Most stress before a vacation: an entrepreneur’s view know that having adequate vacation time is very important to their well-being and productivity. However, many also struggle to disconnect from their business when they take a few days off. They may feel obligated to check work emails, respond to phone calls and/or attend courtesy meetings during their vacation. This creates stress that will undermine their relaxation and restful time away from the office.

This stress can actually be more harmful than the stressful situations that triggered it in the first place. In fact, it can lead to what psychologists and therapists call anticipatory anxiety, which is a fear and worry about things that could happen after you return from your trip. This can be anything from worrying about the amount of work that will pile up upon your return, to how you’ll pay a certain bill or whether your children will have missed enough school to warrant staying home.

Navigating Pre-Vacation Stress: Insights from an Entrepreneur’s Perspective

The good news is that there are a few things you can do to minimize the stress leading up to your planned time off so that you can truly enjoy your vacation. For starters, try to schedule your vacation during a slower period at work so that you don’t have as much to do when you get back. And if you’re worried that something will slip through the cracks while you’re gone, consider asking one of your colleagues to be responsible for handling some of your workload or scheduling some tasks ahead of time. Finally, don’t forget to straighten up your desk before you leave so that you have a cleaner environment to return to.