My leave was approved, but the guilt came with it.

I planned the time off properly, completed the handover and received approval weeks in advance. Still, the messages started before the first day was over.

None of them said I had to respond. Each one simply reminded me that the work was waiting and that somebody would notice how quickly I returned. I was technically away, yet rest felt like something I had to justify.

The problem was not one urgent question. It was a culture where being unreachable was treated as a lack of commitment, even when the organisation had already agreed that you could step away.