How Slowing Down in Crete Taught Me the Real Secret to Entrepreneurial Freedom – How to Unplug as a Business Owner.
Landing in Slow Motion
Arriving in Crete was like stepping into a different time zone – one where nobody seems to care what day it is, let alone what hour. We checked into a five-star design hotel perched above the Mediterranean, tucked away in a village so small it barely shows up on a map. Forget the usual crowds; it’s mostly locals here, with a handful of other travelers blending in quietly.
On our first afternoon, we wandered down to a tiny beach taverna. No English menu, no pressure. Mama’s in the kitchen, Dad’s sitting at the counter, sipping raki with water. The son, Adonis, smiled and said, “Today, my mom cooked chicken and potatoes. That’s what’s for lunch.” No debate, no choices needed. Alongside came a fresh salad, warm pita, proper tzatziki, and a carafe of Cretan wine. The meal took two unhurried hours, capped with yogurt and honey for dessert and two tiny cups of coffee.
For a moment, it hit me: I hadn’t checked my phone since we sat down.
Heaven.
The Poolside Pace and the Pull of Old Habits
Back at the hotel, the contrast was impossible to ignore. The infinity pool was lined with sun loungers, all of them occupied, yet almost everyone seemed glued to a screen. Phones, tablets, even laptops in the blazing sun. I watched one guy spend the entire day typing away, never once looking up at the view.
I could see it in the faces around me: that familiar restlessness. The compulsion to check messages or scroll for updates, even in paradise. I recognized it because I’ve lived it – traveling halfway across the world only to chain myself to Slack or email out of habit, not necessity.
Here, everything operates at a pace I’ve started calling the Mediterranean hour. Drinks arrive when they arrive. Meals stretch out with no rush. The staff move with purpose, not panic. It’s not a lack of care – if anything, it’s respect for the moment. But for anyone raised on “hustle” culture or the instant reflexes of a New York minute, this kind of enforced patience is both uncomfortable and, eventually, strangely refreshing.
From Urgency to Ease
Crete’s rhythm couldn’t be more different from the hustle cultures I’ve lived and worked in. A few weeks ago, I was in Dubai, where the atmosphere crackles with energy and every conversation feels like a pitch or a deal in motion (see my Dubai reflections here). Before that, I spent years in New York, where the “New York minute” isn’t just a phrase – it’s a way of life. There, waiting even sixty seconds for a coffee or a crosswalk feels unreasonable, almost insulting.
But here, the Mediterranean hour is the law of the land. Nothing is urgent. Meals aren’t events to rush through – they’re rituals to savor. Service is friendly, never frantic. There’s a deliberate refusal to let time control the experience.
If you’re used to racing the clock, this kind of environment is more than culture shock – it’s a test. The truth is, slowing down is hard if your default mode is acceleration. It’s especially tough for founders and high achievers who define themselves by what they accomplish and how fast they can do it.
But what struck me, once I stopped fighting it, is that the real luxury isn’t a beachfront suite or even the food – it’s the chance to disconnect from urgency itself. To feel the anxiety of “doing nothing” fade and discover what happens when you finally let yourself settle into the moment.
The Founder’s Freedom Test
If you’re a founder, here’s a challenge that Crete threw right in my face: Can you disappear for a week without your business skipping a beat? No frantic calls, no emergency emails, no micromanaging from afar. If the answer is no, you haven’t built a business – you’ve built yourself a very demanding job.
I’ve lived both sides of this. In my early days, I was convinced everything would collapse without my direct oversight. The idea of an actual vacation, where I truly unplugged, was laughable. But over the years, I learned to build an autonomous team of talented individuals, to put real systems in place, and to step away without fear that the wheels would fall off.
The result? Real freedom. Not just the freedom to travel, but the freedom to be present – to slow down, enjoy long meals, and let my mind wander. In Crete, I saw how rare that actually is. Most people are still tethered to their inbox, even by the pool. But if you build your company right, you get to experience what most only dream about: genuine time off, with nothing urgent hanging over your head.
What You Gain by Letting Go
Here’s what no one tells you: when you finally let go and trust your business to run itself, you don’t just get a break – you get your mind back.
You start to notice things you would’ve missed before: the way the sea breeze feels at lunch, the subtle differences in tzatziki from one taverna to the next, a conversation that drifts into unexpected territory simply because you have the time to let it.
Your best ideas don’t come from staring at a screen or racing to inbox zero. They arrive in the quiet, when you finally let your brain off the leash. And back home? Your team grows in confidence and skill, because you’re not hovering over their every move. Real leadership is about building something that works when you’re not watching.
This isn’t about laziness or checking out. It’s about creating the kind of autonomy that lets you live at least a little bit of life on “Mediterranean hour” – not just for a week in Crete, but every day.
The Real ROI of Slowing Down
So here’s the real test: Are you building a business – or a lifestyle – that lets you step away? Can you trust your team, your systems, and yourself enough to unplug for a week and truly live on your own terms?
If you’re still glued to your phone at the pool, still measuring your worth by how busy you are, maybe it’s time to reconsider what “success” really means. Anyone can fill their calendar. The real ROI comes from being present – long lunches, lazy afternoons, and letting life unfold at its own pace.
The Mediterranean hour isn’t just a slower clock. It’s a challenge to design your business (and your life) for freedom, not just for growth. It’s not about doing less – it’s about finally having the space to do what actually matters.
Here’s to building businesses that give you real time, real presence, and the option to disappear without everything falling apart.
