Using vacation or sick time is, in all probability, the favorite endeavor at any occupation. Imagine yourself submitting your request for a vacation and having it to look forward to.

It seems like work is a little more enjoyable knowing that you'll be taking time off soon for some reason. It's like the feeling of working on Friday and anticipating the weekend.

As strange as it sounds, taking a vacation can be stressful for some employees. A recent study showed that 71% of respondents said employee vacations for some time is a tense experience, especially after the first day of vacation. A growing number of workers are worried about the backlog of work that they must confront in the days after their return.

This problem does not end with the first thought, but keeps nagging them throughout their vacation. Taking time off. Imagine - fun, relaxation, quiet time.

But beware, thoughts of going back to work and tasks waiting your return can intrude and spoil 'your' time. People just don't want to deal with dozens of voice mails, hundreds of minor duties, and thousands of emails that have piled up.

A peaceful and controlled environment should be created so that when you take time off, you can rest assured and be completely at ease that while you are away as well as upon your return, that environment will have been maintained. Here are some tips to make the time that you take off good.

Before taking time off, make sure you are not leaving any loose ends. This way you arrange for getting the whole of your jobs done, even in your absence. Have you arranged for somebody to perform your work in your absence?

If you are responsible for overseeing clients, who is the main contact going to be? As an administrator, do you lead employees to answer their own questions?

This really encourages you to make a plan, so you can schedule everything out. Making sure you have thought through your trip will make your vacation more pleasurable since you won't have to stress about what is happening at work.

Once you are finished with your time off, you need to return back to your schedule as easily as possible. The optimal way to do this is to plan for the first few hours after you return so you won't miss a beat.

Ideally, the person who handled your stuff while you were taking time off will be the person to give you a synopsis of the events that happened while you were away. The summary will deal exclusively with items that require short-term and immediate attention. In the next few days all of the remaining items can be relayed back to you.

Relax and catch up on your emails. You'll have lots of emails to filter through if you're like most. Begin by searching for names or email titles that you know are important. Take care of them and then continue to your next task.

Establish targets for yourself when it comes to tasks like answering or catching up on emails. Think of it as a game, and it will come a lot easier.

In order to keep balance and health in your life you must allow for taking time off.

To Your Success!