How to Vacation Like a Boss Why executives need to take time off and how to prepare for being away from the office.

This article originally published on April 9, 2015.

Giving yourself permission to walk away from your company can be difficult. But if you can't do it for yourself, do it for your staff: When you take vacation time, you're setting a good example.

"The problem is that we don't see executives take time off. The indirect message [to employees] is that they shouldn't take time off either," says Sara Canaday, an Austin-based leadership consultant and author of You—According to Them: Uncovering the Blind Spots That Impact Your Reputation and Your Career.