Terrific Tips For Completely Avoiding Work On Your Vacation

According to the American Medical Association, men who take a yearly vacation have a thirty-three percent reduced risk of having a heart attack. While the idea of an annual vacation sounds great, many individuals have a hard time unplugging from their networks for any period. Work often takes up anywhere from one-third to one-half of their day and checking phones, emails, and other electronics to stay connected becomes habit-forming, even while on vacation. Here are ten terrific tips to avoid working while on vacation, particularly for those who struggle with it!

Plan Ahead

Take the temptation out of checking work emails on vacation by working like a machine in the days before the vacation begins. Put in an extra hour or two of work each day to make sure everything is all caught up or even ahead of where it needs to be. Working through lunch breaks is a good way to get in some extra time at the office. This extra work should help take some of the pressure off when you are going to be away for several days. It should also help make sure there is not too much you need to catch up on after being away.

Continue reading to learn about choosing a destination off the grid can work wonders.

Book A Vacation In A No Wi-Fi Zone

Take the temptation out of checking your phone and other electronics by making it nearly impossible to do so even if you were to try. Camping is a great vacation for getting in touch with nature while leaving the Wi-Fi hotspots back at the office. If it is not possible to check into a no Wi-Fi zone, consider turning off the Wi-Fi on all electronics (e.g., go into airplane mode). Make a rule no one in the family or part of the vacation group is allowed to check their phones or computers. It should help take the temptation out of being connected when everyone is on board.

Continue reading to learn about another way in which planning works to prevent staying connected and working while on vacation.

Make Vacation Plans Known Before Leaving

When someone goes on vacation, it usually means another team member will need to pick up the slack in their absence to ensure the company's performance does not dip. Use services such as DropBox, Google Drive, and Evernote to store information co-workers might need to help customers or keep the business running smoothly while you are away. Write notes and directions about your work that will be helpful for the other team members and pass them around the office. Neatly organize any job duties so a co-worker can complete them without burdening the rest of the team too much.

Continue reading to learn about responding to emails while on vacation.

Create An Out-Of-The-Office Email

Creating an out-of-the-office email response is a fantastic way to redirect work emails while on vacation. It also alerts co-workers and clients that you are away, when you return, and who can help them if their request is time-sensitive. In an automatic response such as this, be sure to let them know the date of your return and thus when they can expect a response, helpful website links should it be called for, as well as the phone numbers and email addresses of anyone who might be able to help them. Typically, this should be one general contact, though sometimes with larger companies there may be more than one if inquiries often get specific. Be sure to have a manager or another set of eyes look it over to ensure all relevant information is there before dashing out the door.

Keep reading to learn about how to avoid giving in to the temptation to check your phone while on vacation.

Plan Activities Before Leaving

Studies show the average individual checks their phone approximately 150 times each day. Another study demonstrated this results in a total of touching smartphones or other electronic devices over 2,500 times daily. Prevent the urge to check your phone by filling your vacation days with activities before leaving. Try new things like scuba diving, horseback riding, sailing, hiking, and other activities involving nature. Book a massage or spa day for optimal relaxation. Head to a museum, play, city tours, or other cultural attractions for a rich, immersive experience.

Continue reading to learn what role meditation can play in avoiding work while on vacation.

Meditate

According to research, only fifty-three percent of workers come back from their vacation feeling refreshed. This is often because they could not resist the urge to check in with their employer, or felt incredibly stressed while resisting. Meditation, thankfully, has excellent benefits to clear the mind, promote relaxation, and improve cognitive function. A 2012 study found meditation reduced stress in subjects who meditated after working on tests over an eight-week period. Vacation is the perfect time to meditate. Spend five to ten minutes each day in a quiet place, preferably on the beach during sunrise or sunset, concentrating on inhaling and exhaling.

Continue reading to learn about how excuses can be detrimental and what you should do instead.

Do Not Make Excuses

Approximately seventy percent of human resource professionals believe their employees return to work more productive after vacations. Do not make excuses or put off opportunities to go on vacation because 'the time is not right.' There will never be a good time to go away, especially for business owners, so be sure to talk to a manager or the human resources department about options. Most organizations are happy to help their employees get a little rest because they know it will benefit the company. And if you are a business owner? Simply ensure your second-in-command is aware and rotate vacation times accordingly to ensure both of you are operating at full capacity.

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Plan A Vacation At A Reasonable Time

Individuals in management or leadership positions can take the stress out of planning a vacation by going away at a time convenient for the business. If another manager or person in a leadership role is also planning a holiday at the same time, try holding off for a few weeks. This will help reduce stress at the office for everyone involved. Consider taking a vacation at slow production times during the year, such as in the cold winter months.

Continue reading to learn more about cutting off communication during vacation.

Stop Feeling Guilty

Most individuals never truly take a break from work because they feel obligated to keep working or helping in some fashion even while on vacation. But working hard 365 days a year will make everyone burn out at some point. Take the guilt out of going on vacation by considering all the reasons why you need a vacation. When work starts to interrupt your sleep at night or cause unhealthy levels of stress, it is time to put it aside for the moment and focus on your health and wellbeing.