KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Many struggle to disconnect from work due to smartphones and laptops during vacations
Experts recommend setting clear boundaries and scheduling work check-ins if necessary
Leadership modeling good unplugging behavior encourages employees to do the same
Taking real breaks improves mental health and strengthens family bonds on vacation
For their 15th wedding anniversary, Katie Walley-Wiegert and her husband decided to take a beach vacation with their young son. But the trip didn’t go as planned. Walley-Wiegert wound up needing to pack her computer because of a work assignment she couldn’t ignore.
The 38-year-old marketing professional had just landed a podcast interview for an executive she worked with, and he had a short window to prepare. As she labored away throug