Finnish PM Sanna Marin explains why being ‘indispensable’ at work is overrated

Good morning, Broadsheet readers! Elizabeth Holmes reveals a trial strategy, there’s a deep pool of candidates in the Boston mayoral race, and Finland’s prime minister took a meaningful summer vacation. Have a good Monday.

– Summer break. Need a new role model when it comes to work-life balance? Look no further than Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.

The 35-year-old leader just returned to work after a monthlong summer break, which she spent taking her 3-year-old to amusement parks and the zoo. Of course, significant time off from work is a hallmark of both European summers and Scandinavian social welfare. But Marin’s four-week vacation—which hasn’t been typical for her during her time in government—comes with some lessons of its own.

What allowed the prime minister to spend a month away from work, during a pandemic no less? “No one is indispensable” in the Finnish government, explains Bloomberg in this interview writeup.

“Being able to take four weeks off shows that we have a government that operates collectively,” Marin says. “The government wasn’t on holiday. We’ve arranged deputies for all ministers, including the prime minister.”

It’s a rare boast from a politician: not about individual accomplishments, but about the power of the collective. (This isn’t the first time Marin has expressed her support for worker-centered schedules; she was an early advocate for the four-day work week when she first took office in 2019.)

While it’s unlikely most American workplaces will support four-week vacations anytime soon, as summer winds to a close, we can all learn from Marin’s priorities. It can feel good to be seen as “indispensable” at work—but your own well-being should come first.

Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
@_emmahinchliffe

The Broadsheet, Fortune’s newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women, is coauthored by Kristen Bellstrom, Emma Hinchliffe, and Claire Zillman. Today’s edition was curated by Emma Hinchliffe. 

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

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PARTING WORDS

"A lot of people might think it has to do with talent. Honestly, it’s pure hard work that got me where I am today."

-Paralympic swimmer Morgan Stickney. She's competing in Tokyo at the Paralympic Games.