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Tackle your priorities ASAP -

Whether you planned your vacation months ahead, or booked a last-minute trip, before you depart make sure that your priorities have been taken care of.

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Tackle your priorities ASAP -

Once you know exactly what needs to get done before you leave, add these items to your calendar, so you can fully focus on them.

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Don’t burn yourself out before your vacation -

If you have an upcoming vacation, you might put in a couple more hours of work each day. But be careful not to burn yourself out.

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Don’t burn yourself out before your vacation -

Remember, you still need to take breaks to rest and recharge, even when you're not on a holiday.

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Clean your plate, don’t add more -

Hopefully, you are able to reduce your workload before your vacation. A way to achieve this is by keeping your schedule as light as possible until your return.

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Clean your plate, don’t add more -

This means not taking on any new assignments until you're back. Plus, cutting back on the number of meetings you accept so that you can focus mainly on your work.

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Schedule an automatic out-of-office reply -

Setting an automatic out-of-office response is a great way to provide a heads-up that no, you won’t be replying to anyone.

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Schedule an automatic out-of-office reply -

You can customize your email to include your return date and one or two different colleagues who can respond in your absence.

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Pause your notifications -

Once you're away, it can feel impossible to truly disconnect from work when your phone is constantly buzzing or your laptop is beeping with work-related notifications.

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Pause your notifications -

Thankfully, you can temporarily halt the ambush of texts and emails until the end of your trip by pausing notifications.

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Temporarily delete any work-related apps, including your email -

You can also temporarily delete any work-related apps altogether. That way, you can’t act on the urge to connect to the free Wi-Fi and respond to emails.

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Temporarily delete any work-related apps, including your email -

And if you need a stronger nudge to disconnect, you can also replace work apps with ones that remind you that you’re on vacation, such as Kindle, Headspace, or any others that help you unplug.

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Leave your work laptop or phone behind when you can -

If you have a separate phone or laptop for work, then it's best to just leave them behind.

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Leave your work laptop or phone behind when you can -

However, most of us can’t ditch technology altogether, especially if you only have one phone. But try to leave your phone in your hotel room for the few hours that you’re lounging by the pool at least.

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Turn on "do not disturb" mode -

It’s not the end of the world to check in occasionally throughout your vacation. If deleting apps or ditching your device isn’t for you, try turning on the "do not disturb" mode instead.

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Turn on "do not disturb" mode -

Then, designate some time once a day to catch up on everything, but preferably only for a max of 30 minutes.

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Try to stay busy -

Obviously, don't overplan your vacation, as you need time to relax as well. But having nothing planned means you’re more likely to unintentionally drift back into work mode.

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Try to stay busy -

Therefore, make sure that you have a loose itinerary so that you don’t give yourself room to worry.

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Remember that your workplace can survive without you being there -

When you find yourself worrying, remember that the people you work with are good at their jobs, and they know what they’re doing.

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Remember that your workplace can survive without you being there -

Everything will not fall apart just because you took some time off. People manage just fine without you.

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Remind yourself that you are entitled to a break -

Remember: everyone is supposed to have a break from work. It doesn't make you lazy.

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Remind yourself that you are entitled to a break -

Time off is essential, good for you, and an important part of being the best possible worker.

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Don’t try to find out what’s going on at the office while you’re away -

We know it’s tempting, but don’t message your work bestie for all the office drama you’re missing while you’re away.

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Don’t try to find out what’s going on at the office while you’re away -

You’re not really relaxing or committing to having time off, as your mind is still at work. So just wait until you get back to hear all the gossip...

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Give yourself permission to completely switch off -

We're not machines. It’s entirely okay to completely stop thinking about work for a few days or weeks.

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Give yourself permission to completely switch off -

Use your holiday as intended, to relax and/or travel, and you'll come back feeling totally refreshed.

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Hold yourself accountable -

Let's be honest: you can always redownload that work app or change back any settings that were silencing your alerts.

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Hold yourself accountable -

However, it's important to reflect on why you’re taking a vacation. Regardless of the reason, you chose to take a break, and that’s exactly what you should do, as best you can.

Sources: (Self) (Inc.)

See also: 30 grounding techniques to bring you back to the present

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