Are you finally going to be able to take that long awaited vacation that you have been dreaming about for months or possibly even years? Do you realize that most people find a vacation to be less than relaxing and they come back more tired and more stressed than if they had just stayed at home? Well it doesn’t have to be this way for you.

A very necessary part of planning a vacation is outlining what you want to accomplish on your vacation. Is it important for you to be able to keep an ear to the ground regarding your business while enjoying a bit of sun and alternative culture? If this is the case; definitely do not bring the family or a significant other. You may think that you can have it both ways but this is truly not the case. If this is a family vacation in which time with the family is the greater good you must melt into the whole vacation scenery and really be with the family 24 / 7. Do not bring (any) remnant of the office with you. You can not squeeze in just 1 or 2 hours on the laptop or place a well orchestrated cell call to a client, because even if your family dose not see this; you will be thinking about it and this will trigger the idea that you would rather be working then with them, creating more tension for everyone.

Although you will want to begin a list of things to bring to assure your smooth itinerary, you will at the same time also want to begin a certain detachment from your day to day work. Your cell phone, pda, client case files, and laptop are definitely not to be included in your packing list unless of course this is a working vacation; which is a completely different animal and not what this article is about.

Climate and Clothing:

Bring the proper clothing, but be prepared for the unusual shifts in temperature that may be un customary for that region. It does sometimes snow in June in Montana, and it does sometimes rain in Death Valley California! One warm Jacket and one umbrella are not so difficult add to your wardrobe. Shoes are not just for style, especially if your destination will bring you to the outback of Australia. Keep comfort in mind first and foremost. You want to enjoy this new place as much as possible. O.K. go ahead and bring the Stiletto’s but grab those well hidden hiking boots as well. Don’t forget the bathing suits, and bathrobes. You wouldn’t want to have to wear a paper suit from the hotel vendor when you have that $150.00 perfect fitting suite at home.

Paper Work:

Arrange to have your passport photo taken again if it has been more than 7 years since you have had one taken, several months in advance of travel is recommended. Follow the NIH guidelines for proper vaccination and testing prior to travel, to assure that you do not contract any malady while away and also to insure the safety of the natives. Get your money properly exchanged before entering the country of your destination. American Express traveler’s checks are a great way to prevent the worst scenario. Make sure that you have made 3 sets of photo copies of all of your important documentation even the pass port and drivers licenses, keep one set of copies with you in a separate place from the originals and hand one set to a trusted friend, (which shall include your dental records) I know this may alarm you but in this world it is good to have verification of your identity just in case something goes way wrong. Include contact numbers of your planned destinations and your itinerary. Upon arrival to your destination promptly mail the third set (which will also have a spare key to your home) to your home address. You will have arranged to have your mail stopped so the package will remain safely at the post office marked attention post master on the back of the envelope for easy reference should someone need to fetch it for you. This creates a web of safety should anything go wrong in the foreign land you will have proof of your identity in the hands of two trusted sources back in the states.

Pets, Plants, and People Courtesy:

Make a list of how often to water your houseplants; when the dog and the alpaca need to be fed, watered and walked. Give a spare house key to your house sitter and alert her of the package that will arrive at the post office in about 10 days time, should she need to retrieve it for you. Tell her that you have left an extra key with someone and how to reach them should she get locked out. Leave one additional house key in the hands of your other trusted friend or family member. Leave a list of emergency numbers for your house sitter which shall include your plumber, fire department, police department, hospital, vet ambulance, gas company, electric company, phone company, your travel itinerary. Ask your house sitter to bring in your daily newspaper. Set your office email to away and run your auto responder program alerting your correspondences that you are on a strict vacation with no contact available but will respond to them immediately upon your arrival. Set your return date to be two days after you actually return to allow ample time for your re-adjustment back to work.

Medications, Cosmetics and Grooming Aids:

Bring them. Keep your medication in a numbered pill box, vitamins in dark brown or green bottles. Bring your usual cosmetics; include waterproof mascara if you will be in the water a lot. It would be a shame to forget your tooth brush and favorite paste. If you use a curling iron, or other appliance such as a hair dryer remember that you will need an outlet adaptor for its use in other countries.

You may bring a cell phone but make sure that the rule is you do not answer business calls. Have your business associates separated from your friends and other contacts and change the dial tone for these calls, that way you will not even have to glance to see who the call is from or be bothered with guessing that a missed call may have been a business contact. If you are traveling to the UK remember that American phone chargers will not fit into the outlets there so you will need to buy an adaptor for your phone charger once you are in that country. Arrange to call your house sitter once every two days at a preset time just to check in. Leave $300.00 in a hidden spot and tell your housekeeper not to use it unless it is for a household emergency; inform her to first try to use your standing credit which you will typically have with your vet, the phone company the gas and electric and the plumber. In the case that a leak should spring it may require some fast work and some supplies that the plumber will not put on credit.

One final word about house sitters; even the best, most trusted and well intentioned of the bunch will have their own habits and rituals that you may not be aware of such as leaving towels on the floor in the bathroom, dishes piled up in the sink and pizza boxes artfully stacked on your counter space. To buffer this zone simply and straight forward in no uncertain words say this: Please pick up your things and try to have the house looking in as orderly a fashion as when we left. We will be exhausted from our trip and not want to wade through house keeping chores as soon as we get in.

You will have gone the distance and done your level best to assure a smooth transition back home and to work and will not have to worry about things if you just follow my advice and plan ahead for the worst case scenario. Have an enjoyable vacation!

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