It’s time to take a vacation, but with so much on your plate at work, just the thought of getting away is stressful. The work that needs to happen before you leave—not to mention the pile that will be waiting for you when you get back—is often more anxiety-inducing than not going at all. That may partly explain why more than half of Americans (52 percent) leave vacation time unused.

But vacations are necessary for your mental health. To minimize stress or loss in productivity, Harvard Business Review recommends doing the following before, during, and after your time away:

Before: Prioritize what needs to get done and when, and establish a handoff system to carry out any tasks that come up while you’re on vacation.

During: If you’re goal-oriented at work, try applying the same thought process to your vacation—then actually unplug and immerse yourself in the new experience.

After: Make a plan and reset your priorities. You won’t be able to do everything at once, and that’s OK. Remember to take a break if you’re feeling overwhelmed.

What Do Meeting Planners Want From Speakers?

Meeting Planner turned Speaker, Shawna Suckow, talks about her new book (co-author with 3 other experienced planners) "Frankly Speaking… Insider Advice Most Planners Won't Share With Speakers". https://t.co/dC0L8YlZcS #eventprofs #nsa18

— Making Waves at C-Level Podcast (@CoolPodcast) September 6, 2018

As a meeting planner, you want the best speakers possible at your events to keep attendees engaged. And as a speaker, you want to be able to deliver.

On the latest episode of the Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do podcast, Shawna Suckow, co-author of Frankly Speaking… Insider Advice (Most) Meeting Planners Won’t Share With Speakers, talks about what she learned about the meetings business during her 20-year career as a meeting planner before she became a public speaker.

Other Links of Note

You don’t want members to unsubscribe from emails, but making unsubscribing a hassle reflects badly on your association. Nonprofit Marketing Guide offers best practices for how to set up your unsubscribe page.

Does your conference setup need an update? BizBash gives tips on how to reimagine traditional meeting spaces.

A broad membership engagement idea might not work at all of your chapters. Instead, find a program that is working at one chapter, and trickle it into the rest, from Billhighway.

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