You've booked a vacation, thrilled by the idea and looking forward to that dreamy vision of relaxation and adventure. Yet, the days leading up to your departure often feel anything but relaxing. Work piles up, pressure mounts, and you can't help but dread the mountain of work awaiting your return. I've been there myself, caught in a love-hate relationship with the idea of disconnecting. There's excitement about the break, coupled with fear of the repercussions. It’s the classic vacation irony.
We plan vacations to escape the pressures of work, yet the lead-up is fraught with double the stress. A recent survey found that 43% of employees work extra hours to prepare for just a few days off. Can you relate? I certainly can. One respondent shared, "In the two weeks before my vacation, I worked an extra 24 hours. Was it worth it?" Hearing this is disheartening. We work hard; we deserve to slow down, breathe, and return re-energized.
After years in high-demand corporate roles, I've honed techniques to disconnect effectively and come back more energized than ever. I also validated whether these strategies are just 'my techniques' or if they're backed by science. Thankfully, they are! What a relief—it turns out I'm not such a weirdo after all. 🙂
Here are the strategies that have worked best for me after years of corporate life and a yoga-infused lifestyle:
Strategies for a Smoother Send-Off: Put Into Practice these Pre-Vacation Stress Relief Techniques
Build Relaxation into Your Routine: Begin your vacation early by incorporating small relaxation practices into the days leading up to your trip. It doesn't need to be an hour-long session; a few minutes will suffice. Try short meditation sessions to calm your nervous system and distract you from external stressors. As your vacation approaches, allow yourself to daydream. Take a few minutes to visualize yourself relaxing on your trip, doing the activities you’re most looking forward to. You can even set reminders or change your computer background to an image of your vacation destination to keep your excitement alive.
Prioritize and Plan: Lists can be daunting but also incredibly useful. Write down essential tasks about two weeks before your vacation and prioritize them. Discuss this list with your manager to decide what must be done and what can wait. This awareness and proactive communication can alleviate much of your stress. Sometimes, we overestimate the importance of tasks on our list.
Communicate Clearly and Disconnect: Start creating awareness well before your last day that you will be 100% disconnected. Inform all your stakeholders of your vacation plans without any reservations. Make your intentions clear about unplugging completely. This sets expectations early and gives others ample time to adjust or address urgent matters beforehand. It shifts the responsibility to them. Initially, this might feel awkward, but you'll be surprised how positively people respond. It shows strength, proactivity, and a commitment to managing your work-life balance effectively.
Now, You're on Vacation... What Next?
Knowing how to prepare for vacation is crucial, but enjoying it is just as important. Here are some best practices to ensure a fulfilling vacation:
Digital Detox: Truly disconnect by turning off work emails and notifications. Removing work-related apps from my phone has been liberating. Colleagues and clients will adapt, knowing you'll return refreshed and more productive. This aligns with the strategy mentioned above. Plus, you'll experience a direct reduction in cortisol and dopamine levels, which are known to be influenced by stress and digital overstimulation (more on this in my next blog post.
Engage Your Senses & Set an Intention: Slow down and be fully present. Engage deeply with your surroundings—take a morning walk on the beach, listen to the waves, or enjoy a quiet moment in a park. Being present can significantly deepen your relaxation. Set a personal intention for your vacation, such as seeking joy or tranquility. This can guide your activities and interactions, changing the way you experience your time off.
Conclusion: Making the Most of Your Well-Deserved Vacation
Vacations are essential to our lives, they are necessary! We should never feel guilty about taking them. It’s easy to fall into a routine of constant output without stopping to reflect on why we do it. Taking a break is crucial for our mental and physical well-being. By adopting these strategies, you can minimize pre-vacation stress and maximize your enjoyment. Remember, the goal of any vacation is to rejuvenate and enjoy connecting with yourself and those around you, not just to escape.
Hope this helps! If you would like to read more about this, these are the articles that made me realize my years of pre-vacation and during-vacation strategies are validated:
Harvard Business Review, ‘How to Minimize Stress Before, During, and After Your Vacation ‘ by Tristan Elizabeth Gribbin. Sep 6, 2018.
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