How to Take the Stress Out of Taking Time Off

Have you ever questioned whether taking time off is worth it because the stress of preparing for a vacation is so high?

If so, you’re not alone. Over half of Americans leave some vacation time on the table. Some of the reasons for the lack of vacations include feeling that their workload was too heavy or that no one could do their job while they were gone.

As a time management coach, I’ve observed that pre-vacation work stress typically falls into two buckets: completing work before your departure and being away from the office. Both of these categories can trigger guilt and even fear. Many people worry that if they’re not always available, something horrible will happen at work: What if once I’m out, someone notices I haven’t made progress on a project? What if something falls through the cracks? What if a client needs me? What if people think I’m a bad person for taking time off if I’m not completely on top of my work?

These fears can stop some people from taking vacation entirely — and for others, it causes them to engage in unhelpful behaviors, including attempting to get all their extra work done before they leave, or working throughout their vacation, rather than delegating or delaying projects. In the first case, you could find yourself overstressed and sleep deprived, and in the second, you could end up resentful for being physically away but mentally still at work.

While it’s difficult to remove all stress as you plan to head out of the office, the following strategies can help reduce your headache and set yourself up for success once you return.

Plan ahead. When leveraged correctly, going on a vacation can offer a tremendous incentive to get projects done — but you need to plan for it. If you intend to take a week or more out of the office, put a meeting with yourself on your calendar for three to four weeks prior to your departure date. During that planning time, get clear on must-do activities prior to splitting from the office. Then think about would-like-to-do activities.

Scheduling time weeks before your departure allows you to honestly assess your workload while you still have time to do something about it. If you’re struggling to prioritize when you’re still three to four weeks out from vacation, ask yourself what you would do if you only had one to two weeks before you left. What you think of in this shorter time frame can become your priority activities, while everything else falls within the would-like-to-do category.

Then block out time on your calendar to complete the must-do items. Make your original plan to complete these items at least a week before you actually leave, so you still have the ability to complete them even if unexpected items come up (which they always do) or tasks take longer than expected. This week of margin before your vacation gives you flexibility to address urgent items and still wrap up.

Partner with peers. No matter how good a job you do of getting work in order before heading out, some items will likely need attention while you’re gone. If possible, see if a colleague can take on that role for you so that you can have some real time off. I recommend reaching out to your coworkers a week or more in advance to make them aware of what you will need, such as taking care of a specific responsibility or keeping an eye on certain projects. It will typically be clear who is the best person to cover for you, such as a coworker who is already on the same project. But when it’s not, talk with your boss to confirm who would be best.