Summer is in full swing, and if you’re like many people, you’re ready to pack your bags and head somewhere new. Half of U.S. adults plan to take at least one vacation this summer, according to a study by The Points Guy and Healthline Media. While vacation should be a time for relaxation and recreation, it’s often a source of stress. You may worry about work piling up, meetings you’re missing or client calls you need to make. All this worry wipes out the benefits of getting away.

So, what should you do? According to author Max Palmer, you can set yourself up for a truly relaxing vacation by following a few pointers. We share his ideas in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.

Prioritize and tackle your top tasks. The best thing to do before a vacation is to make sure your work priorities are complete. You’ll have a much easier time relaxing when you don’t have any loose ends lingering at work. If you have any meetings on your calendar, contact those people and reschedule.

Frontload what you can. Are there any projects you can get a jump on before your vacation? It helps to spend some extra time working on these projects, so you don’t return from your trip overloaded with work. Palmer says he typically spends a couple of hours on the weekend completing top priorities before he leaves town.

Keep your schedule light. When you have a vacation on the horizon, aim to clean your plate—not add more to it. This means you shouldn’t start a new project with a particularly demanding client. You can also scale back on the number of meetings you attend so you can focus on your work. Palmer recommends declining any additional time requests that may come your way.

Go off the grid. To recharge on vacation, you shouldn’t check your email and social media every few minutes. Commit to setting your phone down and stopping the mindless scrolling. If being away from your phone too long makes you anxious, Palmer suggests scheduling times to check in. For example, you may only open your inbox once in the morning or evening.

Let your team know your plans. Make sure your colleagues know how long you will be away and when they can expect to hear a response from you. As long as you aren’t missing any hard deadlines, you should be good, notes Palmer.

Aim to truly relax. Remember the purpose of your vacation and strive to enjoy yourself. You might be traveling to visit family or friends, see a favorite destination or try a new activity. Wherever you are headed, try to fit in what researchers call “stress recovery experiences.” These experiences should be enjoyable and help you let off some steam. They may include massage, yoga on the beach or simply spending time outdoors.

Have a post-vacation plan. When you’re back from your trip, avoid jumping back in right away. Instead, Palmer recommends taking a day to ease back in. You might spend a day returning emails and phone calls and planning for the upcoming week.

When you go on vacation, you can set yourself up for the best experience by considering the points above. Work ahead on what you can, resist adding more projects to your schedule and make sure your colleagues know your plans. Remember to tuck your phone away and enjoy what your destination has to offer. You’ll come back refreshed and recharged, which is a big perk of getting away.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Max Palmer is an author at Calendar.com. He helps business owners with press, productivity and overall business needs.