Many workers experience stress directly related to taking time off. Fortunately, the right planning can make going “on the job” to “on the beach” a relatively stress-free transition.

While employed Americans have been dubbed workaholics due to extended overtime and vacation deprivation, the fact is that many of us need a break from work. In a recent CareerBuilder.com survey of 5,600 workers nationwide, 36 percent of respondents said they feel more comfortable taking a vacation than they did in 2010.

Yet escaping work isn’t always effortless, especially when there are colleagues, managers and a workload to account for.

Here are a few areas to consider to make taking a vacation relatively stress-free.

Before: Preparation
First consider why a break from work is good for you. Studies have shown that time-off reduces stress, helps achieve better sleep and leaves workers feeling more refreshed and more productive.

It’s essential to know your company’s time-off policy (e.g., carry-over days, limitations and possible pay-out options) before you plan. Find out what happens to unused accumulated vacation days so that you don’t lose them. According to CareerBuilder, 16 percent of workers forfeited their vacation days in 2010 because they had no time to use them, perhaps an indication that more workers should plan ahead.

About a month before your leave from the workplace, notify your manager, colleagues and any clients who are expected to follow up with you. “Depending on your office culture, hold a meeting or call colleagues several weeks ahead to alert them to your time off and their duties in your absence; don’t rely on e-mail,” Yahoo! HotJobs suggests.

Evaluate deadlines and accomplish them either early or request an extension if they fall during the time you’ll be out of the office. Don’t leave assignments unfinished simply because you won’t be there.

Finally, don’t feel guilty due to colleagues or bosses. Lynn Taylor, author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant, equates “needy bosses” with “Terrible Office Tyrants” who are prone to make employees feel guilty when they request or take time off. “Remain unapologetic when requesting or taking the allotted time off if you’ve given ample notice. Everyone needs a break,” Taylor writes for Psychology Today.

During: Effective Communication
According to a recent Rasmussen Report that surveyed 588 working adults, 66 percent said they “connect with work at least occasionally when they are away from the office.”

While connecting to work may be absolutely necessary, depending on the type of business or position, time “off” is exactly that. The predicament with the seemingly harmless “checking in” approach is that colleagues might get the impression that you’re available to communicate on a regular basis while away. If you don’t respond promptly, they might think you’re ignoring them, especially if you’ve already made initial contact.

“If you respond to one (work) e-mail, you’ve just opened the floodgates. You’ve lost that barrier — it’s gone like a sandcastle in front of the ocean,” Daniel Sieberg, author of The Digital Diet, tells CNN. “Now that person knows that you’re really not on vacation. You are reachable and you will respond.”

A solution is to establish boundaries for how accessible you will be, before you leave. Make sure you’ve set an automated e-mail and an updated voicemail with your time-off dates and alternate contact.

Even more, Monster.com suggests designating a point person to contact you in case of emergency, who can also call or follow up with associates when you’re gone, if necessary. Delegate the appropriate individuals with the right type of work before you go. “Make solid plans in writing for who covers what while you’re on vacation,” Taylor suggests.

After: Back to the Grind
Returning to work after a restful time off might not be easy. The Rasmussen survey revealed that 23 percent of workers who took a vacation reported that they came back more stressed because of the work they missed.

However, there are a couple of precautions you can take to avoid extra unnecessary stress. For one, Monster.com recommends spending a day at home before you get back to the office grind to get back into the right mindset.

Once you’re back on the job, take time to gather your bearings and make a prioritized to-do list when you know what new work and requests you’re dealing with.

We’d like to know: How do you prepare for a vacation or even just a few days off?

Related

Why (and How) to Vacation

Are Workers Ready to Vacation Again?

Why Workaholics Make Bad Workers

Make Your To-Do List Work for You

Resources

One-in-Four Workers Can’t Afford to Take a Vacation…
CareerBuilder.com, May 25, 2011

For Many Americans, Hard Work Is Badge of Honor
by Michael Gelb
America.gov, July 7, 2008

2009 International Vacation Deprivation Survey
Expedia.com

Take a Vacation, for Your Health’s Sake
by Alina Tugend
The New York Times, June 8, 2008

Summer Vacation Leads to Productivity Through Renewed Creativity
by Ray Brogan
Kaplan University, 2011

Time Management for Your Time Off
by Robert DiGiacomo
Yahoo! HotJobs (via Monster.com)

Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant
by Lynn Taylor
Psychology Today, Dec. 12, 2010

49% of Workers Plan to Use All Their Vacation Time this Year
Rasmussen Reports, June 8, 2011

Vacation Tips on How to Truly Unplug
by Doug Gross
CNN, May 26, 2011

Get Back from Your Vacation with a Bang
by Anya Martin
Monster.com