There is a purpose behind a vacation. It is meant to take you away from your everyday world of work and give you an opportunity to relax and unwind. However, even knowing this, too many people feel it is their obligation to make themselves available while they are lying on a beach in the tropics or snowboarding in the snowy peaks of some winter resort. If this sounds like you, it's time to rethink how you view yourself and your job. Or maybe it's time to reprioritize your priorities.

Your career should be important to you; however, not so important that you can't take a break. Yes, leaving behind an emergency contact number with your boss might be a good idea. But, e-mail and voicemail will still be waiting for you when you return, so you shouldn't automatically feel obligated to check either while you're away. It will defeat the purpose of taking a vacation. And if you think you're so irreplaceable that your company can't survive without you, you probably suffer from an overinflated view of your importance.

Speaking of importance, realize the importance that relaxation has on your mental and physical health, and go have a good time.

Before You Go on Vacation

Make sure that you have tied up all the loose ends of projects and responsibilities. Here are four things to consider:

• Get Your Work Done. Don't leave things behind for others to do if it is possible for you to get the work done before you go. The only assignments that you should leave to coworkers are those things (such as weekly reports) that are time sensitive and will have to be done in your absence.
• Leave Instructions with Others. Make sure you have a backup plan and that coworkers are aware you will be unavailable. That means they will either have to pitch in (be sure to instruct them properly before you leave) and handle the work themselves or it can just wait until your return.
• Plan Ahead. Knowing what you will face when you return, plan now how you will handle things when you come back. If there are projects you can complete or simply get a jump start on before you leave, consider tackling them now. You might even want to leave yourself a to-do list for when you return.
• Set Up Email and Voicemail. Tell who you can that you won't be around and then make sure to set up your outgoing messages to let others know. For voicemail, politely suggest that instead of leaving a message, they call you when you return. You may also want to designate an alternate contact person for those people who don't feel they can wait. For email, set up an automated message using the Out of Office tool.

Once You Return from Vacation

You've been gone just ten days, but it seems like so much longer because you took the time to relax and forget about work. Now it's time to put your nose to the grindstone and get back to reality. If you want to make slipping back into the old ball and chain an easier transition, consider these four tips:

• Come Home Early. As much as you would like to spend that extra day enjoying the sunshine and relaxation, you might want to do yourself a favor and return a day early. That means instead of flying in on Sunday and rushing to the office Monday morning, arrive home on Saturday so you have an extra day to relax at home before your get back to work.
• Sort Out Your Inbox. You're likely to have a big stack of items that collected here while you were gone. Take some time at the beginning of your day to sort everything into four stacks: (1) do today, (2) do sometime this week, (3) do whenever and (4) throw out.
• Review Your To-Do List. If you took the time to create a list before you left, you'll be well on your way to productivity when you return. Once you've sorted out your inbox, you'll know what else needs to be added to your list.
• Check in With Coworkers. Check in with those who covered your workload while you were gone to see if there were any issues in your absence or what things you need to know and follow up on. Get some face time with your boss to check in and to make sure you're on the same page with regard to your work assignments.

Keep in mind that vacations are meant as a break away from work. Take full advantage of the opportunity, and you'll return better able to handle all that you have to do.