and Albemarle County, each walking session will feature a “guest walker” (chamber or community leader, industry expert). In March, Charlottesville Mayor Juan Wade will walk with us as we take our netwalking to the Downtown Mall in recognition of its 50th anniversary.
The message is simple: when we are intentional about taking care of ourselves—whether it’s getting proper rest or enjoying a brisk walk—we show up better for our teams, our members, and our community. And that, my friend, is good business.
