{"id":1958,"date":"2026-07-13T13:04:52","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T13:04:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maxman-consultants.com\/en\/?post_type=insights&p=1958"},"modified":"2026-07-13T13:04:52","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T13:04:52","slug":"how-to-prepare-for-vacation-so-you-actually-disconnect-from-work","status":"publish","type":"insights","link":"https:\/\/maxman-consultants.com\/en\/insights\/how-to-prepare-for-vacation-so-you-actually-disconnect-from-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Prepare for Vacation So You Actually Disconnect from Work"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Ask most people how they prepare for a vacation, and they’ll mention packing lists, travel insurance, or checking their passport’s expiry date. Fewer people mention the preparation that actually determines whether they come back rested or more exhausted than when they left: preparing to genuinely disconnect from work<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Research summarized by Harvard Business Review shows that most employees check work email while on vacation and feel uneasy at the idea of being fully unreachable \u2014 even though fully disconnecting during time off is what lowers burnout and raises energy and engagement after return<\/a>.<\/strong> <\/span>This article draws on the practical approach of Martina Matrtajov\u00e1, Consultant at Maxman Consultants<\/a><\/span><\/strong>, who works on assertiveness and boundary-setting, including in our open training Assertive Communication and Setting Boundaries<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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Why disconnecting from work on vacation is so hard<\/h3>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n
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Disconnecting isn’t only a matter of willpower. It’s a habit, an environment, and often a company culture. If work notifications keep showing up on your lock screen by the pool, your brain never gets a clear signal that “I’m at work” has switched to “I’m on vacation.”<\/p>\n

This is also why several EU countries have started legislating a formal right to disconnect<\/strong> \u2014 the right for employees not to be reachable for work tasks outside working hours, including during vacation. Even where such a right exists on paper, it only works if we’re also willing to hold that boundary ourselves.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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1. Prepare your phone and your mind \u2014 not just your suitcase<\/h4>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n
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The first step toward disconnecting starts before you even leave: deciding what you’re bringing into your vacation, digitally speaking.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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Turn off notifications for work apps (email, company chat, calendar) \u2014 you don’t necessarily need to delete them, just cut off the constant pull.<\/p> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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If “just a quick email check” reliably turns into an hour of work for you, consider removing the app from your phone entirely for a few days.<\/p> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Replace work apps with ones that belong to your vacation \u2014 a hiking map, a local weather app, anything that pulls your attention back to where you actually are.<\/p> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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This isn’t about lacking discipline or not caring about your job \u2014 quite the opposite. It’s about caring about it long-term. As Martina Matrtajov\u00e1 puts it in her assertiveness training sessions: the boundaries we set with ourselves matter as much as the ones we communicate to others.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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2. Write an out-of-office message that actually holds the line<\/h4>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n
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The out-of-office auto-reply is one of the most underrated tools of assertiveness in workplace communication. Common phrasing \u2014 “I’ll have limited access to email,” “I’ll reply as soon as possible,” “for urgent matters, call or text me” \u2014 actually promises the opposite of what an out-of-office message is supposed to do.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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What a good out-of-office message looks like:<\/strong><\/h4>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n
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Hello, thank you for your email. I’m on vacation until [date] and don’t have access to email during this time. I’ll respond to your message once I’m back. If you need an answer sooner, please contact [colleague’s name and contact details].<\/blockquote>

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Two extra tips that consistently help:<\/p>\n