We are officially in the thick of vacation season. According to an older Gallup poll, July is by far the most popular month for vacations, followed by August, June, and then September. This should be exciting, but for many leaders and team members, vacation often creates a catch-22. We plan a vacation to unwind, rejuvenate, and take a step away from the stressors of work. But being away from the team often means we’re cramming in extra work up until we leave and then catching up for lost time once we return. It probably will come with little surprise that in one survey, 40% of men and 46% of women reported that just thinking about the “mountain of work” they’d return to was a primary reason they hadn’t used their vacation days. Another survey found that taking time off was a source of anxiety, even though paid vacation was a benefit that these individuals earned. 

At Ethos, we’re big proponents of taking time off and have seen firsthand the benefits of taking time away; that said, we also get the stress. Here are a few strategies to help minimize the stress leading up to and through vacation.

Before 

Much of the groundwork for lowering stress around taking a vacation happens before we ever leave the office.

• Prioritize. A month or so before vacation, list the items that must be done before you go. Notice that we said, “a month or so.” This may seem like overkill to some, but this will give your brain time to process what items need to be done, what can wait, and who you might need to communicate with. 
• Communicate. Ensure your supervisor, colleagues, teammates, and clients know the dates you’ll be gone. Share with them that you plan to unplug during vacation. This helps put some ownership on them to bring you anything essential before you go. It also wouldn’t hurt to bring up your vacation more than once; people tend to live in their own little world and need a few reminders of events like these. 
• Establish a handoff. In most organizations, someone can handle certain tasks that might pop up while you’re away. Figure out who can best handle each part of your job and ask that person if they can cover or take notes for you while you’re out. Offer to do the same for them sometime. Don’t forget to communicate to your supervisor who will be handling core tasks while you’re gone.

During

Making the most of our time away impacts our stress level when we return to the office. Vacations are a chance to recharge. Make the most of your time away using the following tips.

• Vacation with intention. Many people are goal-oriented at work. Try applying this same skill to your vacation. Decide what you really want/need from this vacation (e.g., rest, fun, etc.) and plan accordingly. If you need fun, and it doesn’t sound like fun being in the hot sun and waiting in line for hours, then a Disney vacation in July may not be the best trip for you. 
• Unplug. When you’ve decided to leave work fully behind, your mind and body are much more likely to achieve the kind of relaxation you deserve. Limiting your use of technology, in general, makes it more likely you’ll enjoy and appreciate your time off. And don’t be tempted to “only spend 10 minutes” looking at your device because we’ve all picked up our phone or laptop for a quick check only to notice an hour or more has suddenly slipped by. 
• Practice mindfulness. Pay attention to your experience while on vacation. Notice the sounds. Smell the fresh air. Draw your attention to the feel of the water or the sun. Appreciate the sensations of the spa or relish the sights and sounds of your kids playing in the pool. Practicing mindfulness gives us more bang for our buck in experiences.

Final Thought: It’s tempting for leaders to skip or skimp on vacation. Don’t! Set some time aside and start planning how you can vacation well. You deserve the break, and your leadership will be better because you took it.