The end of 2016 is within reach, and almost everyone is busy searching online for the best holiday destination. Sadly, work-related stress loves to hang around during this season.

According to a recent survey, Australian workers find vacations more stressful than being at work. A survey by Executive Style found that 73% of Australians work while on holiday — twice double the global average. Anxiety is only helpful when it pushes you to act fast and solve a problem. So many people have a lot of trouble switching out of work mode and into holiday mode, and it is a serious problem as you can waste quite a lot of your downtime for this common problem. So to that end we’ve outlined a few tips how to switch into holiday mode and get the most out of your precious downtime.

Have a plan in place

One of the most important elements of reducing stress during your vacation is considering a project or a client that may need your attention while you are away. Pen down each project and client and pass it over to those who will serve as a backup. Provide the address of the client who may need to be reached by the organization. If you think your colleagues may need to access some information in your computer, speak about with the IT support before you leave. Lastly craft a very informative Out Of Office message, which will steer any people with issues to the right person as quickly as possible.

Do Something to Mark the Beginning of your Holiday

We’re going to jump to the end right at the beginning here, just because many of these tips sound a lot like work. Doing something fun and very specifically designed to mark the beginning of your holiday is essential for this to work. One great thing is to organise yourself a full going over at a day spa with the works, facial, body scrub, massage, pedicure and anything else on offer, really go all out. Jillian from Espa Beauty said that quite often female executives come on the first day of their holiday, having had it recommended as a good way to leave work at work. One particular customer has made it her Friday evening routine, so she treats every weekend like a mini holiday! Organise this for the very day you have sorted out all your commitments re work and associate this act in your head with the beginning of your holiday.

Notify key contacts

You don’t want to get to ten angry voicemails daily from clients wondering why you have not been returning their calls or emails. Give notice to customers a week or two prior to your departure. Let them know that you will be away for a while and tell them who has been assigned to attend to them. The more prepared people are for your absence, the more you are likely to have a stress-free vacation.

Finish up commitments

The most difficult part about returning to work after a vacation is the large amount of assignment waiting to be done. Be sure to wrap up all commitments a few days before your travel date. Wrap up all pending projects and assignments that need your attention. Finishing up all the projects before you depart can help you clear your head while you are on a vacation. Set realistic goals for what you need to finish before you leave and can wait.

Prepare for your return

Easing back to work after vacation can be a challenge for most employees. The easiest way to ease to work after a long vacation is to list down which projects or assignments you need to tackle upon your arrival. Meet with your manager and those colleagues who served as backup while you were away so you can get updates on the latest developments.

Put your phone away

It is not easy to avoid your phone on your vacation as that’s the only way you can access important information. But you have to stay away from your phone. Once you start going through your work emails, it would be hard to switch back into a holiday mode. So avoid your phone. Switch it off if possible. After all, the purpose of the vacation is to unwind and freshen-up your mind.

Holidays can be stressful, there’s absolutely no doubt about that. If there was a time to effectively strike a balance between your job and your life, this is it. Use the tips above to rid yourself of stress this holiday season. Happy holidays!