RALEIGH — The Memorial Day holiday is finally here and many of us are really looking forward to a few days away.  Whether we're traveling out of town or just looking to relax with a little time off, it's not always as easy as it looks with the thought of work just a click or cell phone glance away.

But some experts say the phrase "work hard, play hard" doesn't have to just be a saying, it can also be a reality.  Best-selling author and certified Productivity and Health Coach, Marcey Rader, offered some tips to Spectrum News anchor Caroline Blair.

Rader says unplugging from the outside world while on vacation has become an increasingly harder task to accomplish thanks to cell phones and the Internet.  Not only do our employers or employees often have expectations for us to respond, but we too have the desire to connect and “stay in the know”.

Rader constantly checking your e-mail and making phone calls can lead to extra unneeded stress while on vacation, and she says some studys show your productivity actually increases down the line by taking some time “off”.

Rader offers the following 3 tips to help us better maximize our vacation time and relax during our time off:  

1.      Vow to have completely device- or notification-free days, preferably a minimum of at least three in a row. Have your friends or family hold you accountable. Decide ahead of time when those days are going to be and announce it.

2.      Before going on vacation, leave instructions to staff indicating what they need to do while you are away – empower them. If you must peek at your emails and want to reply, keep it as a draft or in your outbox and send it the day after you return. Once you have responded, you have trained them that you are not really on vacation.

3.      Leave an “out of office” message that puts the guilt on the sender if they expect a response. For example, “I’ve worked well and now I’m playing more with my family on vacation. I’m focusing on high-fiving, fist-bumping, games, and giggles so that I can return on [DATE] fully recharged to better serve my clients.”

Rader says she truly does see this making a difference when you return to the office.  You will feel refresh and more eager to tackle your daily tasks.

To learn more about Marcey Rader, visit her website.