3 things that will make any holiday stressful are

• Constantly thinking and worrying about your job while you are away

• Allowing people to ring you while on holiday

• Thinking about how much email there will be when you return

We very often get ill on the first few days of our holiday as we launch into relaxation from high stress, adrenalin pumping work situations. It doesn't matter if you are on the trading floors of the Stock Exchange or customer service in retail or run your own business the levels of stress are the same for each person. Many will get a cold or feel run down as the body adjusts to a less stressed environment. 

Have you noticed how stressed the airport can be when you first fly out? How the kids seem to be running amok? How you misplace things at the last minute? How everyone just seems to get in the way? All of these show a heightened stress level all of which can be vastly reduced, even eliminated altogether with a few smart ideas listed below. Let's face it, these holidays cost enough as it is so the last thing you need is stress.

Try doing the following 

• The day before you go on holiday and the day after you return are "no go" days. Block them out on your calendar. These are used for planning and for catching up with things before you go and when you come back. Make sure that the right people know this is how you are planning things. Give your personal details such as mobile phone number only to those who you can trust not to call you every 5 minutes of the day while you are away.
• You are not indispensable otherwise you could not go on holiday in the first place! There will be someone in the business (unless you are self-employed then you would have done everything possible for your business to continue whilst away) who can run the big things that only you normally handle. It needs to be someone that you trust to get the job done and whose judgement you trust. Consider the impact this will have upon your return. There will be considerably less to do when you return and the relationship you make is likely to be one that has benefits and lasts for many years.
• Email today has auto-responders so make sure you turn yours on your last day while you are at work and not when you get home. Prepare a list of duties for those who are contributing directly to your role while you are away. Let them have an emergency contact, not you, who they can call if need be. 
• Now you are holiday. You do not check email. You do not check in with the office. You do not call to see how things are going. You are on holiday!
• Now because you have blocked that extra day off after your holiday you can work through your email and check your telephone messages. But, you do not go to any meetings and you do not allow others to phone you. As the day nears an end chat with your key people to see how things went and if any urgent items need to be dealt with. If there are then make appointments to see them the following day.

Enjoy your holiday!