Make Every Day of Vacay the Best It Can Be

How often do you get to take a trip? Probably not as often as you'd like! So let's use that time wisely. These tips can help, no matter where you're going or what's on the agenda.

- MARIETTE WILLIAMS

WE'VE ALL MADE that joke about how we need a vacation after our vacation. It's funny because it's true! On some trips, you work so hard at maximizing each moment, you run yourself ragged. On others, you feel like you didn't get to do half of what you'd hoped. The solution is balance, says Jerry Justin Alexidor, founder and CEO of Black Zama, a Tulum, Mexico-focused travel company. "Doing activities and exploring the culture of a place are important, but you should also give yourself time to actually relax," he says. Here are tricks for nailing that vacation vibe every single day you're away.

Departure Day

You've wrapped up as much work as you possibly could, set your out-of-office message, and put pinch hitters in place. (We know this because you're a REAL SIMPLE reader!) Now, for anyone who needs to hear it: Do not feel guilty about having boundaries, says globetrotter Tracey McGhee, founder of the travel-accessories line Ms. Jetsetter. You've earned this time! If you absolutely have to check email, designate certain hours for doing so, and stick to them. "Some people may try to push the limits," McGhee says.

But if you start responding to messages, your coworkers will take that as a sign that you're on. Then they'll respond to your responses! Once you're packed, and if time allows, do some cleaning, says Shayna Mizrahi, founder and CEO of the luxury travel service Vive Voyage. Wash the dishes, change your sheets, and tidy up so you have a nice space to come back to, she says. Then pour yourself a drink (whether a martini or chamomile tea) and relax. Vacation has officially begun.