Presidents need a break. Really.
In long days scheduled in 15-minute increments, presidents are asked to make decisions affecting millions -- sometimes life-or-death decisions.
"When you get to the Oval Office, there are no easy decisions," says Kenneth Duberstein, who was chief of staff to President Ronald Reagan. "Any decision that reaches the president's desk is a close call. It's not black and white. It's shades of gray."
Presidents work best when they take regular respites from the burdens of the presidency, according to Duberstein and other White House insiders from the Nixon presidency through the current administration.
"The time off at the ranch or at Camp David was more than an escape," Duberstein says. "It was good for his physical and mental well-being." 
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