HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR VACATION

How to make the most of your vacation:?In this day and age, with technology at our fingertips, we can work from anywhere, at any time of the day or night. It becomes more challenging to disconnect. Afterall, work is a big part of our identity but it's important to take time to separate?ourselves?from it. We are not a machine and should not operate like one; even machines need?to be reset.?

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Plan ahead for your vacation:?At least a few months prior to your vacation, book your flights, accommodations, and ground transportation in advance so you can get better deals and avoid carrying last-minute?stress?into your vacation and it's motivating to have something to look?forward to. Don't be stingy with yourself. Take at least one week but ideally two or more of vacation, and treat it as a sacred?time. Taking one day off before and after your vacation helps you get organized and shifts?your mindset?from your work life to your personal life, and vice versa.?

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Give people advance notice:?Taking a vacation is something to be proud of. You have worked hard and deserve to take this time for yourself. Share your vision of your vacation with your clients and peers. Train someone to replace you while you are gone. You might think no one can do what you do, but trust that it will be a great opportunity for others to develop their skills. People will have a better version of you when you get back.

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Being on vacation means NO BUSINESS:?Please try?not to check work-related?emails, messages, and phone calls while on vacation. Unplug from technology as much as you can. Notice how you feel by taking time for yourself, and look at this time off as a detox from work. When you abstain from something you are used to for a period of time, in the beginning your body and mind will react. But soon you will start feeling the benefits, such as clearer mind, better sleep, more energy, and an improved immune system.?

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Take your rituals with you, not your routines:?Rituals are things you do that make?you feel good, like getting a massage,?doing yoga, surfing, etc. You don't need a routine while on vacation, so don't plan every hour of your day. Make space for adventures! If your vacation destination is to go back to your home country to visit family and friends, be sure to give yourself some time to do only what YOU want to do. Have fun, play, and forget about time. To make the benefits of a vacation last, be sure to have ongoing boundaries between work and life. Respect your working hours, and take breaks throughout the day--even if they are short ones. Take time for leisure after work, and have one day off per week that you can treat as if you were on vacation. This will keep you energized and help you avoid?Burnout.