1Plan in Advance

Look at the calendar and block out the days that may already be granted to you such as a national holiday or some other type of holiday observance. Look at your calendar to calculate exactly how many days you will be working as well as the different times of the year when you tend to feel burned out. Make note of this information as well.

2Extend the Weekend

Instead of using all of your days at one time, use one here or there to take a long weekend. This will provide you with a break without using up all of the days that are allotted to you. If you take all of your time at once, this means you will be working a long time before you see your next break. Schedule the long weekends at a time other than a holiday weekend which you are already provided with.

3Use Sick Days When Necessary

Some companies allow you a very limited number of sick days where other companies will roll over unused sick days into personal days. If you use up your sick days you will have to tap into your personal days, take an unpaid leave, or go on disability; all reasons to use your sick days wisely. If you are really sick, then use a day because it is highly likely you will not get anything accomplished at work when you don’t feel good. What’s more is you may make more people sick as well.

Although there are many of us who are tempted to play hooky at times because the job can really get to you, if your sick days are limited this is not a good idea in the event of an emergency where it is necessary for you to be on leave for an extended period of time.

As a general rule, take good care of yourself so you do not have to take too many days too often and use up all of your sick days.

4Don’t Save Up Your Vacation Days

Vacation days are granted to you for a reason and that is to take a vacation. Companies and businesses do this to keep their employees relaxed and productive. Chances are you are not going to receive a medal or any other type of recognition if you never take time off from work. What’s more is you will find yourself gradually getting burned out in the process.

Although vacation time may be scarce in the organization you work with, it is still important to use it for your own sanity. No one can work for extended periods of time without it affecting the quality of their work after a prolonged period of time.

5Completely Disengage

When you do take vacation days make sure you completely disengage from the job. This means not taking phone calls or answering your email messages. You will never unwind unless you give it a complete rest, so do not even think about using these days to catch up on work. You must take a complete break if you are going to come back refreshed and ready to work.

6Schedule in Advance

Schedule your vacation days at a time where you do not have a pressing project; you don't want to leave your team hanging. It is just as important to make a smooth transition back into the job after a vacation as it is to take a vacation. If you leave your team hanging you will likely face a lot of stress when you return and it will feel like you never had a break to begin with.

Also, complete all of your work before you leave and delegate responsibilities so someone can cover for you while you are on leave. This will eliminate any annoying phone calls when you are trying to relax and disengage.

If you live in the United States you will have less time off from work than European countries which is sometimes the reason these countries accomplish more. Their employees have a better work life balance which is important to your psyche and overall well being. However, if you have no control over the vacation and sick days you are allotted, you can still leverage them to ensure that you get a break and stay healthy.